Food Quality Specialist

Company Overview Nassau Candy is a leading manufacturer and distributor of specialty confections, fine foods, and promotional products with a national footprint. As a family-owned business, we combine entrepreneurial agility with operational excellence—delivering high-quality products while investing in our people, processes, and facilities. Quality Specialist & Internal Auditor Location: Hicksville, NY Position Summary The Quality Specialist & Internal Auditor supports the Food Safety & Quality Manager in maintaining Nassau Candy's Food Safety Management System (FSQMS) and ensuring compliance with food safety, quality, regulatory, and customer requirements. This role is responsible for monitoring quality systems, conducting internal audits, supporting production operations, and promoting a strong food safety culture throughout the organization. The position partners cross-functionally to ensure products consistently meet Nassau Candy's quality and food safety standards while supporting continuous improvement initiatives. This position will be on-site in our Hicksville, NY facility. Essential Functions Support the maintenance and continuous improvement of the Food Safety Management System (FSQMS) and SQF Program. Ensure compliance with HACCP, GMPs, GDPs, FDA regulations, SQF requirements, customer specifications, and other applicable food safety and quality standards. Serve as Recall Coordinator and support mock recalls and traceability exercises. Conduct GMP, GDP, and internal quality audits to verify compliance and identify improvement opportunities. Support internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits, ensuring timely follow-up and corrective action completion. Monitor production operations to verify product quality, food safety, and adherence to established procedures. Review batch records, production documentation, quality records, and product release documentation for accuracy and compliance. Investigate customer complaints, product deviations, and non-conformances, supporting root cause analysis and corrective actions. Track, monitor, and verify the effectiveness of Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA). Develop, maintain, and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), work instructions, forms, and quality documentation. Deliver food safety, GMP, GDP, and quality training for employees and new hires while maintaining training records. Analyze quality data and prepare reports to support management review and continuous improvement initiatives. Partner with Production, Warehouse, Sanitation, Maintenance, Purchasing, and other departments to resolve quality issues and improve operational performance. Promote a culture of food safety, quality, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the facility. Travel as required to support audits, inspections, or other business needs. Perform other duties as assigned. Minimum Qualifications Associate degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Quality Assurance, Quality Management, or a related field. Five (5) or more years of experience in food manufacturing, food safety, or quality assurance. Working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, GDPs, FDA regulations, and food safety systems. Experience supporting SQF, BRCGS, ISO 22000, or other GFSI-recognized food safety programs preferred. Strong understanding of Quality Management Systems (QMS), document control, and regulatory compliance. Knowledge of FDA food labeling regulations (21 CFR); familiarity with Canadian labeling requirements (CFIA) is a plus. Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and MRP/ERP systems. Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. What We Offer Medical, Dental, Vision, AFLAC, and Pet Insurance Paid Vacation, PTO, Annual Reviews, and Competitive Salary 401(k) with Company Match Employee Discounts and more Nassau Candy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr Nassau Candy Distributors, Inc.