With three generations of produce experience, at Amex, we specialize in providing warehousing services. Based in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, we source, consolidate, inspect, pack, ripen, and store fresh fruits and vegetables from our refrigerated facilities in Donna, Texas.
We are currently looking for talent to join our compliance team as Food Safety Coordinator.
The Food Safety Coordinator is primarily responsible for coordinating with stakeholders to ensure the continued development and viability of the plant’s food safety and security program. Among the position’s chief responsibilities are the managing of all documentation relative to food safety, security and compliance issues as well as working with management to review, establish and communicate policies and procedures that are standardized across the global organization. This is done with the end objective of maintaining the organization certified and in compliance with customer and regulatory standards at all times.
This position requires frequent formal and informal communication with key stakeholders at all levels in and out of the organization including management, staff, regulatory parties, customers, and suppliers. Strong critical thinking, organization and communication skills are required for the success of the position holder.
Compliance - General:
- Maintain current knowledge of regulations and initiatives affecting the trade.
- Manage, schedule, and prepare for regulatory, first, second and third-party audits, including preparation and execution of corrective action plans.
- Coordinate with management and warehouse staff on all regulatory visits and inspections, including audits and FDA holds.
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Oversee the implementation of the food safety management system (FSMS), including but not limited to:
- Updating the food safety manual
- Reviewing and updating the Hazard Analysis
- Reviewing, updating, and executing the HACCP plan
- Ensuring adequate preventive control measures and training are in place
- Reviewing the company’s micro testing schedule and oversee sampling procedures
- Reviewing the company’s ATP testing schedule and oversee testing and verification procedures.
- Reviewing and updating all SOPs and SSOPs, as well as for communicating them to staff as needed to ensure proper execution.
- Review and oversee the implementation of the company’s trace and recall procedures, engaging in exercises to test traceability procedures, and making improvement recommendations and adjustments where needed.
- Stay on top of state and federal regulatory and customer requirements, explain to staff as needed, and adjust internal protocol to ensure standard operating procedures always reflect the most current compliance criteria.
- Manage the approved supplier program by establishing relationships with key supplier contacts, the procurement team and by following adequate and methodical filing protocol to ensure information is kept current and available for review at all times.
- Develop training materials for staff regarding food safety and security issues.
- Communicate with and collaborate with management, peers, customers, and suppliers on all matters relating to food safety and security.
- Engage in efforts to improve the food safety program to ensure its viability
- Participate in annual management reviews of the entire food safety program and ensure any corrective actions are completed on time.
Global Coordination:
- Work with food safety peers and management staff to ensure processes, procedures and policies are maintained as standard as possible across the global organization.
- Be willing and able to aid and support food safety peers and management staff to ensure food safety and compliance needs for the global organization are met.
- Support peers and sales staff on the completion of customer onboarding packets.
- Be flexible and able adapt to changing business needs and objectives.
- Take proper steps to safeguard work and make it available for fellow peers and stakeholders
Quality Control:
- Participate in the review and development of quality control processes.
- Support management in the appraisal of QC-related situations, and make recommendations that aim to minimize loss and improve service levels.
- Maintain open communication and good rapport with QC staff to foster team building and collaboration.
Administrative Support:
- Be willing and able to cross train and support other team members as needed to ensure work gets done accurately and on time during peak work periods and / or time off.
- Associates or Bachelor degree in biology, food science or a related field, or relevant work experience.
- Prior experience in a food safety specialist, coordinator, or manager role, or in an auditor capacity.
- HACCP training and certification preferred
- FSMA Preventive Controls Qualified Individual Inspector certification preferred
- FSMA Preventive Controls Qualified Individual Training certificate preferred
- General understanding of the regulatory bodies that govern our industry (e.g. FDA, USDA and EPA)
- General understanding of the regulations affecting our industry, including the Bioterrorism Act, the Food Safety Modernization Act, the Perishable Agricultural and Commodities Act, among others.
- Experience with or understanding of HACCP principles and plan development
- Experience with or understanding of Good Agricultural and Good Manufacturing Practices
- Excellent communication, organization, planning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
- Be resourceful, flexible, pragmatic, reliable, steady and collaborative in own work approach
- Be able to work alone or in teams, sometimes with minimal supervision
- Be accountable for completing work accurately and on time
- Strive for continuous improvement of work processes as they relate to food safety and compliance
- Bilingual (Spanish) preferred but not a requirement
- Be prudent with handling and control of company information
Physical Demands:
- Be willing and able to travel for training or work, sometimes outside of regular work hours. (We will make every effort to find local training).
- Be willing and able to work on Saturdays (usually half days on Saturdays, on a rotation when possible).