Specialist Quality Assurance

Retail Business Services, ranked No. 25 on Fast Company’s 2022 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators, is the services company of leading grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA, currently providing services to five omnichannel grocery brands, including Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. Retail Business Services leverages the scale of the local brands to drive synergies and provides industry-leading expertise, insights and analytics to local brands to support their strategies. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we foster a community of belonging where everyone is valued. For more information, visit https://www.retailbusinessservices.com.

Position will cover the Richmond-Norfolk area.

Position Summary

A minimum of three years retail QA experience and proven ability to act as a technical expert. Helps to ensure customer satisfaction & brand protection through education and verification of applicable product safety standards and procedures as they concern our stores, merchandising teams and associates.  Support continuous improvement through training, coaching, auditing and mentoring.  Interact regularly with the regulatory arena as official liaison. 

 Principle Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform food safety inspections of stores and distribution centers to ensure we meet or exceed established internal and regulatory requirements.  Follow up on third party food safety inspections. Conducts in-depth ‘root cause’ analysis of food safety and sanitation procedures for compliance and necessary follow-up/assessment. Capable of providing technical direction/guidance for resolving imminent health hazards business partners or QA team
• Capable of assessing the effectiveness and challenging corrective action plans and/or additional execution at retail or within other functional business areas; Capable of influencing future process improvements through root cause assessment.
• Provide education and training to business partners.  Conducts food safety training/certification sessions (authorized trainer and exam administrator). Established confidence and skill level in delivering effective training.
• Develop contacts and relations with regulatory officials (health department, department of agriculture, weights & measures, etc.).   Actively participate, contribute and accept leadership roles in regulatory and industry meetings educate and be an advocate for company product safety standard practices/policies/programs.
• Monitor and follow-up with sanitation and pest control vendor activities daily.  Work with the local pest control and sanitation vendors to ensure compliance with contractual arrangements and directs them as needed.  Technical expert and resource with providing direction for resolution.
• Provide direction/advice/consultation to retail and assigned distribution center locations, supervision and leadership regarding food safety and sanitation issues within their respective areas.  Technical resource and ability to assess regulatory impact and provide immediate guidance.
• Provide food safety field support, direction and follow-up for emergency/crisis situations (power outages, fires, floods, claimed illnesses, recall audits, etc.).  Ability to quickly assess both complex and/or individual situations; confident and trusted to provide practical and accurate guidance to mitigate risk and achieve regulatory compliance; considers issue complexity and scope on brand protection and consumer confidence.
• Conduct regular food safety/sanitation assessments of assigned distribution center operations.  Focus on GMPs, sanitation, pest control support to ensure compliance with all regulatory and internal standards, including FSMA regulations. Technical resource and ability to assess regulatory impact and provide immediate guidance.
• Assist as needed in other regulatory compliance issues and follow-up including but not limited to Country of Origin Labeling, WIC, weight and measure standards.  Technical resource and ability to assess regulatory impact and provide immediate guidance.
• Provide field support for corporate food safety initiatives and assess execution levels.
• Analyze, interpret and incorporate data/metrics to further minimize food safety risks. Ability to offer root causes and leading interaction with other functional areas to implement solutions.
• Interpret regulatory standards and identification of industry trends and best practices.
• Provide food safety field support, direction and follow-up pertaining to consumer complaints.
• Conduct environmental sampling of store equipment and facilities, interpret data and provide feedback and direction to the store and district management staff.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life science (food science, biology, microbiology, community health) or public health field.
• Fundamental knowledge of food safety,   sanitation audits, pest control, food safety training, weights & measures, Country of Origin requirements, regulatory food codes (FDA Food Code).
• A minimum of 4 years’ retail food safety or quality assurance related work with a proven track record of success.
• Overnight travel, as necessary (approximately 15 - 25%).
• Valid driver’s license.

 Preferred Qualifications

• Registered Sanitarian or state equivalent and Certified Professional-Food Safety (CP-FS) credentials.
• Master’s degree in public health or food science related field.
• Maintain Food Protection Manager Certification and CFPM Test Administrator qualification

Skills and Abilities

• A self-starter capable of managing an efficient schedule with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication skills for both one-on-one and group interactions with all associates.
• Effective in delivering food safety training programs to adult learners.
• Excellent written skills.

• Basic computer skills to operate MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and e-mail. Ability to interpret data, diagnose ‘root’ cause effects and provide sustainable and practical corrective actions.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to drive and demonstrate continuous improvements.
• Ability to influence without authority.
• Must be results oriented, have ability to develop self and others.
• Ability to interact with all levels of associates and management.

• Must have ability to act as a team leader or team builder.
• Ability to actively participate and contribute within industry and regulatory associations.

#LI-SM1 #IND

Retail Business Services is an equal opportunity employer. We comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status or any other characteristic protected by law. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. As important as what we do is how we do it. Our team embodies our values of Courage, Care, Teamwork, Integrity and Humor in everything that they do. We have a culture of care that values and celebrates the qualities and perspectives that make us all unique.

If you have a disability and require assistance in the application process, please contact our Talent Acquisition Department at [email protected].