Quality Food Safety Technical Coordinator

Job Description:

Champion Petfoods is expanding! We are excited to announce we are looking for a Quality and Food Safety (QFS) Technical Coordinator  to join our rapidly growing company.

Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions.

We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about personal and professional growth and see yourself as a key player contributing to our continued success as an award-winning company.

Here's the Scoop – Summary

The Quality and Food Safety (QFS) Technical Coordinator is a vital contributor in advancing the company’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality pet food products that meet and exceed global industry and regulatory standards. This role supports and drives the execution of key quality assurance and food safety initiatives across the product lifecycle- from ingredient sourcing through packaging and shelf-life validation to final product release.

This position requires effective management of relationships with third-party laboratories and testing partners, overseeing sample submissions, testing protocols, and data integrity. The coordinator rigorously analyzes scientific and operational data, synthesizing findings into comprehensive, actionable reports that inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement in product safety and quality.

What a typical day looks like:

• Support the validation and qualification of sustainable and flexible packaging for dry and semi-moist pet food products, ensuring compliance with global quality, safety, and food contact regulations.
• Coordinate real-time and accelerated shelf-life studies for dry, semi-moist, and wet pet food products shelf-life studies, including planning protocols, managing timelines, and ensuring accurate data collection and analysis across product portfolios.
• Review and trend shelf-life data to validate product dating and storage conditions across global markets.
• Monitor product stability and packaging performance, including chemical, microbiological, physical and sensory such as moisture and oxygen barrier properties, seal integrity, migration, and compatibility with product matrices.
• Collaborate with R&I, Production, Procurement, Regulatory, and Sustainability teams to optimize packaging systems and shelf-life parameters.
• Document study findings and provide clear recommendations on shelf-life claims, storage conditions, and packaging improvements.
•  Support packaging change risk assessments and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure ongoing product integrity, regulatory compliance, and alignment with environmental objectives.
• Assist in conducting comprehensive risk assessments for a broad range of pet food ingredients, including raw materials, and inclusions.
• Develop detailed risk profiles for key ingredients, documenting hazard likelihood, severity, and control measures. Continuously update these profiles to reflect new scientific findings, regulatory changes, and emerging food safety concerns.
• Proactively identify trends and potential risks through data analysis and industry intelligence, recommending improvements to ingredient sourcing, testing protocols, and risk mitigation strategies to enhance overall product safety and quality.
• Work closely with procurement, supply chain, quality assurance, and regulatory teams to implement effective control strategies for high-risk ingredients, including supplier qualification, enhanced testing, and mitigation plans.
• Coordinate corporate internal audits focusing on compliance with SQF, FSSC 22000, and GFSI standards.
• Prepare audit schedules, documentation, and follow-up on corrective actions.
• Liaise with cross-functional teams to ensure audit readiness and continuous compliance.
• Identify, evaluate, and establish relationships with certified testing laboratories
• Develop testing protocols and communicate requirements clearly to lab partners
• Monitor testing timelines, costs, and quality of analytical results
• Ensure laboratories maintain appropriate certifications and accreditations
• Compile and analyze test results, communicating findings to stakeholders
• Troubleshoot testing issues and coordinate corrective actions as needed
• Update Food safety Horizon scanning and track and trend
• Assist in conducting and maintaining food fraud vulnerability assessments for ingredients and supply chains in accordance with GFSI, VACCP, and TACCP principles.
• Learn and follow established positive product release procedures to ensure timely product releases.
• Perform additional tasks as assigned by the Line Manager.

What are we looking for?

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Animal Nutrition, Chemistry, Microbiology, Packaging Science, or related field.

• 3–7 years of experience in Quality, Food Safety, or Regulatory roles, preferably in pet food or food manufacturing.

• Expertise in fat and oil quality, oxidation mechanisms, and antioxidant systems.

• Experience with sustainable packaging validation and product shelf-life studies.

• Familiarity with global food safety standards including SQF, FSSC 22000, and GFSI.

• Strong analytical skills with experience in data interpretation and report writing.

• Excellent organizational and project management abilities.

• Effective communication skills for cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder engagement.

• Experience working with third-party laboratories and managing testing projects.

• Knowledge of regulatory requirements related to pet food safety is an asset.

• Proficiency in quality management software and data analysis tools is asset.

Working Conditions

• This position may require occasional travel to manufacturing sites, suppliers, or laboratories.

• Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams including R&D, production, quality, and regulatory affairs.

• Travel may be required for conferences, supplier visit, laboratory visits, or regulatory meetings (estimated 10-15% annually)

•  Flexibility to adapt to emerging food safety concerns and regulatory changes

• Participation in continuous professional development to stay current with food safety advancements

What can you expect from Champion?

• Safety: a strong commitment to ensure all people are provided with a safe, healthy and respectful environment.

• Earnings: Competitive Wages that give financial peace of mind, RRSP with Company, and donation matching.

• Industry Competitive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision and Employee Assistance Programs to meet your individual or family needs.

• Continuing Education: In House & Online Learning & Development, as well as an Education Assistance Program.

• Quality: a dedication to uphold the highest standards of authenticity, nutritional integrity, and food safety, to earn the trust of Pet Lovers everywhere.

• Other Perks: Free Bag of Premium Pet Food each month, Free Parking and more!

What are you waiting for? Join the pack!

Come as you are.

We value diversity in all forms and know the power it can bring. Workplace equality allows for creative ideas to bloom, diverse points of views to be heard, and increases overall happiness. That sounds pretty good to us.

Champion is an equal opportunity employer. Regardless of your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other creed, you are wanted here.

#cpfind

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between the range listed above, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position mayalso include other elements, if eligible, including variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits.  Eligibility for these additional elements depend on the position offered and the employee’s work schedule (i.e., part-time schedule, store associate).  Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.