



Job Information
Dairy Farmers of America Food Safety Supervisor in Garden City, Kansas
Position : Food Safety Supervisor
Location : Garden City, Kansas
Requisition ID: : 14904
Supervise and lead a team of individuals, in conjunction with the Quality Manager, to build and maintain an effective culture of food safety and quality within the facility. Partner with Operations to ensure finished product is food safe, meets finished product specifications, and results in a high level of customer satisfaction. Provide expertise and governance in establishing/executing food safety, sanitation and hygiene programs for the facility. Support continuous improvement activities through risk assessment and problem-solving initiatives.
Compliance to regulatory requirements and internal FSQ programs/standards
Assist Quality Manager in the development, implementation and maintenance of food safety and quality programs at the facility to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, corporate standards and customer expectations
Partner with Operations to continuously build and strengthen the facility’s food safety and quality culture
Provide expertise and governance for cleaning/sanitation of production equipment and facility to meet regulatory requirements, DFA corporate standards and customer expectations
Partner with Operations and Warehouse teams to write, review, implement and maintain cleaning/sanitation SOPs, master sanitation schedules (MSS), and cleaning validation/verification protocols
Provide regular training, instruction, and guidance to the facility concerning matters of food safety, sanitation and hygiene
Provide oversight for the plant’s integrated pest management (IPM) program; manage relationship with the facility’s pest control operator and partner with plant teams to develop/implement corrective actions to address events and unfavorable trends
Assist Quality Manager and partner with Operations for the hygiene and pathogen environmental monitoring program including oversight of sample collection, investigation/corrective actions and mitigation activities
Monitor and report key performance indicators related to food safety, sanitation and hygiene to identify opportunities for continuous improvement
Partner with Engineering and Maintenance teams during capital projects and maintenance activities to comply with sanitary/hygienic design standards; support development/execution of cleaning validations, food safety risk assessments and product protection plans for these projects/activities
Lead and direct cross-functional plant teams in the development of the facility’s food safety plans and food defense plans
Participate in plant cross-functional internal audit teams to assess compliance with internal procedures, corporate guidelines and regulatory/customer requirements
Initiate and drive continuous improvement activities, and partner with plant cross-functional teams during problem solving exercises to resolve persistent challenges while supporting the implementation of new procedures or processes
Customer Centric
Support customer, regulatory and third-party quality and food safety audits.
Investigate, find solutions, and implement remedies to food safety issues and customer complaints.
Support process to achieve/maintain certifications such as SQF, Kosher, Halal, and Organic.
Leadership
Supervise hourly employee’s activities to meet or exceed the standards and specifications established by Quality Assurance and the organization.
Ensure all process, product, or infrastructure changes are understood by employees in a timely fashion.
Identify and retain highly effective personnel through proper selection, training, and establishing expectations
Ensure good business communication practices are engaged at all levels to ensure key stakeholders are well informed and can appropriately respond
Serve as a backup for QA Manager in his / her absence
Foster a positive and effective work culture with direct reports
Quality Control
Collaborate with the laboratory team for sampling and testing requirements to support food safety compliance, including cleaning verification/validation and hygiene/pathogen environmental monitoring program
Support the analysis of food safety data to assess product performance and utilize SPC tools to identify and react to unfavorable trends
The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required.
Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Biological Sciences or related field or equivalent practical work experience (work experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis)
1 to 3 years of Food Safety, Sanitation or QA experience in a food manufacturing environment
Demonstrated leadership skills or team lead / supervisory experience
Knowledge of sanitation and hygiene practices including CIP/COP, dry cleaning and MSS
Experience monitoring and controlling environmental pathogens and allergens
Integrated pest management knowledge including stored product pest management
Understand and have knowledge of GMP, FDA, USDA, and OSHA requirements
Preferred Qualifications
2 to 5 years of food, beverage or pharmaceutical manufacturing experience. Experience with dairy or other micro-sensitive foods a plus
1 to 3 years of supervisory / leadership experience
Experience in validation of cleaning/sanitation procedures and programs
Working knowledge of FSMA, preventive controls, risk assessments and food defense
Experience in FSQ auditing and working cross-functionally to develop/implement corrective actions
Knowledge of hygienic equipment design for food safety and effective cleaning/sanitation
Leadership of teams to problem solve or control variability with CI tools
Computer experience- SAP, LIMS and other operating systems
PCQI, HACCP, SQF Practitioner Certification
An Equal Opportunity Employer