Job Description
Food Safety & Quality Manager
Hicksville, NY | Manufacturing | Full-Time | Exempt
Primary Purpose The Food Safety & Quality Manager is responsible for providing ongoing support, training, and hands-on leadership across all Nassau Candy manufacturing, packing, warehouse, and distribution locations. This role oversees quality and food safety functions through continuous monitoring, evaluation, auditing, investigation, reporting, and follow-up corrective actions.
Key responsibilities include developing and implementing SOPs, food safety plans, and SQF documentation; ensuring compliance with FDA, state, and regulatory requirements; managing customer complaints and CAPA; and maintaining audit readiness and high certification scores. This position also plays a critical role in daily floor oversight, cross-functional collaboration, process improvement, and team coaching.
Essential Functions Food Safety, SQF & Regulatory Compliance - Maintain and support all Food Safety Policies, SQF SOPs, HACCP Plans, Food Defense, cGMP, GDP, FSMA, Preventive Controls, and all prerequisite programs.
- Drive awareness and compliance with SQF and FSMA through training, monitoring, auditing, and corrective actions.
- Participate in SQF audits, DC audits, regulatory inspections, customer audits, and other external assessments.
- Conduct annual internal audits, mock recalls, and traceability exercises.
Quality Assurance & Process Oversight - Provide daily floor support to ensure total quality compliance from receiving to shipment.
- Perform daily walk-throughs monitoring processes, employee practices, hygiene, allergen control, and documentation.
- Maintain audit-ready facilities at all times across all sites.
- Manage customer complaints, conduct investigations and RCA, draft CAPA, and maintain internal/external CAPA databases.
- Ensure strong sanitation practices and assist with maintaining highest sanitation standards.
- Evaluate facility and equipment conditions and issue timely work orders for corrective actions.
- Support pest control program through regular monitoring and issue reporting.
Leadership & Team Collaboration - Provide positive, effective leadership in a fast-paced environment.
- Work cross-functionally to ensure compliance across Manufacturing, Packaging, Warehousing, and Product Development.
- Assist with training personnel on Quality, Food Safety, Sanitation, and Compliance.
- Promote and model a safe, sanitary working environment.
Data, Records & Technical Responsibilities - Monitor and record temperatures, machine settings, line speeds, and other data to build product specs and operating guides.
- Recommend solutions for product or ingredient issues and ensure corrective actions are implemented early in production.
- Maintain all non-conformance data, analyze findings, develop action plans, and implement CAPA.
- Maintain training records, audit documentation, and food safety/quality records.
Safety Responsibilities (Leadership Role) - Maintain safe working conditions through job safety analysis, inspections, meetings, and training.
- Monitor work activities to prevent unsafe behaviors.
- Ensure prompt reporting and response to injuries; provide first aid and investigate accidents.
- Enforce safety rules, PPE use, machine guarding, and workplace standards.
- Brief employees on new hazards and conduct weekly safety meetings.
- Support safety committees, OSHA compliance, and insurance recommendations.
Additional Responsibilities - May assume Sanitation Manager responsibilities during absence.
- Responsible for stopping production when food safety risks arise and ensuring timely investigation and resolution.
- Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.
Requirements Technical & Regulatory Requirements - Experience developing and maintaining SQF systems with successful 3rd-party audit closures.
- Knowledge of FDA 21 CFR, FSMA, and regulatory compliance for manufacturing & distribution.
- Strong understanding of QMS, QA/QC, CAPA, HACCP, HARPC/Preventive Controls (PCQI required).
- Knowledge of allergens, GMPs, GDPs, and food defense.
- Ability to manage multi-site social accountability and customer audits.
- Preferably a degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or a related field.
- Computer-literate with strong communication skills.
Leadership & Behavioral Skills - Self-motivated, disciplined, and capable of working independently.
- Strong trainer, communicator, and team collaborator.
- Able to enforce sanitary and safety standards; leads by example.
- Excellent follow-up skills and strong organizational discipline.
Travel & Site Allocation - Approximately 10% travel required.
- Expected time allocation: 80% at WJS site, 20% at Lanco site .
Physical Requirements - Ability to speak clearly and work with cross-functional teams.
- Ability to hear with or without accommodation.
- Adequate vision to examine products.
- Able to work in cold and hot environments.
- Must move throughout facilities daily and travel independently.
Why Nassau Candy
For over 90 years, Nassau Candy has been a leading manufacturer and distributor of specialty confections, gourmet foods, and promotional products. Join a fast-growing, nationally recognized organization where your expertise in food safety and quality will directly impact customer satisfaction and brand excellence.
Job Tags
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