FOOD SAFETY - FOOD SAFETY MANAGER FOOD SAFETY MANAGER - FOOD SAFETY 23 24 PhD, but this is not a requirement, depending on the establishment. This is a job where having experience affects a manager’s credibility. The more years a manager has under their belt, the better their credibility. Therefore, it is essential that food safety managers have a minimum of 5 years of experience in a technical area such as R&D, product development, laboratory management, quality management systems, or food process engineering. This experience provides the necessary perspective to understand what happens on the production floor. In addition to a college or university degree, a food safety manager requires certifications in the food safety bodies governing the food facility they work at such as SQF and BRC. 4. Food Safety Managers Work with Various Teams Food safety requires all teams within food manufacturing to work together with the customer in mind. The teams that work together, all having their own unique challenges, include production, sanitation, maintenance, and shipping and receiving. Food safety managers work with the heads of these departments in order to overcome these challenges and provide direction for the combined efforts. Typically, once a week, the department heads come together to discuss problems in the manufacturing plant and brainstorm ideas. Each head brings the concerns of the workers under them. 5. Food Safety Managers are Problem Solvers Anyone knows that a good manager needs to be an effective problem solver. Every day, the food industry is faced with food safety problems that must be solved. However, these problems do not always have solutions which are obviously apparent at first. These problems could be small or large organizational crises. No matter what the size, practical leaders always take the same steps to address these problems. The steps are as follows: 1. Identify and Define the Problem 2. Analyze the Problems 3. Develop Solutions 4. Plan and Act Following through these steps helps organizations determine if problems are small one-offs or larger systematic issues. Overall, effective problem-solving leads to better food safety! 6. Food Safety Managers Understand Safety Programs A food safety program is a ‘live document’ that outlines how a business proactively identifies and controls food safety hazards when producing, manufacturing or handling food. It’s designed and managed by a food safety manager on behalf of a food business. These programs are important because they encompass all parts of an organization by identifying potential food safety hazards, providing solutions for controlling these hazards and providing procedures for corrective actions. There are many food safety management programs that manufacturing plants can implement. Examples include Safe Quality Food (SQF), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) and BRC. Once a plant decides upon a program, the food safety managers become experts in the expectations of these programs. They understand all the nuances and always strive for their plants to be up to their certification levels. 7. Food Safety Managers Understand the Science of Food Safety Understanding the expectations of food safety programs (e.g. SQF and HACCP) is not enough for a food safety manager. Managers also need to demonstrate a strong technical knowledge of various topics in the field of food science. For example, they understand the chemistry behind allergens and how they affect cause reactions within the human body. It’s this fundamental understanding that allows them to make decisions on proper sanitation practices and the avoidance of cross-contamination in manufacturing plants. Because many food safety risks are biological in nature it is essential that food safety managers understand the ecology of microbiological pathogens in food, specifically sources of growth and survival characteristics. Managers learn all the knowledge above through coursework in school, self-learning and attending seminars for food safety programs. 8. Food Safety Managers are Persuasive, Goal Setters, and Have Interpersonal Skills Being a food safety manager requires a range of skills. However, there are a few which are more essential than others. These skills include: • Persuasion – A manager with good persuasion skills can influence others to achieve their goals. Food safety managers must be persuasive in challenging environments because people can be set in their ways, and sometimes these ways don’t align the best with food safety. They persuade people by talking to them one-on-one, but also through advanced presentation and training skills, as well as executive presence. • Goal Setting – Managers realize that not all changes happen overnight and the only way to succeed is by setting goals. Not only are goals set, but they are also consistently recalibrated and checked on to make sure that progress is being made. • Interpersonal skills – Food safety managers are comfortable with speaking to others at all organizational levels. Their communication must be well-understood by both production staff, upper-management and everybody in between. Food safety managers have strong interpersonal skills because they actively listen to the concerns of other workers. Do you think that food safety is a boring career path? Check out food safety heroFrank Yiannas’s career story! • He is a registered microbiologist; received a B.S. in microbiology and a Master of Public Health degree. • Began his food career at Walt Disney World Co. (1989-2008). Was the director of safety and health. • Joined Walmart in 2008 as vice president for food safety. Led the effort to make Walmart the first U.S. retailer to require suppliers to be GFSI certified; globally recognized for pioneering the use of blockchain as a digital, transparent food traceability system. • Authored two books on advancing food safety. • Awarded the 2007 National Science Foundation’s International Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership in Food Safety; culture and principles of human behavior. Related blog post: I want to meet Frank Yiannas! Food safety Rockstar Interested in pursuing a career in food safety? Then check out Episode 44 of the FoodGrads Podcast where Aaron Aboud talks about finding fulfillment in building food safety/quality systems! Click the photo to tune in! Niagara College Canada is an Education Partner of ours, check them out on FoodGrads! Click their logo below! Available Programs: Culinary Innovation and Food Technology Niagara College Canada Photo by AlexRaths/iStock/GettyImagesPlus
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