Food Safety Specialist

Mark Anthony Group is an entrepreneurial drinks company, built from the ground up by thinking differently, innovating and doing the unexpected. Our company is rooted in family values, a bold vision and relentless determination to continuously raise the bar and make a positive difference in consumers' lives. Founded in 1972, we've grown organically from a one-person import wine business into an international drinks company whose hallmarks include a portfolio of luxury wineries and iconic beverage brands, including White Claw Hard Seltzer, Mike's Hard Lemonade, Cayman Jack and Más+ by Messi.

Role Purpose:

The Food Safety Specialist serves as internal expert on Food Safety and it's supporting programs. This role requires high attention to detail and experience in Food Safety/HACCP to ensure the highest standards of food safety and regulatory compliance are met. This role is responsible for overseeing the implementation and maintenance of the site Food Safety Plan, conducting internal audits, and providing guidance to staff on food safety protocol, including internal systems for traceability, industry trends and best practices to support BRCGS certification. They will create, implement, and improve FSP, managing and maintaining critical food safety program elements, documentation, records, and action logs.

Accountabilities & Impact:

The purpose of this role is to manage the Food Safety Program for the Glendale Brewery.

• Be a leader of our core values; prioritizing safety, minimizing waste, building trusting and respectful relationships, collaborating with the brewery departments and industry groups, and does the right thing in times of uncertainty.
• Develop, implement, and maintain Food Safety Plan (FSP) & Food Defense Plan (FDP) in accordance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Lead internal audits with site leadership to assess compliance with food safety standards and company policies.
• Identify potential food safety hazards and support corrective actions to mitigate risks.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement food safety training programs for employees.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of food safety procedures and support recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Stay current on food safety regulations, industry trends, and emerging technologies to ensure compliance and best practices.
• Act as a liaison between the organization and regulatory agencies during inspections and audits.
• Investigate food safety incidents or complaints and implement corrective actions as necessary.
• Lead monthly FSP/FDP meetings, educating the FS team and leading process improvement.
• Creates internal processes to assure compliance for new product development.
• Manages Prerequisite Programs, with cross departmental teams, ensuring training is complete and programs are effective.
• Supports Quality Management System (QMS) improvements to include FSP updates.
• Leverages knowledge of regulatory requirements, industry trends, brewery strategy, etc. to make global connections.
• Anticipates obstacles and proactively mitigates potential food safety issues brewery-wide using thorough knowledge of core products and processes.
• Effectively communicates organized, concise information to a cross-functional workforce to enable appropriate response and escalation.
• Provides routine training for employees on Food Safety, GMPs, and HACCP.
• Develops SOPs and policies as pertaining to the Food Safety Program.

Skills & Experiences Needed:

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (Food Science or Microbiology preferred) OR any combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Two (2) years relevant experience supporting food safety, quality assurance, technical services, administration, or any combination of related fields required.
• Experience in food safety program management experience preferred.
• PCQI/HACCP certified required
• Auditor and/or Food Defense certification is preferred.
• Experience and working knowledge of GFSI standard requirements with certification by:  BRCGS, SQF, AIB, or ISO 22000
• Strong understanding of HACCP principles, food safety regulations, and industry standards.
• Experience conducting internal audits and developing corrective action plans.
• Detail-oriented and analytical, with the ability to identify and address potential food safety hazards.
• Willing to work rotating shifts, nights, and occasional weekends/holidays as necessary to address any concerns.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage and/or support multiple projects, ensuring timelines are met and stakeholder engagement.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment and prioritize work while multitasking.
• Solid knowledge of site processes, GMPs, and strong ability to work well with differing agendas.
• Strong technical writing and document management skills.
• Demonstrate motivation and a good work ethic under minimal supervision.
• Highly effective written and verbal presentation skills.  Ability to clearly articulate requirements and gain understanding and support.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and food safety software applications.
• Bi-lingual skills a plus.

The Food Safety & HACCP Specialist position is well-suited for you if you have/are:

• Possess a "can do" attitude and believes anything is possible with the right focus.
• Able to work independently and "roll up your sleeves" to make things happen.
• High energy team player who thrives in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Constantly questioning the way things are done in a constructive manner and thrives on change that improves results.
• Open (no agendas), honest and trustworthy.
• Effective leadership and strategic influencing skills.
• Results oriented individual with a desire to manage change through to fruition.
• Demonstrated ability to work across functions, business units and geographies.
• Effective business systems thinker and a good understanding of business processes.
• Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with others in a diverse environment.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects at one time.
• Strong stakeholder management focus

Working conditions:

• Fast-paced and constantly changing work environment.
• Possible off-shift and weekend/holiday work
• Analytical Laboratory and Manufacturing Environment with potential exposure to odors, fumes, airborne particles and hazardous chemicals; Noise level varies from quiet to loud; Temperature varies from hot to cold

This position has been identified as a safety sensitive position within the state of Arizona.

At Mark Anthony, we exist to Unearth the Extraordinary:

Our Purpose is not just a statement; it is a call to action that binds us together and ignites our passion for making a difference. It is the driving force behind why we do what we do every single day, connecting our global organization across all business units, roles, and locations. We are:

Best in Our Craft

We set the standard with a pursuit of excellence that can be found in everything from our products and processes to our plants and people.

Ambitiously Curious

We stay curious, dreaming big and navigating the unknown with an enduring belief in better.

Made With Humility

We bring humility, authenticity, fun, and support to every collaboration and celebrate wins as a team.

Daringly Disruptive

We disrupt the status quo, moving fast to seize opportunities and acting scrappy to stay ahead of industry giants.