FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM SUPERVISOR
POSITION SUMMARY
The Food Safety Program Supervisor is responsible for overseeing, maintaining, and continuously improving the company's food safety programs and systems. This position serves as the primary food safety leader at the Kansas City facility while providing guidance, oversight, and program support across all company locations.
The Food Safety Program Supervisor works closely with Operations, Quality, Sanitation, Maintenance, Warehouse, and other departments to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, customer expectations, company policies, and third-party certification standards. This role is responsible for promoting a strong food safety culture, ensuring program consistency across multiple facilities, and supporting the organization in maintaining a state of continuous audit readiness.
The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented and proactive food safety professional who can effectively balance day-to-day facility responsibilities with broader company-wide food safety initiatives.
This position is based primarily in Kansas City and provides support to additional facilities in Atlanta, GA and Hot Springs, AR with some travel required.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Food Safety Program Management
- Serve as the primary Food Safety Practitioner and food safety resource for the assigned facility.
- Oversee the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of food safety programs.
- Maintain the facility's Food Safety Management System in accordance with SQF requirements and applicable regulatory standards.
- Ensure food safety programs are effectively implemented, monitored, verified, and documented.
- Maintain and update HACCP plans, food safety plans, prerequisite programs, and other food safety documentation as required.
- Monitor food safety trends and identify opportunities for program improvement.
- Ensure food safety procedures are consistently followed throughout the facility.
Multi-Site Food Safety Oversight
- Provide food safety guidance and program support to all company facilities.
- Promote consistency in food safety policies, procedures, documentation, and best practices across locations.
- Work with Food Safety and Quality personnel at other facilities to ensure company standards are understood and consistently implemented.
- Assist facilities with the development and implementation of corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Support the standardization of food safety systems and documentation across the organization.
- Travel to other facilities as needed to conduct audits, provide training, assist with investigations, and support food safety initiatives.
Regulatory and Certification Compliance
- Maintain compliance with FDA, USDA, state and local regulatory requirements, as applicable.
- Maintain compliance with SQF and other applicable GFSI certification requirements.
- Support compliance with customer-specific food safety requirements.
- Monitor changes in regulatory and certification requirements and assist in updating company programs accordingly.
- Maintain ongoing audit readiness and ensure required documentation and records are complete and accurate.
Audits and Inspections
- Coordinate and participate in internal, external, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
- Lead preparation activities for SQF and other certification audits.
- Conduct routine internal inspections and food safety audits.
- Identify nonconformances and areas of risk and ensure appropriate corrective actions are implemented.
- Track corrective and preventive actions through completion and verify effectiveness.
- Communicate audit findings and food safety concerns to appropriate leadership.
Food Safety Team and Leadership
- Lead or facilitate Food Safety Team meetings at the assigned facility.
- Provide guidance, coaching, and support to production team members.
- Promote accountability and ownership of food safety responsibilities across all departments.
- Partner with facility leadership to address food safety risks and concerns.
- Escalate significant food safety issues to leadership in a timely manner.
Training and Food Safety Culture
- Develop and provide food safety and GMP training for employees.
- Coordinate required food safety training and maintain training records.
- Support employee onboarding and ongoing food safety education.
- Promote a positive food safety culture throughout the organization.
- Reinforce employee understanding of their role in protecting product safety and quality.
Investigations and Corrective Actions
- Investigate food safety incidents, customer complaints, nonconformances, and potential product safety issues.
- Participate in root cause analysis and develop corrective and preventive actions.
- Verify that corrective actions are completed effectively and within established timelines.
- Assist with product holds, releases, recalls, and mock recall activities as needed.
- Support traceability and recall programs and ensure required testing is completed.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Operations, Production, Sanitation, Warehouse, Maintenance, Purchasing, and Quality teams.
- Provide food safety input on process changes, new equipment, new products, suppliers, and facility modifications.
- Participate in risk assessments and continuous improvement projects.
- Help identify potential food safety risks before they become issues.
- Support operational teams in resolving food safety concerns while maintaining production efficiency.
Documentation and Records
- Ensure food safety records are accurate, complete, and maintained according to company requirements.
- Review food safety documentation for accuracy and compliance.
- Maintain organized and audit-ready files and records.
- Monitor completion of required inspections, verifications, environmental monitoring, testing, and other food safety activities.
QualificationsRequired Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Food Safety, or a related field.
- Minimum of 3 years of food safety or quality experience in a food manufacturing environment.
- Strong knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, food safety principles, and regulatory requirements.
- Experience working with SQF or another GFSI-recognized food safety certification program.
- Strong organizational and documentation skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
- Ability to work effectively with employees at all levels of the organization.
Preferred Qualifications
- PCQI certification.
- HACCP certification.
- SQF Practitioner experience or certification.
- Internal Auditor training or certification.
- Experience with environmental monitoring programs.
- Experience with food defense and food fraud programs.
- Experience with USDA or FDA-regulated food manufacturing.
Key Competencies
- Food Safety Leadership
- Regulatory Compliance
- SQF/GFSI Knowledge
- Attention to Detail
- Problem Solving
- Root Cause Analysis
- Risk Assessment
- Organization and Documentation
- Communication
- Training and Coaching
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Accountability
- Continuous Improvement
- Ability to Influence Without Direct Authority
Physical Requirements
- Ability to regularly walk and stand throughout the manufacturing facility.
- Ability to work in varying temperatures and production environments.
- Ability to wear required PPE and follow all facility safety requirements.
- Ability to occasionally lift and carry materials weighing up to 30 pounds.
- Ability to access production, warehouse, sanitation, and other facility areas as needed.
Travel Requirements
- Occasional travel between company facilities, estimated at10–25%, for audits, training, program implementation, investigations, and food safety support.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This position operates in both office and food manufacturing environments. The role requires periodic work in production, warehouse, and processing areas and may involve exposure to temperature changes, noise, machinery, wet conditions, and food manufacturing environments. Appropriate PPE is required when working in plant areas.
BENEFITS
CMC Foods offers a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Health, dental, vision, and life insurance
- 401(k) with company matching
- Profit sharing opportunities
- Paid time off (PTO)
- Ongoing training and professional development opportunities
COMPANY DESCRIPTION
CMC Foods is a family-owned, multi-site food manufacturing company serving the wholesale food distribution marketplace. We operate state-of-the-art production facilities under nationally recognized third-party audited food safety and GMP programs. Our company is committed to quality, teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement across all operations.
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
