Head of Food Safety

Role Overview & Responsibilities

Lead all parts of an ISO 22000 certified Food Safety Management System for vessels in the MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys fleets.

• Fluent oral and written English, other languages, especially Italian, is beneficial.
• Food science or similar education, 5 years of experience in major catering operations, especially related to cruise vessels, may replace formal education.
• Level 3 HACCP in catering, Level 4 Food Safety & Hygiene, and experience with ISO or FSSC 22000•Knowledge of EU ShipSan, US Vessel Sanitation and Brazil ANVISA food safety requirements.
• Promote a positive culture of food safety and continuous improvement during interaction with the fleet and shoreside offices.
• Manage the development, enhancement and maintenance of food safety policies and training materials to meet the requirements of the health authorities where fleet vessels operate.
• Coordinate with other shoreside departments regarding food supplies, food concepts, catering area design, catering equipment, and adding food safety content in auditing programs for personnel who travel to the vessels.
• Ensure the food safety management program meets the requirements of ISO 22000.
• Perform HACCP assessments for all new food concepts, including writing variances.
• Lead the investigation of any potential foodborne illness outbreaks.
• Develop and manage the budget to support food safety in the fleet and for the office staff.
• Lead a team of food safety professionals from the office and provide support to onboard Public Health Officers.
• Assist vessels with root cause analysis and corrective actions for any nonconformities identified during internal and external audits and inspections and apply lessons learned to the fleet.
• Manage procedures onboard fleet vessels for any recalls of food products.

VISA REQUIREMENTS (if any) Right to work in the UK is preferred. International travel is expected.Part of the MSC Group, MSC Cruises is the market leader in the Mediterranean, South Africa and South America, and sails year-round in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Its seasonal itineraries cover northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, South America, southern Africa, and the Persian/Arabian Gulf. MSC Cruises was born in the Mediterranean, and draws inspiration from this heritage to create a unique experience for holidaymakers worldwide. As a result of a euro 6.5 billions investment programme launched in 2003, MSC Cruises' fleet comprises 13 state-of-the-art cruise ships belonging to four different classes: Lirica, Musica, Fantasia and Meraviglia. The fleet's average age is 7 years, the youngest in the industry. In 2014, MSC Cruises launched a euro 9 billion, 10 year investment plan to support the second phase of its growth through the order of up to 11 next generation mega cruise ships. As a result, MSC Cruises' fleet will double by 2026, while the passenger capacity will triple to reach five million passengers per year. MSC Cruises is the first cruise company to develop an investment plan of this length and magnitude. MSC Cruises feels a deep responsibility for the environments in which it operates, and was the first company ever to earn the Bureau Veritas "7 Golden Pearls" for superior management and environmental stewardship. In 2009, MSC Cruises began an enduring partnership with UNICEF to support various programmes assisting children worldwide.