Vice President, Food Safety & Quality
6 days ago
Washington
Job DescriptionSalary: Position Summary The Vice President, Food Safety & Quality is the go-to scientific contact for industry members and other stakeholders seeking technical support, education, and insight related to all aspects of produce safety, quality, and related aspects of production (including field and indoor), and pre- and post-harvest quality. The individual serves as the associations subject matter expert on microbiological and chemical hazards that impact fresh produce safety and quality. The incumbent will lead industry-wide AI efforts for knowledge transfer and root cause analysis. The incumbent works in tandem with the Vice President of Food Safety/Regulatory Affairs to contribute expertise and perspective. While this is a highly technical, scientific position, the role requires one to exercise an expansive soft skill set grounded in communication, trust, and agility. The Vice President is a trusted source of information in this highly visible role where short-term requests and crises need to be balanced with long term strategies and objectives. The position contributes to the bottom line of the association through member recruitment and retention, education, training, and other initiatives. The incumbent contributes to the success of cross-functional Sustainability, Technology and Supply Chain teams within the SciTech portfolio. This role is also responsible for cultivating and maintaining relationships with researchers and academicians working closely to address challenges and scientific knowledge gaps for the industry. Position Responsibilities • Leadership- 60%, • Provide support to the Food Safety Council by leading assigned subcommittees, technical work groups and taskforces on a variety of activities including the development of practical, science-based best practice guidance documents. Identify and execute strategies to raise awareness of such resources within the industry as well as other stakeholder communities., • Serve as a technical ambassador/liaison of the industry and association to government food safety agencies (FDA, FSIS, CDC, SENESECA, EFSA), academia and the media, coalitions, technical committees., • Provide support to the Vice President Food Safety Regulatory Affairs to evaluate and comment on the scientific and technical aspects of regulatory policies, assist in preparing public comments for regulatory agencies., • Develop and propose to the Chief Science Officer long-term strategies for the associations global food safety and quality priorities based on horizon scanning of trends and industry knowledge gaps., • Provide vision and direction to, and serve as a resources and catalyst to multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring alignment of food safety goals with the IFPA Strategic Plan and execution against annual business plans, • Lead with adaptability, leveraging digital tools (Wrike, Teams, AI platforms) to plan, track, and communicate progress., • Model self-awareness, professionalism, and openness to feedback in a feedback-rich environment, building trust and cohesion among diverse teams., • Mentor, coach, and develop direct reports and high-potential staff to strengthen the food safety leadership pipeline., • Membership Consultation - 20%, • Leverage AI and data-analytics platforms to deliver scalable, timely, and accurate responses to member needs., • Analyze trends in technical requests to inform the development of approaches to meet members food safety, quality, and other technical needs in a way that is efficient and scalable, and recommend outputs and projects based on the member inquiries data., • Connect industry members with practical, science-based services and solutions, either at the commercial or developmental phase., • Support the review of members food safety plans (e.g., hazard evaluations, environmental monitoring programs, etc.) and provide technical input., • Education and training 10%, • Lead global food safety education and outreach partnerships, developing and executing a strategy that ensures training programs remain current with science, regulations, and industry needs., • Serve as a subject matter expert, providing technical content and review for educational initiatives, with the support of the Manager, Food Safety Programs., • Deliver training in formats assisted by modern technology and through partnerships on food safety and quality, • Coordinate the creation and evaluation of technical resources with the education, marketing, and analytics teams to measure impact and inform continuous improvement., • Support Research and Innovation- 10%, • Translate research outcomes into practical tools, guidance, and communication materials for members within defined timelines., • Advocate for the produce industrys research needs by aligning IFPA priorities with public and private funding opportunities and championing projects that advance food safety, quality, and innovation., • Serve as a liaison between academia, industry, and internal departments to ensure research findings inform policy, education, and advocacy initiatives., • Leverage digital databases and AI tools for horizon scanning and evidence synthesis., • Provide technical consultation and insight to research and service providers. Applicants must explicitly highlight in their cover letter both their technical expertise and leadership experience/readiness to successfully complete responsibilities for this position; include 3-5 relevant impactful examples that highlight technical expertise, core competencies, and experience in leading organizational change Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required core competencies and experience • D. (or comparable) degree in microbiology, public health, food science, agriculture, or related scientific field with specific course work in food microbiology is required. Bioinformatics/ biostatistics, genomics, molecular biology, post-harvest physiology, organic, are a plus., • Demonstrated agility and adaptability in a fast-paced, feedback-driven environment., • Strong self-direction and accountability for deliverables with minimal supervision., • Excellent communication and emotional intelligence skills ability to read context, adjust tone, and build consensus across diverse stakeholders., • Proven ability to translate complex scientific or technical concepts into actionable guidance for non-technical audiences., • Experience leading or contributing to multi-stakeholder projects involving industry, academia, and regulators., • Strong conflict resolution and team leadership skills, including the ability to hold others accountable while maintaining trust., • Familiarity with AI and data-driven systems for risk analysis, surveillance, or member resource curation (experience working with technical teams on AI projects is acceptable)., • Demonstrated success in developing business or strategic plans aligned with organizational strategy., • Proven ability to author or oversee scientific white papers, best practice guidance, or industry standards documents., • Technological proficiency: must be comfortable using project management systems (e.g., Wrike, Asana, or Smartsheet) and CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce); demonstrated ability to learn new digital tools quickly and integrate them into daily workflow., • At least 10 years relevant technical and leadership experience in produce safety/quality in industry or regulatory. Academic experience alone is not sufficient for this position., • Well versed in the hazards and risks associated with various production systems (pre-harvest, post-harvest, organic, controlled environment, etc.), • Comprehensive understanding of the elements of produce production, handling, and distribution that impact product quality and safety, such as the role of transportation, organic production, etc., • Familiarity with the FDA processes, • Direct experience handling recalls, outbreaks, and related crises., • Bi or multi-lingual, especially Spanish fluency, is a plus, but not required. Measures for Success • Delivers timely, accurate, and well-referenced technical guidance that meets member needs and demonstrates practical application across the supply chain in a variety of formats (e.g. AI/technology-enabled, webinars, on-site presentations, etc), • Elevates the visibility and influence of IFPAs technical resources through collaborative engagement, resulting in broader member utilization and external recognition., • Demonstrates situational leadership and emotional intelligence by adapting communication and management style to effectively motivate and develop individuals and teams, and to support volunteer leadership initiatives, • Is recognized by members, partners, and regulatory stakeholders as a trusted and credible voice in produce safety and quality, evidenced by the depth and volume of member inquiries; invitations to speak, publish; or represent the association in influential forums., • Integrates cross-departmental collaboration and digital fluency into daily operations, improving efficiency, transparency, and organizational alignment. Travel Business related travel required, not to exceed 12 times per year Work Environment & Location Requirement This position is primarily remote but requires the candidate to be based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Applications from individuals located in areas with high concentration of IFPA members (California, Arizona, Florida or Texas) will also be considered. Candidates must be available to commute to IFPAs D.C. office and/or U.S. federal agencies often with short notice.