Company Description

At Link Snacks, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.

We’re everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands—Jack Link’s®, Lorissa’s Kitchen®, Golden Island®, BiFi®, and Peperami® and KOOEE!® to name a few—there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.

Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.

Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks.

Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

Food Safety and Quality leadership position for a large Ready-to- Eat, USDA Inspected facility. Sets expectations both the Food Safety and Quality (FSQ) staff and cross functional teams in delivering food safety and quality standards for industry leading, branded food products. Determines the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of all quality systems as they relate to achieving corporate FSQ objectives and delivering outstanding consumer experience for JL products.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Executes the Food Safety and Quality plan to ensure compliance with regulations, product specifications and organizational standards
  • Develop and maintain HACCP, SSOP Prerequisite Plans and ensure compliance with 9 CFR, Chapter III, Part 416 – Sanitation, Part 417 – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems. 
  • Maintain scientific supporting documentation and validation results. 
  • Manage the microbiological, chemical and organoleptic testing of both finished product and in-process product and sanitation confirmation.
  • Reviews results, determines product disposition & timely release. 
  • Ensures Listeria environmental monitoring and control program execution including corrective actions, record keeping, and reporting 
  • Develop, review, monitor, and maintain all ingredient and process control systems. 
  • Develop and maintain SQF program and leads organization through certification and ongoing maintenance of program.
  • Review, monitor, and maintain all ingredient and process control systems
  • Conduct a mock recall bi-annually to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of data gathering and record keeping functions. 
  • Acts as the technical resource for facility during trouble shooting or process changes.
• Establish and manage FSQ Laboratory sampling, testing and documentation.
  • Ensures methods of microbiological and chemical analysis are conducted correctly and Good Laboratory Practices are followed.
  • Maintains documentation, prepares reports and analyzes testing data from laboratory
• Ensure all state, local, and federal Food Safety regulatory issues are adhered to. 
  • Function as the liaison between Operations and the USDA. 
  • Communicate with USDA-FSIS concerning regulatory issues 
  • Responds to NR’s and maintains tracking and reports  
  • Monitors regulatory changes and responds accordingly.
• Manages non-conforming product or process issues.
  • Monitors incoming inspection of materials and manages deviations through the Supplier Corrective Action Reporting process.
  • Conducts consumer complaint investigation, corrective actions, record keeping, and reporting. 
  • Addresses deviations from expectations with attention to detail and urgency.
• Training and development
  • Actively involved with onboarding of Operations team members creating a strong foundational understanding of GMP’s and SSOP’s leading toward a commitment to a reliable Food Safety Culture.
  • Identifies, hires and develops FSQ team members to deliver the highest product quality standards through rigorous monitoring of the process and products.
  • Works with relevant academic institutions to develop internship opportunities.
  • Enforce all safety rules and company policies; provide appropriate interpretation of company policies and safety policies for team members. 
• Participate in the Corporate FSQ Leadership team including development of corporate expectations and long term FSQ strategic planning.          

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or more up to 25 pounds.  Must have the ability to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Earplugs and/or hearing protection, Hairnet, Beard-net, Protective eyewear, and slip resistant footwear.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant / office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Work is performed primarily in an office environment.  At times, incumbent may need to enter production environment where there could be exposure to moderate cold, manufacturing equipment movement, loud noise levels, strong odors (spices, jerky, sauces, etc.) and wet / slippery floors. Travel may be required.

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s Degree and 8 or more years of Quality Assurance experience in the food industry and successful supervisory experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• Must have strong leadership and coaching skills, the ability to build relationships cross functionally and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Solid grounding in USDA FSIS regulations.
• Proven understanding of food safety and quality in a manufacturing environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; must work effectively with all levels of management and employees.
• Demonstrated professionalism, effective leadership, problem solving, presentation, prioritization, attention to detail, and Team Member motivational skills
• Proficient in Internet navigation, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Knowledge of cost accounting.
• Experience with electronic documentation and recordkeeping a plus.

Additional Information

The salary range for this role is $135,000 – $170,000(Annually).  Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Link’s Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Jack Link’s provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
Jack Link’s provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

E-VERIFY:
Jack Link’s is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.  For information about the E-Verify program, please visit:  http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.