Food Safety and Compliance Manager

ID: 277
City: Tallahassee
State: Florida

Aarcher is seeking a Food Safety and Compliance Manager for our client in Tallahassee, FL.  The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader and have:

  • 3 to 5 years of leadership experience in the food manufacturing or processing industry. This role is crucial in ensuring food safety systems are robust.  And that regulatory and customer requirements are met, and quality control practices consistently protect the brand and customers. 
  • A deep knowledge of SQF, hands-on experience with FDA audits, and a strong ability to lead cross-functional teams through risk-based decision-making and continuous improvement. 

Responsibilities 

  • Supervise and develop the QA and food safety team, including training, evaluations, and daily support, and promote a culture of food safety awareness and ownership across the facility. 
  • Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of the company’s food safety systems following SQF, FSMA, and FDA regulations and own the site’s Food Safety Plan (HACCP, Preventive Controls), ensuring it is current, validated, and effective. 
  • Prepare for and lead regulatory and third-party audits, including FDA and SQF certifications. 
  • Manage the CAPA process for food safety deviations, ensuring effective root cause analysis and corrective actions. 
  • Identify potential compliance risks and develop strategies to mitigate them. 
  • Respond to customer quality/safety audits and documentation and ensure all customer-specific food safety, labeling, and documentation requirements are met and oversee compliance.
  • Communicate compliance risks to leadership and proactively drive mitigation. 
  • Implement and monitor quality control procedures throughout production to meet product specifications. 
  • Oversee finished goods and in-process checks, hold-and-release systems, and product traceability. 
  • Use data and trend analysis to identify quality deviations and drive process improvements. 
  • Foster a “right-first-time” culture on the floor, integrating food safety with quality metrics. 

Requirements

  • A leadership position in the food manufacturing industry or production.
  • Experience in SQF implementation and audit preparation, knowledge of FDA regulations, and preventive controls under FSMA. 
  • Proven track record of managing food safety risks and maintaining certifications. 
  • Skilled in working with regulatory bodies and customer QA teams, problem-solving, root cause analysis, and CAPA systems. 

Preferred:

  • Bilingual (English/Spanish or Portuguese) is a plus. 
  • Bachelor’s degree in food science, Microbiology, or a related technical field preferred. 
  • Certifications PCQI, HACCP, SQF Practitioner, or similar. 

Work Conditions:

  • Work in the office and travel between the local Food Manufacturing Plant and the Distribution Center.
  • Requires use of PPE including hairnets, gloves, aprons, and footwear. 

Schedule:

  • Full-time position working Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. 
  • Flexibility is required for off-hour support.