Food Safety Specialist

Griffith Foods is the caring, creative product development partner helping food companies meet the evolving needs of consumers while sustaining the planet. As a family business founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA, Griffith Foods is known for true, collaborative innovation guided by their Purpose of “We Blend Care and Creativity to Nourish the World”. The company’s product capabilities range from seasonings and marinades to coating systems and sauces that are better for people and better for the planet. For more information, visit www.griffithfoods.com .

Purpose of the Role

Champion a proactive Food Safety and Quality culture across the organisation and drive continuous improvement in standards, practices, and performance.

Reporting to the Quality Manager, this role is accountable for sustaining and continuously enhancing the site’s food safety and quality management systems. The position plays a critical role in ensuring alignment with company strategy, regulatory obligations, certification standards, and customer expectations, while embedding a culture of compliance, risk awareness, and operational excellence.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

• Maintain and oversee the European Quality System, partnering cross-functionally to ensure all relevant business processes are effectively integrated and consistently applied.
• Lead initiatives to reduce complaints and product rejections at the Herentals site through effective investigation, root cause analysis, and implementation of sustainable corrective actions.
• Provide back up for the Assistant Quality Manager, ensuring continuity of key food safety and quality activities as required.
• Implement, maintain, and verify the effectiveness of food safety and quality systems across manufacturing and warehousing operations to ensure compliance with internal standards and Griffith Foods values.
• Deliver training programmes covering Food Safety, Quality Systems, HACCP, allergen management, hygiene, product integrity, and customer-specific requirements to build organisational capability and compliance.
• Lead the implementation and ongoing management of GMP, HACCP, allergen control, hygiene, and calibration systems to maintain the highest standards of food safety and quality compliance.
• Support the development of Food Safety and Quality team members through coaching, training, and knowledge sharing to strengthen cross-functional capability across roles.
• Support and help coordinate third-party and customer audits, including preparation, hosting, and follow-up on non-conformances and corrective action plans.
• Serve as a trusted point of contact for all departments, including European counterparts, by providing expert guidance and support on food safety and quality system requirements.
• Contribute to cross-functional projects as required, providing food safety expertise and risk-based guidance to support the business’s long-term development objectives.
• Deliver induction and onboarding training on Food Safety and Quality systems for new employees to ensure understanding of key standards, responsibilities, and site expectations.

Education & Experience

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a comparable role within the food industry, with demonstrated success in influencing outcomes through leadership, collaboration, and relationship building.
• Fluency in English and Dutch is a must.
• A-levels or equivalent qualification in a Science-related discipline.
• Comprehensive knowledge of food safety standards, including allergen management requirements.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GFSI standards, and other relevant international food safety frameworks applicable to the role, such as BRCGS.

Compensation

The starting base salary for this position is 52.600€ fix gross per year.