Job Description

Regional Food Safety Manager

At KeHE, we're obsessed with creating solutions, unboxing potential, and serving others and it all starts with you. As an employee-owned distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products, we're committed to making a positive impact and scaling our success together. With a culture that fosters development and opportunity, you'll be embarking on a career that's moving forward. When you join KeHE, you're becoming part of a team that is a force for good.

The Regional Food Safety Manager is responsible for leading, coaching and supporting regional distribution centers in achieving world-class food safety performance. This role ensures compliance with regulatory and third-party standards, drives continuous improvement, and partners closely with site leadership to build a proactive, people-first food safety culture.

This leader will serve as the subject matter expert for food safety programs, audit readiness, sanitation best practices, traceability, temperature control and regulatory compliance across the region. As with all positions at KeHE Distributors, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE's Mission, Vision, and Values.

DUTIES, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Food Safety Leadership & Compliance
  • Lead food safety programs across assigned sites, ensuring compliance with FDA, FSMA, HACCP/HARPC, and internal standards.
  • Serve as regional point of contact for all third-party food safety audits (Merieux, SQF where applicable).
  • Conduct internal food safety assessments and audit prep coaching prior to external audits.
  • Ensure proper execution of sanitation, allergen, pest control, and hygiene programs.
• Audit Readiness & Performance
  • Develop and execute regional audit readiness plans.
  • Train and coach site leaders to confidently engage with auditors.
  • Ensure each site maintains always-audit-ready status not temporary compliance.
  • Track audit scores, findings, root cause actions, and closure timelines.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Drive risk-based, data-informed improvements across warehouse food safety processes.
  • Lead CAPA programs to close audit findings and prevent recurrence.
  • Standardize best practices across the region.
  • Monitor and report KPDs (temperature control, sanitation, pest control, traceability, etc.).
• Training & Capability Development
  • Coach and develop site Food Safety Champions and sanitation leads.
  • Lead food safety training for operations leaders, supervisors, and new Food Safety Managers.
  • Support onboarding and development of new managers in both safety and food safety programs.
• Cross-Functional Partnership
  • Partner with Operations, Quality, Safety, Inventory Control, Procurement and HR.
  • Support food defense and security programs with relevant teams.
  • Ensure alignment between food safety, worker safety, and supply chain risk management.
  • Other duties and projects as designed.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Promote "People First, Safety Always" mindset.
• Reinforce proactive hazard recognition and reporting.
• Recognize strong food safety behavior and coach gaps with clarity and respect.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, QUALIFICATIONS, ADDITIONAL SKILLS, APTITUDE:

• EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
  • Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Supply Chain, Safety, Biology, Environmental Health, or related discipline (or equivalent experience)
  • 3 7+ years of food safety leadership experience in distribution, food manufacturing, logistics, or similar environment
  • Strong understanding of HACCP / HARPC, FSMA, GMPs, sanitation, and audit systems
  • Proven experience preparing for and leading third-party food safety audits
  • Ability to coach and influence across multiple locations and levels of leadership
  • Strong interpersonal communication skills and high emotional intelligence
  • Willingness to travel up to 60%
• PREFERRED:
  • HACCP certification
  • PCQI certification (Preventative Controls Qualified Individual)
  • Experience in refrigerated food environments
  • Prior experience influencing multi-site operations
  • Lean / continuous improvement background

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to travel nationally (up to 60%) to support food safety initiatives, audits, and inspections.
• Work in a combination of office, manufacturing, and distribution environments, with potential exposure to temperature-controlled and production areas.

Equal Employer Opportunity Statement: KeHE Distributors provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or faith, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training as well as the administration of all Human Resources and Talent Acquisition processes.

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