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Food Safety Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

... direct reports or field teams. * ServSafe Manager Certification required; Certified Professional in Food Safety (CP-FS) or Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) strongly preferred.

You willsetthe multi-year food safety vision as we scale from 80 restaurants tonearly 90across ... developing direct reports or field teams. * ServSafeManager Certificationrequired; Certified ...

Director of Food Safety

Nashville, NC · On-site

$50K - $60K/mo

Director of Food Safety This position is responsible for effectively managing and implementing policies and programs as they relate to food safety, quality assurance and food defense. The manager ...

Safety Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

$90K - $100K/yr

Midwest Foods is a wholesale food distributor providing top quality food products to numerous food ... The Safety Director will develop, coordinate, and implement occupational health policies and ...

Midwest Foods is a wholesale food distributor providing top quality food products to numerous food ... The Safety Director will develop, coordinate, and implement occupational health policies and ...

Safety Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

$90 - $100/hr

... food distributor providing top quality food products to numerous food establishments in Chicago ... The Safety Director will develop, coordinate, and implement occupational health policies and ...

Safety Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

$90 - $130/hr

Midwest Foods is a wholesale food distributor providing top quality food products to numerous food ... The Safety Director will develop, coordinate, and implement occupational health policies and ...

Director of Food Safety and Quality At Chick-fil-A Twelve Oaks, our values challenge us to put our guests first, to communicate with clarity, to be responsible for our decisions as we work together ...

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Food Safety Director information

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$5

$32

$56

How much do food safety director jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average hourly pay for food safety director in the United States is $32.64, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $20.19 and $48.08 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a food safety director?

A Food Safety Director is a senior professional responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing food safety programs within an organization. They ensure that food products meet regulatory requirements and safety standards to protect consumers from foodborne illnesses. Their duties typically include managing compliance with federal and local food safety laws, training staff, conducting audits, and responding to safety concerns or recalls. Food Safety Directors play a key role in maintaining the reputation and legal compliance of food-related businesses. They often work closely with quality assurance, production, and regulatory agencies.

What does a food safety director do?

At a large food production or manufacturing facility, food safety directors oversee all compliance procedures and policies, perform inspections and other auditing duties, and ensure all workers, as well as the facility itself, are following regulations related to food health and safety. Your responsibilities include hiring and training new inspectors and other quality assurance workers who help inspect the facility and make detailed reports. From their investigations, you determine how best to continue to maintain safety standards or to improve standards at your facility.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a food safety director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Food Safety Director, you need deep knowledge of food safety regulations, hazard analysis, and quality assurance, typically supported by a degree in food science or a related field. Familiarity with tools like HACCP, FDA/USDA compliance systems, and certifications such as SQF or ServSafe is crucial. Strong leadership, attention to detail, and effective communication skills set outstanding professionals apart in this role. These skills ensure the safety and compliance of food products, protect public health, and maintain the company’s reputation.

What are some common challenges a food safety director faces when implementing new food safety protocols across multiple sites?

A Food Safety Director often encounters challenges such as varying levels of staff training, differences in local regulations, and resistance to change when rolling out new protocols across multiple facilities. Ensuring consistent compliance and communication between sites requires strong leadership, regular audits, and effective training programs. Collaboration with operations, quality assurance, and regulatory teams is essential to address site-specific needs and maintain high food safety standards.

What is the difference between Food Safety Director vs Food Safety Manager?

AspectFood Safety DirectorFood Safety Manager
CertificationsServSafe, HACCP, SQF certifications often requiredSimilar certifications, often required
Work EnvironmentOversees multiple facilities or departments, strategic focusManages daily operations at a specific site or department
ResponsibilitiesDevelops policies, ensures compliance, leads food safety programsImplements policies, monitors daily safety practices
Industry UsageCommonly used in large corporations, food production, and distributionUsed across restaurants, food manufacturing, and retail

The Food Safety Director typically holds a higher strategic role, overseeing food safety programs across multiple locations or departments, while the Food Safety Manager focuses on implementing and managing daily safety practices within a specific site. Both roles require similar certifications and industry knowledge, but differ mainly in scope and level of responsibility.

What cities are hiring for Food Safety Director jobs?

Cities with the most Food Safety Director job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Food Safety jobs?

The most popular types of Food Safety jobs are:

Who are the top companies hiring for Food Safety Director jobs?

The top employers for Food Safety Director jobs are:

What states have the most Food Safety Director jobs?

States with the most job openings for Food Safety Director jobs include:

Infographic showing various Food Safety Director job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $67,898 per year, or $32.6 per hour.

Director Food Safety Operations

Sargento

Elkhart Lake, WI • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Re-posted 7 days ago


Sargento rating

9.2

Company rating: 9.2 out of 10

Based on 23 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

5th of 440 rated food and drinks producers


Job description

The Director of Food Safety Operations is responsible for leading and overseeing all aspects of food safety and regulatory compliance across the company's manufacturing facilities. This role ensures that all products meet or exceed food safety standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations. Develop, implement, and maintain robust food safety systems and lead cross-functional teams to foster a culture of food safety excellence. Plans, coordinates, and directs food safety programs and systems designed to ensure continuous production of safe, quality and legal products. Responsible for ensuring a food facility adheres to food safety regulations and standards. Oversight to sanitation, developing and implementing safety programs, and managing team of food safety professionals.

Your Story.

You will be responsible for leading and overseeing all aspects of food safety and regulatory compliance across the company’s manufacturing facilities. This role ensures that all products meet or exceed food safety standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations. You will develop, implement, and maintain robust food safety systems and lead cross-functional teams to foster a culture of food safety excellence. You will plan, coordinates, and directs food safety programs and systems designed to ensure continuous production of safe, quality and legal products. You will be responsible for ensuring a food facility adheres to food safety regulations and standards. You will provide oversight to sanitation, developing and implementing safety programs, and managing team of food safety professionals.

Your Passion.Our Culture.

At Sargento, you work for a company you believe in, with a family of people who believe in you. Our culture stems from a simple premise: Hire good people and treat them like family. At Sargento, you can make decisions based on how they affect people as well as the long-term health of our company. You will be encouraged to make a meaningful difference in the community, in the company and in your career. With diverse experiences and tools to learn and develop, you can transform your aspirations into reality. If you’re ready for the right place to belong and grow your career, you can find it here.

Benefits that set us apart.

  • Comprehensive medicalincluding Fertility, Adoption benefits, Dental, and Vision Insurance
  • Remote ½ day Fridays
  • Onsite Health & Wellness Center
  • Employer 401K contribution in the top 1% of the nation
  • Relocation Assistance
  • Tuition Assistance
  • Access to Employee Store

What You Do.

  • Execute the company’s comprehensive food safety and sanitation strategies in alignment with business goals.
  • Serve as the subject matter expert on food safety regulations, trends, and best practices.
  • Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, FSMA, HACCP, GFSI (SQF/BRC), and other applicable regulations and standards.
  • Oversee the development and implementation of food safety programs, including HACCP, allergen control, sanitation, traceability, and recall procedures.
  • Maintain and improve food safety documentation and record-keeping systems.
  • Lead and mentor a team of food safety and quality professionals.
  • Develop and deliver training programs to ensure employee awareness and compliance with food safety protocols.
  • Conduct risk assessments and root cause analyses for food safety incidents.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance food safety performance and reduce risk.
  • Partner with R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, and Procurement to ensure food safety is integrated into all processes.
  • Collaborate with suppliers and co-manufacturers to ensure food safety standards are upheld throughout the supply chain
  • Designs experiments and analyzes statistical data to assist the organization.
  • Leads development of IT systems designed for efficient utilization of data by quality systems users. Directs internal consultants for SAP-QM, DevEx, Intellex, and Laboratory Information Management systems.
  • Acts as chief liaison with outside Process Authority and third-party laboratories in the development of challenge studies.
  • Develops knowledge partnerships with external content experts in food safety (e., FDA, USDA, NFPA, CDR, IDFA, FRI, etc.)
  • Work closely with FSQ Commercialization Team as consultant to guide food safety, quality, sanitation and hygienic design efforts into commercialization of new products for Sargento Foods.
  • Prepare and present reports to senior management on food safety initiatives, progress, project milestones, metrics, food safety compliance, ongoing issues and outcomes
  • Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including customers, partners, and industry influencers
  • External monitoring of relevant regulation impacts and streamlining of internal communication needs and action plans, including identification of emerging risks
  • Reviews technical publications, articles, and abstracts to stay abreast of technical developments in industry.
  • Requires up to 25% of travel.

Your Education and Experience.

  • Bachelor's degree (B.S.) required and Master’s Degree (M.S.) strongly preferred in a field related to food microbiology or other biological sciences. 
  • Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in a food safety risk management role. 

Our Story.

With over 2,400+ employees and net sales of nearly $1.8 billion, Sargento is a family-owned company that has been a leader in cheese for more than 70 years. We created the world’s first, successful pre-packaged sliced and shredded natural cheeses. Sargento is based in Plymouth, Wisconsin, where we manufacture and market shredded, sliced and snack natural cheese products, as well as ingredients and sauces. Sargento is known for the exceptional quality of our products and for product design, packaging and merchandising innovations that have transformed our industry.

To learn more about our culture and values, please visit our website athttps://careers.sargento.com/us/en.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.Employment Type: FULL_TIME

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About Sargento

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Food and drink manufacturing

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Plymouth, WI, US

Year founded

1953