Director of Quality Assurance - Regulatory & Technical Services

Sysco Northeast Rdc; Houston (TX); Remote; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Director of Quality Assurance to lead their Regulatory & Technical Services team. This pivotal role involves managing Sysco's recall program, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations, and overseeing internal and external communications during regulatory inspections. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in food safety and quality assurance, with a strong ability to engage with regulatory agencies and improve processes. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in a dynamic environment, while working collaboratively with various teams to uphold the highest standards of food safety and quality.

Benefits

Comprehensive retirement and benefits programs

Stock purchase plan

Product purchase discounts

Flexible work hours

Background & Drug Screen

Qualifications

• 10+ years in food safety and quality assurance roles required.
• Expert understanding of food safety regulations and laws.
• Ability to manage compliance with federal/state/local laws.

Responsibilities

• Lead recall communications and ensure proper execution of recalls.
• Manage FSQA’s Document Control Program and related policies.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations across sites.

Skills

Food Safety Regulations

Quality Assurance

Analytical Skills

Project Management

Communication Skills

Investigative Skills

Time Management

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science

Master’s degree in Food Science or MBA

Tools

FSQA Data Systems

Document Control Software

Job description

The Director Quality Assurance – Regulatory & Technical Services (RTS) is responsible for leading the Regulatory and Technical Services team who manages Sysco’s recall program, provides technical expertise and ensures compliance to all applicable food safety and product related regulatory requirements, supports Operating Sites during regulatory inspections and administers all FSQA related data systems.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Direct, lead, and manage recall communications for Sysco Corporation.

2. Ensure the proper execution of recalls/market actions affecting Sysco.

3. Support Operating Sites to ensure proper actions are taken in a timely manner.

4. Oversee internal and external communications to all impacted stakeholders.

5. Engage with and provide appropriate reporting to customers and regulatory agencies as necessary at the Federal, state/provincial and local levels.

6. Lead process improvement initiatives to enhance Sysco’s Recall/Market Action processes and improve our internal and external stakeholder’s experience.

Manage Sysco FSQA’s Document Control Program and applicable policies, programs and procedures.

1. Manage Sysco FSQA’s Document Control Program (including ensuring functional leaders routinely review and updated programs they are responsible for) and supporting technology.

2. Maintain, update and create appropriate policies, programs and procedures for the Sysco FSQA and RTS teams.

3. Create, maintain, and ensure the proper implementation of training content relevant to Sysco FSQA and RTS related topics.

Ensure Regulatory Compliance.

1. Ensure all Operating Sites are registered with the appropriate federal and state/provincial regulatory agencies for which FSQA has responsibility.

2. Monitor for new, or changes to, food safety and product related laws and regulations that impact Sysco. Engage cross functional teams to implement compliance plans by enforcement dates. Collaborate with various industry groups navigate and prepare for regulatory initiatives.

3. Review and modify as necessary Sysco’s FSQA Programs across all business units to ensure compliance to all applicable federal, state/provincial and local Food Safety regulations.

4. Support Operating Sites during and after regulatory inspections. Assist in the review of and response to regulatory inspections of Operating sites, including any required updates to the Operating Site’s Food Safety Programs to ensure compliance.

5. Support Operating Sites during outbreak investigations and traceback requests from regulatory agencies.

Maintain external food safety and regulatory relations.

1. Establish and maintain on-going relationships with key customers to facilitate FSQA related activities.

2. Manage & coordinate customer feedback to all FSQA related requests.

3. Build and maintain effective working relationships with regulatory authorities, industry trade groups and suppliers to further and collaborate on FSQA and regulatory initiatives. When appropriate represent Sysco on food safety and regulatory committees/working groups.

4. Attend and present at food safety and regulatory related conferences and meetings as needed.

Lead team of food safety and regulatory professionals.

1. Directly lead, mentor and develop a performance driven team including leaders of people, professionals and individual contributors spanning multiple geographies, coaching them to help grow and shape their career progression.

2. Establish short- and long-term strategies and goals for the RTS team. Collaborate with various functional leaders to ensure alignment to and execution of strategies and goals.

Education Required:

1. Bachelor’s degree in food science, Animal Science or Biological Science from four-year college required.

Education Preferred:

1. Master’s degree in food science, Animal Science, Biological Science or an MBA preferred.

Experience Required:

1. 10+ years in food safety, quality assurance and/or manufacturing roles responsible for perishable and/or durable consumer goods in a multi-national organization. Experience could be in food manufacturing, distribution, and/or pharmaceutical. Expert understanding of Food Safety regulations, laws, and best practices including those from FDA, USDA, CFIA and other state/ local entities.

2. 5+ year’s accountability for compliance with federal/state/local regulatory laws. Proven ability ensuring safety and quality of products. Ability to serve as the company subject matter expert in the food safety regulatory space.

3. 5+ years’ experience development and management of standardized Food Safety policies and procedures.

4. Excellent investigative and analytical skills, project management knowledge or skills.

5. Technical acuity and confidence to act.

6. Time management and prioritization skills, ability to multi-task in a high-stress, fast-paced environment.

7. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with capacity to engage internal and external at all levels.

8. Prior recall experience preferred.

9. Knowledge of product traceability.

10. Knowledge of food microbiology, Food Safety, and food defense.

Licenses/Certifications Required:

1. Valid driver’s license. Appropriate Food Safety and HACCP certifications.

Licenses/Certifications Preferred:

1. HACCP, Seafood HACCP, PCQI, FSVP and IA certification preferred.

Skills & Abilities:

1. The successful candidate will have a high-level of integrity and accountability, specifically the ability to speak and act with complete honesty and trustworthiness. Successful candidates must be capable of working independently and adept at identification of business and Food Safety risk priorities and executing against them in a collaborative manner with others on the FSQA team, Operating Site personnel, and suppliers. He /She will be flexible and adaptable to promptly adjust to new circumstances. In addition, this person will demonstrate active curiosity with a strong focus around proactively soliciting and acting on received feedback. This person will have a high level of maturity and be able to read an audience and adapt their communication and influencing style quickly and appropriately. This person will have high energy and thrive on solving complex challenges. He/She will be able to handle multiple assignments and stakeholders simultaneously, often with competing priorities.

Travel Required:

1. Travel is required 25% of the time.

Work Environment:

1. This position is remote. To fulfill management responsibilities, candidates must be able to travel to Sysco Operating sites and the Global Service Center office, regulatory meetings and industry conferences. The work requires the following physical activities: sitting, finger dexterity for activities such as data entry, speaking, hearing, visual acuity, and mobility between departments. Work may require bending, stooping, squatting, kneeling, and crouching; extensive telephone work; ability to receive detailed information through both verbal and written communication, ability to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word; ability to lift up to 50 lbs. Use of both hands is required. The work is performed primarily indoors. Occasionally some work may be performed for short periods in temperature-controlled warehouse environments (freezer, cooler, and exterior environments). The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Plant audits/inspections and working at remote in-transit warehouses and Sysco Operating Companies contain both moderate/loud noise and exposure to fumes and mechanical hazards.

NOTICE: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the environment and level of work being performed by this job. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only tasks to be performed by the associate in this job. He or she will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by his or her supervisor. This job description supersedes prior job descriptions.

Additional Information:

1. Flexible to work evenings, weekends, holidays, as needed for Regulatory needs.

2. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis without future employment sponsorship.

3. Sysco is committed to providing comprehensive retirement and benefits programs, a stock purchase plan, product purchase discounts and much more.

4. Background & Drug Screen. EOE.