Food Safety Supplier Quality Specialist

Job Description The Food Safety Supplier Quality Specialist ensures that all suppliers, co-manufacturers, and ingredients meet rigorous food safety, regulatory, and customer requirements. This role maintains current supplier and co-manufacturing documentation, leads supplier onboarding and new ingredient qualification, and manages customer compliance requests. The position partners closely with Procurement, R&D, and operations teams to support safe, compliant, and audit-ready food manufacturing in a GFSI-certified environment. Responsibilities Maintain current and accurate supplier and co-manufacturing files, including the approved supplier list, qualification records, and all relevant certifications such as FSMA, SQF, Kosher, and Organic. Lead supplier onboarding by qualifying new suppliers and ingredients before first use, in close collaboration with Procurement and R&D teams. Conduct new ingredient reviews to ensure compliance with internal specifications, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations. Evaluate Certificates of Analysis (COAs), product specifications, and ingredient and allergen documentation to verify alignment with FDA and FSMA requirements. Manage and respond to customer compliance requests, including completion of questionnaires, updates to customer portals, and follow-up actions from audits. Support food safety and quality audits, including SQF and other GFSI-related audits, by maintaining audit-ready documentation and participating in audit activities as needed. Review and verify labels and documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance with applicable regulations and internal standards. Monitor and document non-conformances related to suppliers, ingredients, and finished products, and support corrective and preventive actions. Apply knowledge of HACCP and preventive controls to supplier and ingredient programs, ensuring hazards are identified and controlled. Maintain accurate, organized, and audit-ready records for all supplier, ingredient, and food safety documentation. Collaborate effectively with leadership and frontline teams to communicate requirements, resolve issues, and support continuous improvement in food safety and quality. Work regularly with a broad supplier base using TraceGains or similar systems to manage documentation, specifications, and ongoing supplier compliance. Essential Skills Minimum of 2+ years of experience in food safety, quality assurance, or FSQA within a food manufacturing environment. Food science or related technical degree, with hands-on experience in GFSI-certified manufacturing environments. Working knowledge of SQF, FSMA, HACCP, GMPs, and food safety documentation requirements. Proven ability to evaluate COAs, product specifications, and ingredient/allergen documentation against FDA and FSMA requirements. Experience working with retailer technical compliance systems and translating regulatory requirements into practical documentation. Knowledge of HACCP principles and preventive controls. Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate, audit-ready records. Experience with food safety and quality assurance activities such as food audits, GMP verification, and documentation control. Ability to manage supplier onboarding, new ingredient review, and customer compliance requests effectively. Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively across multiple teams. Additional Skills & Qualifications HACCP certification. PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) or SQF Practitioner experience is a plus. Prior experience supporting SQF audits or working in GFSI-certified food manufacturing sites. Experience stepping into temporary, interim, or project-based FSQA roles. Familiarity with systems used for supplier management and documentation, such as TraceGains. Experience with managing documentation related to allergens, Kosher, Organic, and other certification programs. Ability to interpret and apply regulatory and customer requ…

View the full posting and apply