Safety and Quality Compliance Lead

Overview

Americold is a global provider of temperature-controlled infrastructure.  We partner with farmers and food producers to ensure their perishable and frozen product reaches food suppliers, restaurants, and your local grocery store without spoilage.  Our customers, which include some of the most respected brands in the food industry, rely on our expertise and commitment to safety in order to delivery on their commitments.

Responsibilities

Safety and Quality Compliance Lead

GoalThe primary goal of the Netherlands Safety and Quality Compliance Lead is to ensure compliance with all safety and quality standards across multiple sites, specifically in Barneveld and Urk. This role plays a critical part in maintaining food safety, meeting customer specifications, and upholding legal obligations, while fostering a culture of quality and safety throughout the organization.

Key responsibilities

• Lead safety and quality initiatives across the Barneveld and Urk sites, ensuring compliance with IFS, BRC, and all relevant certification standards.
• Manage the Quality Management System, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and maintain robust document control processes.
• Prepare for and lead internal and external Food Safety audits, ensuring continuous compliance with legal and customer requirements.
• Act as the primary technical liaison for customers, suppliers, and certification bodies, addressing quality and safety issues proactively.
• Provide technical training and support to teams across departments, promoting a strong food safety culture within the organization.
• Drive Health and Safety (EHS) compliance, addressing issues, implementing improvements, and ensuring adherence to company and legal standards.
• Investigate customer complaints, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions to improve quality and service delivery.
• Monitor microbial trends, validate processes, and oversee pest control to ensure food safety standards are met.
• Maintain all external accreditations, certifications, permits, and licenses required for the sites.
• Represent the sites in interactions with local authorities and regulatory bodies.
• Coordinate and lead accident and incident investigations, ensuring effective reporting and follow-up actions.

Required experience:

• A degree, diploma, or equivalent qualification in Food Science or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in the food industry, with a focus on safety and quality roles.
• Proven track record in managing food safety certifications (IFS, BRC) and quality audits.
• Expertise in HACCP and Quality Management Systems, with experience as a food safety certification auditor.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to influence and inspire cross-functional teams.
• Confidence in presenting to senior stakeholders and managing interactions with local authorities.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills, with a focus on continuous improvement.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience in the Food, FMCG, or storage and distribution sectors.
• Proficiency in developing and implementing training programs related to food safety and quality.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust with internal and external stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel up to 40-50% of the time to manage multiple sites in the Netherlands.