Food Safety Officer

You’ll take full ownership of the day-to-day food safety and quality agenda — working hand-in-hand with store operations, regional quality teams, and senior management to keep standards consistently high across every touchpoint.

• Plan, schedule, and lead routine food safety inspections, hygiene audits, and compliance walkthroughs across all store locations.
• Design and roll out food safety training content — from induction materials to advanced procedure guides — ensuring every team member is equipped to uphold the company’s standards.
• Step in as the internal expert whenever a food safety incident, customer complaint, or potential hazard arises — investigating root causes, documenting findings, and pushing corrective actions through to closure.
• Serve as the go-to liaison between store operations, the quality assurance function, and the legal team on all food safety matters.
• Lead the coordination of product recalls, market withdrawals, and crisis response when serious food safety events occur.
• Keep a close eye on evolving UAE food regulations and regional food standards, translating regulatory changes into practical procedural updates before they become compliance gaps.

Managing Product Quality & Supplier Standards

• Oversee quality assurance activities for own-brand and private-label product lines, from specification development through to shelf-ready compliance.
• Manage the full cycle of product documentation — specifications, approval records, nutritional data, labelling compliance files, and supplier questionnaires.
• Coordinate external laboratory testing programs with accredited partners, ensuring results are tracked, actioned, and reported.
• Conduct supplier audits and vendor assessments to verify that upstream partners meet both regulatory and internal quality requirements.
• Run mystery shopper visits and in-store product sampling exercises to get a real-world view of quality performance at ground level.
• Build and present quality and food safety performance dashboards for leadership and key internal stakeholders.

Championing Workplace Health & Safety

• Execute structured workplace HSE inspection programs across all operational sites, identifying risks before they become incidents.
• Lead investigations into workplace accidents, near-miss events, and unsafe conditions — producing accurate incident records and driving root cause analysis.
• Support the rollout of preventive maintenance initiatives and work alongside operations and facilities teams to maintain safe working environments.
• Deliver practical, engaging HSE training for frontline employees and management alike, cutting through technical jargon to make safety information land.
• Be an active contributor to internal and external HSE audits, ensuring corrective actions are implemented and followed through.
• Actively model and promote a workplace culture where food safety and people safety are non-negotiable.

Your Academic Background

A degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Quality Assurance, Public Health, Occupational Health & Safety, or any closely related field.

• At least 3 years in a food safety, quality management, regulatory compliance, or HSE role within the food industry.
• Real-world exposure to grocery retail, supermarkets, quick commerce platforms, food manufacturing, food service, or supply chain and distribution operations.

Your Technical Toolkit

• Solid command of HACCP principles, GMP frameworks, Food Safety Management Systems, and occupational health and safety practices.
• Hands-on experience with risk assessment, hazard identification, and mitigation planning.
• Working knowledge of UAE food safety legislation and the requirements of local food control authorities.
• Experience engaging directly with regulatory bodies and government food safety agencies.
• Confident using digital compliance and quality management systems to track, report, and improve.

Your Professional Edge

• Proven ability to manage food safety programmes simultaneously across multiple retail sites without dropping the ball.
• Sharp analytical mind with strong organisational instincts and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
• Clear, confident communicator — equally effective presenting to senior leadership as training frontline staff.
• A team-builder who earns trust across departments, functions, and cultures.

Nice to Have

Candidates who bring any of the following will stand out from the crowd:

• HACCP Certification
• ISO 22000 knowledge or Lead Auditor / Internal Auditor Certification
• NEBOSH, IOSH, or equivalent HSE qualification
• Experience managing food recall events and crisis response
• Background in regulatory affairs or product compliance
• Hands-on supplier audit and vendor management track record