Organic Certification Specialist

Job Category: Scientific
Job Location: Fully Remote
Country: USA
Education Level: 4 Year Degree
Travel Percentage: Up to 25%
Paycom: https://foodchainidgroupinc.applytojob.com/apply/MYstJnQs78/Organic-Certification-Specialist

Please note that this position requires a minimum of 1 year experience in the NOP Organic Certification program.  Can be in the Crop, Handling and/or Livestock Scopes
Company Information

For more than two decades, FoodChain ID has been at the forefront of the New Food industry, providing expertise worldwide to navigate the requirements of an ever-growing demand for higher levels of transparency, accountability, safety, and sustainability. Our technical and business services include serving clean labels, food safety, and sustainability claims through offerings of the non-GMO Project standard and verification, USDA Organic certification, BRC and SQF food safety certification, DNA and Contaminant testing and more. Today, more than 30,000 companies in over 100 countries rely on our industry-leading solutions. The FoodChain ID vision encompasses nothing less than assuring the safety, transparency, and integrity of the global food chain, one client and product at a time.  The below position is for our US Organic Certification (OC) services division known as Organic Certifiers.  

Job Description

The Certification Specialist serves as the primary contact between OC and our clients.  For organic clients, they assess and determine the compliance of applications against the organic standards, issue reports, interpret data and collaborate in the processes of approval for certification. 

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Assure new client/renewal applications, compliance plans and supporting documents contain required descriptions, protocols, procedures and records to demonstrate compliance with applicable standards.
  • Contact clients to review findings, non-compliances and outstanding issues; provide technical support by clarifying any technical and regulatory requirements and issues.
  • Maintain record keeping systems in compliance with internal procedures.
  • Review and approve site additions, seed stock compliance, product formulations, product labels and material/input substances as applicable.  
  • Participate in development/training meetings as necessary.*    
  • Conduct reviews and desk audits, as assigned.
  • Support new business development efforts through program, quality system and certification documentation development.
  • Perform other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

  • Must have sufficient expertise in organic production or handling techniques to successfully perform the duties assigned. Sufficient expertise must include knowledge of certification to USDA organic standards and evidence of education, training, or professional experience in the fields of agriculture, science, or organic production and handling that relates to assigned duties.
  • Must have the knowledge, skills, and experience required to perform certification review of operations of the scope and complexity assigned and to evaluate compliance with the applicable regulations of this part.
  • Excellent communication skills in person, on the phone and in writing. 
  • Ability to clearly communicate complex and technical concepts. 
  • Comfort using computer for multiple hours at a time. 
  • Competency in word processing, formatting, databases and email applications including of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. 
  • Excellent skills to organize, monitor, and track numerous activities throughout the year.

Training Requirements

Prior to Formal Authorization:

  • Initial basic training on policies, forms, files, web-system, etc.
  • Standards training as appropriate (NOP, etc.)
  • Monitored training period as needed to demonstrate competence

Yearly Requirements to Maintain Authorization

  • Attendance of department update meetings and review of all notifications of industry updates
  • Attendance of Annual OC Training Seminar
  • All certification review personnel continuously maintain adequate knowledge and skills in the current USDA organic standards, certification and compliance processes, traceability audits, mass-balance audits, and practices applicable to the type, volume, and range of review activities assigned.
  • Certification review personnel with less than one year of certification review experience must complete at least 50 hours of training within their first year performing certification review.
  • Certification review personnel with one or more years of certification review experience must annually complete at least 10 hours of training if conducting certification review related to one area of operation and an additional 5 hours of training for each additional area of operation.

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