ABOUT ALBERT USTER IMPORTS
Albert Uster Imports, Inc. ("AUI") is a privately held gourmet food company headquartered in the Washington, DC area (Gaithersburg, MD) with warehouse locations in Kansas City, Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Gurnee and Gaithersburg. AUI falls under the Vestar Capital Partners portfolio with affiliate organization, Roland Foods, LLC.
Founded in 1968, the company offers over 1,400 products from around the world. We serve leading hotels, restaurants, casinos, cruise lines, airlines, and manufacturers with innovative, high quality products and solutions to their most demanding culinary challenges. We operate a network of distribution centers across the U.S. and serve select international markets as well. AUI has a national direct selling organization of over 60 sales professionals and a staff of culinary experts (chefs and food scientists) adept at custom product solutions.
ABOUT THE ROLE
AUI is currently hiring for a Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager responsible for managing AUI's total Food Safety & Quality Management system. The FSQA Manager will hold primary accountability for AUI's achievement of the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) in the "Warehouse & Distribution" sector category. This role will lead the development and delivery of FSQA, customer complaint investigation/resolution processes, and services within all product lines offered by AUI to its customers.
The FSQA Manger will communicate with top management on a monthly basis and ensure the Quality Department collaborates and communicates cross-departmentally with the Logistics, Purchasing, Innovation, Culinary, Customer Experience and Marketing teams so that the food safety/quality control processes and results are understood and meet internal/external standards. The manager will foster a high degree of customer loyalty through proactive pursuit and maintenance of the highest quality, and the communication of appropriate solutions to problems that may arise.
The ideal candidate will have a nuanced appreciation of quality assurance processes and a proven ability to link pertinent statistics to business decision making processes while utilizing innovative approaches to resolve complex problems and a solid system understanding to identify improvement opportunities. This role will be reported directly to the Senior Director, FSQA & Compliance.
As a response to the pandemic, Albert Uster Imports office employees have transitioned to a hybrid working schedule, requiring employees to report in-person Monday through Wednesday, with the option to telework on Thursday and Friday each week. Due to the collaborative, cross-functional nature of the organization, employees at the Gaithersburg office are required to work in-person for the abovementioned days, outside of any People & Culture-approved disability accommodation request.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Inspection and Testing of Products/Processes
- Ensure proper monitoring and documentation are maintained across all seven distribution centers and the repacking department in alignment with the Food Safety Program
- Oversee process management and product quality/food safety compliance
- Manage and document all red flag testing and quality control processes, including product sample testing, sample check programs, and laboratory testing
- Coordinate and document shipping tests for new products
- Conduct and maintain records for monthly self-inspections covering food defense programs, cleaning and sanitation, FIFO compliance, temperature control, etc.
- Support and prepare for FDA, USDA, and customer (2nd Party) audits and inspections
- Ensure proper product receiving controls are followed and documented
- Maintain accurate records and corrective actions related to food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance initiatives
3rd Party Audits (AUI Distribution Centers) - GDP
- Manage the re-certification of seven distribution centers according to each food safety standard level (GDP) in conjunction with the warehouse and logistics managers
- Act as the GDP Practitioner responsible for verifying and validating the GDP standards and warehouse employee training of all food safety and product quality aspects
Food Safety Assurance of Proper Production, Storage Environments and Receiving & Delivery
- Ensure that proper monitoring practices and documentation are maintained with respect to food safety, particularly for pest control, temperature control (in & outbound, storage), cleaning & sanitation control, shelf-life management and product receiving & delivery
- Own and update Food Safety Plan as required post incidents, with compliance changes, etc.
Product Information/Specifications
- Manage/maintain the product information/specifications of all AUI products (new and existing products) and communicate to all necessary departments to maintain accuracy of all information channels.
Customer Complaint Investigation and Resolution
- Manage all customer complaints and communications related to food safety & product quality with all suppliers and customer service/customers to solve product issues
Supplier Quality Reporting and Information
- Manage AUI's supplier quality assurance program/documents/processes of new and existing suppliers and review/update the information on an annual basis
- Own and maintain FSVP's (Foreign Supplier Verification Programs) including current suppliers and onboarding of new suppliers
QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Safety and Quality Management or equivalent
- 3 to 5 years of work experience managing plant food safety & quality assurance programs (such as GDP) and/or working with quality assurance programs in an international wholesale distribution environment
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certified
- Knowledge of FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) & FSVP (Foreign Supplier Verification Programs)
- Excellent project management, customer management and prioritization skills
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills
- Ability to travel 10% of the time
Preferred
- Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQ) certified
- Excellent analytical abilities with a proven capacity to identify process improvement opportunities
- Creative and results-oriented problem solver, capable of evaluating challenges and implementing effective solutions
- Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and supervising team members in a fast-paced environment
SALARY RANGE
Albert Uster Imports hires exceptional people to perform a wide variety of important functions that contribute to the success of the Company. One of the ways AUI does that is through a competitive compensation package. The base salary for this role will be $100,000 - $125,000
This role will be bonus eligible.
Based on your qualifications, previous experience, and transferrable skills, the Company will determine at its sole discretion, the salary offered.
Founded by immigrants, AUI & Roland Foods knows that diversity is the spice of life. We believe in the power of food to open minds, spark adventure, and bring diverse people together. All are welcome at our table! We know the transformative value of food in individual lives and communities. Because of this, we insist on obtaining the highest-quality ingredients and talent!
AUI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. AUI considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. AUI is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected].
Please read Albert Uster Import's California Job Applicant Privacy Policy here.
