Who are we?
UNFI Canada is the leading distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods! We transform the world of food for our associates, customers, and the families we serve everyday! Our mission is simple: to provide healthier food choices to people everywhere.
Better Food, Better Future!
If YOU are a Food Safety and/or Quality Assurance professional who is passionate about food safety, people, and "doing it right", AND looking for contract work, this opportunity at UNFI Canada may be right for you. Read on!
Position: Food Safety & Quality Assurance Partner
Job Type: Full Time Fixed Contract (18 months)
Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Language Requirements: English
Working Conditions: On-Site
Location: Richmond, B.C.
Purpose:
The most important value at UNFI is “Do the Right Thing – Put Safety and Integrity at the Forefront of Everything We Do.” The FSQA Partner position will aid the organization to deliver on this critical value – day in and day out. The role is fast-paced and complex and has responsibility for helping maintain a world class food safety culture in which UNFI associates are proactive and interdependent when it comes to food safety.
Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with food safety, recalls, sanitation and pest control programs within their location. Interacts with Distribution Center (DC) leadership teams as well as other departments to ensure policies, procedures, audits, and training programs are understood and followed. This includes comprehensive support of any and all regulatory certifications.
Job Responsibilities:
Audits:
- Conducts food safety assessments at internal DC location and 3rd party locations as needed. Ensures compliance with 3rd party certifications.
- Manages SQF, GDP, CanadaGAP, and food safety programs, including document review of records, associate training, and oversight of corrective actions.
- Acts as primary lead in SQF, GDP, CanadaGAP, and Organic Distributions 3rd party audits.
Regulatory:
- Ensures regulatory standards are met by third party sanitation and pest elimination providers by conducting occasional joint surveys/visits.
- Maintains current knowledge of all Federal, and local regulatory agencies to ensure compliance regarding local DC operations as well as adhere to SQF standards.
- Manages the product recall process to ensure timely communication and execution of product recalls, including fulfillment of our customer expectations.
- Manages the recovery of all recall related credits/fees to avoid negative significant financial impact. Ensures proper credit is given through systems administration to all impacted areas.
- Maintains active working relationships with all appropriate industry and regulatory bodies.
DC Specific:
- Coordinates food safety, sanitation, and pest control compliance efforts as required.
- Uses available metrics and reporting systems to track and measure food safety performance, identifying exceptions to outstanding performance and influencing leadership to resolve specific and culture opportunities.
- Directs activities in maintaining and executing effective food safety, food defense, and recall plans, policies, and processes in Distribution Center operations.
- Provides food safety training and support to operations and internal/external partners.
- Collaborates with operations partners to ensure compliance during facility changes and/or new site developments.
- Investigates product quality and compliance issues (i.e. tampering, adulteration, mislabeling, etc.)
- Drives and executes consistently, innovation for food safety messaging, development of food safety culture, and nurture the belief that food safety is and should always be everyone's top priority.
- Performs other job duties as required.
Qualifications:
Education/Certifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Biology, Food Science, Public Health, Environmental Science or related field
- HACCP, Preventive Controls Qualified Individual, and/or SQF Practioner certifications desired
Experience:
- Three (3+) years’ experience in related food fields
- Experience with interpreting federal regulations, and maintaining working relationships with industry and regulatory officials
- Ability to coordinate planning and collaboration with other business functions in a way that is mutually beneficial and drives continuous improvement.
- Ability to analyze and independently resolve a variety of difficult situations and problems using timely decision making
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to speak effectively before groups
- Ability to balance multiple priorities and ensure significant issues are communicated clearly to relevant stakeholders in timely manner
- Strong analytical skills required for data interpretation and analysis
- Computer skills in word-processing and spreadsheet software preferred
- Must be able to interface effectively with a wide variety of personnel
- Possess ability to communicate concepts, systems, procedures, etc., in a training environment. Experience in training large groups is helpful
- Must possess leadership ability to inspire others to achieve desired results
- Flexible and adaptable to learning and understanding new technologies
- Self-driven with ability to work independently on multiple projects from start to end
Physical Environment/Demands:
- Travel required
- Stooping, bending, twisting, and reaching may be required in completion of job duties
- May be in refrigerated food processing rooms for extended periods, may handle hazardous chemicals and manipulate or install cleaning equipment and dispensers
- Incumbent must be able to move throughout the facility including second storey offices, and back rooms
- Some work is performed in a temperature-controlled office environment
- Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at desk or computer terminal.
- Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephone, and other office equipment in the course of normal activities.
Reasons to Apply to UNFI Canada:
- Our Culture and our Values: We believe in #FuelingtheFuture and #FeedingthePlanet. We deliver together to provide #BetterFood for a #BetterFuture and win big!
- Compensation includes a base salary
- Paid vacation and sick days!
- Employee discounts on Organic Food!
- Friendly and helpful team!
Our Commitment:
UNFI believes in a diverse and accommodating workplace. UNFI encourages and promotes applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, disability or otherwise. UNFI is committed to providing full accommodation for persons with disabilities in all active processes and procedures including but not limited to the recruitment process. To request any accommodation you may require to participate in the recruitment process (including alternative formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please contact the main recruiting contact for the position or Human Resources to discuss your specific needs.
Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 18 months
Benefits:
- Company events
- Discounted or free food
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Store discount
- Wellness program
Schedule:
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Richmond, BC: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Food Safety: 3 years (required)
Work Location: In person
