Food Safety Coordinator

Ivan Big Tree is an established grower, importer, and distributor of tropical produce produced in Costa Rica, Mexico, and other countries, with it’s U.S. operations based in Mission Texas. We are in a growth mode and this is an opportunity to shape the operations as the company expands its product offerings.

This role will oversee the development, implementation, and management of food safety programs to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations within the fresh produce industry. This individual will lead the company’s efforts in maintaining the highest standards of food safety, quality, and hygiene throughout all stages of production, from farm to distribution. The Food Safety Coordinator will also collaborate with cross-functional teams, vendors, and regulatory agencies to ensure a culture of continuous improvement and proactive risk management.

As Social Accountability and Sustainability are important to IBT and its customers, you will oversee the development of programs to document our efforts in these areas for the company and to meet the requirements of specific account.

Key Responsibilities:

· Food Safety Program Management: Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive food safety plans (including HACCP, FSMA, GFSI, etc.) specific to the fresh produce industry. Ensure that all facilities, processes, and products meet or exceed safety standards.

· As our products are imported, you will develop standards for our partner growers in Costa Rica and Mexico that ensure the highest attention to food safety and that IBT is compliant with the FSVP.

· Regulatory Compliance: Stay current on federal, state, and local food safety regulations and ensure compliance with all applicable laws, including FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) and FDA guidelines.

· Manage audit processes and interactions with regulatory bodies and certification entities.

· Risk Management: Identify potential food safety risks across the supply chain and develop mitigation strategies. Implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to address food safety concerns.

· Training and Development: Lead food safety training programs for employees, ensuring that all staff are knowledgeable about proper handling, hygiene, sanitation, and safety protocols.

· Traceability and Recall Management: Implement and maintain robust traceability systems for fresh produce, ensuring rapid response and corrective action in the event of a food safety issue or product recall.

· Continuous Improvement: Lead efforts to improve food safety processes, technologies, and systems, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence in safety and quality.

· Team Leadership: Manage the food safety and quality assurance team, providing guidance, support, and leadership. Foster a collaborative working environment.

· Record-Keeping: Maintain accurate and detailed records of food safety activities, audits, inspections, corrective actions, and other relevant documentation.

· Collaboration: Work closely with other departments, including Operations, Quality Assurance, R&D, and Sales, to ensure alignment and integration of food safety standards across all functions.

· On-going learning: You will be expected to become involved in workgroups and/or associations to broaden your knowledge on food safety and the evolution and adoption of Sustainable production standards.

Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Agriculture, or related field preferred.

· Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in food safety, with a strong focus on the fresh produce supply chain.

· In-depth knowledge of food safety regulations, including FSMA, HACCP, GFSI standards and USDA Organic Certification.

· Experience with audits in packinghouse, warehouse, and field operations, inspections, and regulatory agency interactions. FDA inspection experience preferred.

· Strong leadership and team management skills.

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

· Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving abilities.

· Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

· Certification in HACCP is required; PrimusGFS and Global Gap provided coursework to the current audit schemes is preferable.

· Experienced in the SMETA scheme and in the development of Social Accountability programs.

· Experienced in the documentation of Sustainable practices within the fresh produce supply chain.

· Given that most of our workforce speaks Spanish, being bilingual is an asset, but not required.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $45,000.00 per year

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person

Salary : $45,000