Job Title: Senior Hygiene and Quality Officer
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Manpower consultancy is hiring a Senior Hygiene and Quality Officer for a catering and food services operation in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The role is responsible for ensuring food safety compliance, maintaining hygiene standards, monitoring quality control procedures, and supporting the implementation of HACCP, GMP, and GHP systems across food production and service operations.
Industry: Catering and Food Services
Recruitment: Manpower Consultancy Hiring
Experience: Minimum 5 years in a senior hygiene and quality management position
The successful candidate will oversee hygiene and quality inspections, monitor food handling and storage practices, coordinate corrective actions, and support food safety training and internal audits. Candidates with experience in catering operations, strong knowledge of UAE food safety regulations, and the ability to coordinate with multidisciplinary teams are encouraged to apply.
Job Responsibilities
- Ensure compliance with UAE food safety regulations, HACCP principles, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), and established company quality and food safety standards.
- Conduct regular hygiene and quality inspections across commercial kitchens, food storage areas, catering facilities, food transportation units, and service areas.
- Monitor food receiving procedures, including raw material inspection, supplier compliance, product quality, temperature verification, packaging integrity, and expiry date checks.
- Supervise food storage practices, including temperature control, stock rotation, FIFO/FEFO systems, segregation of raw and cooked products, and prevention of cross-contamination.
- Monitor food preparation, cooking, cooling, reheating, hot and cold holding, and food service activities to ensure compliance with food safety requirements.
- Verify food labeling, date coding, allergen information, and expiry management in accordance with applicable regulations and company procedures.
- Ensure the implementation of cleaning and sanitation schedules across kitchens, stores, food transport facilities, and food service areas.
- Monitor personal hygiene practices, employee health and hygiene requirements, pest control activities, waste management, and safe chemical handling procedures.
- Conduct internal hygiene audits, quality inspections, and operational compliance assessments to identify non-conformities and potential food safety risks.
- Investigate hygiene deviations, food complaints, food safety incidents, and product quality concerns, and recommend appropriate corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Maintain and review HACCP documentation, food safety monitoring records, temperature logs, cleaning and sanitation checklists, inspection reports, and audit findings.
- Ensure corrective actions are documented, assigned to responsible departments, and completed within the established timelines.
- Conduct food safety, hygiene, and good handling practices training for kitchen employees, catering staff, food handlers, and other relevant personnel.
- Support municipality inspections, client audits, certification audits, and external food safety assessments.
- Coordinate with Operations, Kitchen, Stores, Procurement, Transport, and Maintenance teams to resolve hygiene and quality-related issues.
- Monitor the implementation of food safety procedures throughout the catering supply chain, from food receiving and preparation to transportation and service.
- Prepare periodic hygiene, quality, audit, and food safety performance reports for management review.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in food safety systems, hygiene practices, operational compliance, and quality management.
- Ensure relevant food safety procedures and records are maintained accurately and made available during internal and external inspections.
Job Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in a senior hygiene and quality management position, preferably in catering, food services, central kitchens, or a related food industry.
- Experience in senior Hygiene, Quality, Food Safety, or HQSC/HQSE-related roles.
- Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP, GHP, food hygiene practices, and food safety management systems.
- Practical understanding of food receiving, storage, preparation, cooking, transportation, and service operations.
- Familiarity with UAE food safety regulations and applicable municipality requirements.
- Experience conducting internal audits, hygiene inspections, incident investigations, and corrective and preventive action monitoring.
- Experience in catering operations or a similar food service environment is preferred.
- Arabic-speaking candidates are preferred.
- Strong English communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Good computer literacy, including the ability to prepare reports, maintain records, and manage quality documentation.
- Strong organizational, analytical, inspection, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with kitchen, operations, procurement, stores, transport, and maintenance teams.
- Professional references will be mandatory as part of the recruitment process.
Key Skills and Competencies
- Food Safety Management
- HACCP Implementation
- Hygiene Inspection and Auditing
- Catering Quality Control
- GMP and GHP Compliance
- Food Handling and Temperature Monitoring
- Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA)
- Food Safety Training
- UAE Food Safety Regulations
- Quality Documentation and Reporting
- Incident Investigation
- Team Coordination and Communication
Preferred Certifications
Candidates with relevant food safety and quality certifications may be considered favorably, depending on the employer’s requirements.
- HACCP Certification
- Food Safety and Hygiene Certification
- ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems
- Internal Auditor Training
- Food Safety Supervisor or equivalent recognized training
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