Regional Food Safety & Compliance Manager

The role is based in Barneveld, with regular travel to Urk (weekly) and Maasvlakte (bi weekly). Travel varies depending on audits, customer visits, regulatory inspections, and compliance projects, averaging approximately 20–30% annually.

The Regional Food Safety & Compliance Manager holds end to end responsibility for food safety, regulatory compliance, certification management, and audit readiness across Americold’s Dutch network. This multi site role covers Barneveld (primary location), Urk, and Maasvlakte, ensuring all facilities operate to the highest standards of food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

The position serves as the Netherlands’ subject matter expert for food safety and quality compliance, with a strong focus on HACCP leadership, IFS Food & IFS Logistics certification, internal auditing, packaging and labelling compliance, and continuous audit readiness. The role also supports health & safety compliance in partnership with site leadership teams.

This is a key role for an experienced food safety professional who thrives in regulated environments, enjoys multi site responsibility, and plays a central part in strengthening food safety culture across temperature controlled logistics operations.

Key responsibilities

Food safety & compliance leadership
•    Lead food safety and compliance across all Dutch sites 
•    Maintain and improve the Food Safety & Quality Management System (QMS) 
•    Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, customer, and certification requirements 
•    Drive continuous improvement in hygiene, traceability, and product integrity

HACCP leadership
•    Act as HACCP Team Leader for all locations 
•    Lead HACCP reviews, risk assessments, validation and verification 
•    Maintain HACCP studies and ensure operational implementation

Audit readiness & certification
•    Maintain continuous audit readiness 
•    Manage IFS Food & IFS Logistics certification programmes 
•    Conduct internal audits and oversee corrective actions 
•    Coordinate external audits and regulatory inspections

Regulatory & customer compliance
•    Serve as primary contact for NVWA 
•    Support regulatory inspections and compliance documentation 
•    Partner with customers during visits, audits, and food safety reviews

Packaging, labelling & EKS
•    Oversee packaging and labelling compliance 
•    Ensure Dutch/EU regulatory alignment 
•    Lead EKS compliance programmes and operational audits

Health & safety support
•    Support site leadership with safety inspections and corrective actions 
•    Promote safe working practices across all operations
 

Qualifications & experience

Education & professional background
•    Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Quality Management or related field
•    Minimum 5 years’ experience in food safety, quality assurance, compliance or QESH leadership
•    Experience in food manufacturing, food logistics, cold chain or warehousing environments
•    Proven HACCP leadership and hands on experience with IFS Food & IFS Logistics
•    Experience working with NVWA and supporting regulatory inspections
•    Packaging & labelling compliance experience
•    EKS audit and compliance experience
•    Fluent in Dutch and English

Technical & functional skills
•    Strong understanding of Dutch/EU food safety legislation
•    Skilled in internal auditing, root cause analysis, and corrective action management
•    Strong communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills
•    Experience managing certification audits, customer audits, and internal audit programmes
•    HACCP Level 3/4 and Lead Auditor qualifications preferred

Leadership & personal attributes
•    Detail oriented, structured, and highly reliable
•    Strong communicator with the ability to influence without direct authority
•    Proactive, analytical, and solution oriented
•    Able to work across multiple sites and manage varying priorities
•    Confident in regulated environments and calm under pressure