Quality & Regulatory Compliance Specialist Salty Snacks

Job Title: Quality & Regulatory Compliance Specialist Salty Snacks

Job Location: Hershey, PA

This position is open for 100% remote

Summary:

Serves as Quality & Regulatory Compliance (QRC) representative for Hershey Salty co-manufacturing/co-packaging facilities. Under moderate guidance, leads quality programs and complex assignments. Serves as a resource for multiple facilities with respect to Global Food Safety Standards, food safety regulations, weight control, sanitary design, allergens, cleaning, incident management and other related matters.

Examples include auditing and assessing quality programs, troubleshooting issues of high complexity; interaction with regulatory officials on behalf of Hershey; working on cross functional teams (Marketing, Legal, etc.) on short or long-term assignments with respect to complex QRC situations (i.e. innovation, regulatory changes, quality incidents, etc.).

This position is within the Quality and Regulatory Compliance Department in the Hershey Salty division. This is a corporate based position.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

Project, Plant and New Product Support: Acts as QA representative on cross functional project teams, complex assignments and engineering projects including new manufacturing lines. May coordinate new product efforts from initial test runs to full-scale production to assure integrity of systems. Influence food safety and quality systems for new products/new manufacturing lines at external partners to meet company and regulatory requirements.

Auditing: Conducts quality systems audits across Supply Chain to provide assessments of adequacy and issues recommendations or guidelines to ensure compliance standards are met. Provide audit summaries to Hershey’s Senior Management and/or external business partners.

Training: Develops and/or implements training programs to assure compliance and understanding of internal quality expectations and regulatory compliance.

Incident Management: Leads troubleshooting incidents of high complexity with the potential large financial or regulatory impacts. Manage product holds and facilitate root cause analysis and develop corrective and preventive actions. Partner with cross functional groups (Manufacturing, Marketing, Legal, etc.) and external business partners to ensure communications and action plans are established. Ensure timely and cost-effective resolutions are achieved.

Continuous Improvement: Facilitate process/procedure improvement sessions related to: incident management, serious product quality issues, and overall quality system improvements.

Subject Matter Expert: Generalist with broad based knowledge in multiple areas including regulations, industry practices, Global Food Safety Initiative, quality systems, data management, manufacturing processes, development of policies and procedures, and ability to implement as required. Expected to provide leadership for specific programs, project management, training, and coaching of external quality teams.

Scope of the Position:

• Scope of interaction: Managers, Directors, Manufacturing Plants, Corporate and External Suppliers and Customers.
• Coordination of activities: Managers, Directors, Corporate and External Contacts
• Scope of involvement: US based Hershey Salty owned facilities. Handles high visibility projects at assigned plants.

Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform major duties/responsibilities:

• Travel: Approximately 30% US travel expected. Higher travel on focused projects.
• Ability to represent Hershey and establish relationships with outside agencies (regulatory, co-mfg, suppliers, trade groups, etc).
• Superior communication skills in verbal and written form. Advanced presentation skills.
• Advanced knowledge of sanitation, sanitary design of equipment and facilities, food microbiology
• Ability to work flexible hours
• Ability to effectively interact with all levels of employees (from Production to VP level)
• Hires outside of the US must be fluent in English. Cultural business knowledge / acumen required.
• Strong auditing / assessment skills
• Ability to make business decisions considering strategic company objectives
• Problem solving/trouble shooting skills
• Detailed knowledge of regulatory and quality system requirements – Hershey’s Product Excellence Program, Food Safety (FSMA, HACCP), Good Manufacturing Process (GMP).
• Ability to explain complex concepts to non-technical audiences
• Understanding of production / manufacturing environment
• Advanced proficiency in computer programs / software such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Power Point,Teams, SAP, Power BI
• Knowledge of federal and state food industry regulations including Food Safety Modernization Act

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

• Experience in any of following products, manufacturing processes and environments is preferred: food, salty snacks, extrusion, baking, frying, drying
• Must have 3-5 years applicable work experience in the food industry implementing quality and food safety programs.
• HACCP, SQF and PCQI certification preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Food Science or related field.