Food Safety & Quality Manager

Harris Farm Markets is one of Australia's most loved fresh food retailers, operating 34+ stores across NSW, ACT, QLD and growing. We're not a supermarket, we're a market. Our shelves are full of bloody good produce, real food, and the kind of dirt-on-the-spud energy that reminds you where food actually comes from. We exist For the Greater Goodness for customers, for each other, and for community.

The Role

This is a player-coach leadership role, not just a desk job. As our Food Safety & Quality Manager, you will own the end-to-end food safety program across the HFM network, from HACCP management and vendor compliance through to label integrity, audit delivery and team capability. You will report to the GM - Property, Safety, Risk & Sustainability, manage a small QA team, and be the senior technical food safety voice across the business.

We need someone who has earned their stripes in fresh food retail specifically, someone who understands perishable complexity, rapid stock rotation, and the customer-facing realities that make retail food safety fundamentally different to manufacturing. You'll spend real time in stores and production environments, not just writing reports.

What You'll Do

Leadership & Team Management

•     Lead, coach and develop the Food Safety & Quality team — setting strategy while staying hands-on

•     Own the function roadmap, annual plan and monthly reporting to the GM

•     Build a genuine food safety culture across the store network — not just rules, but real belief

•     Represent Food Safety & Quality at senior leadership forums

Vendor Management & Label Compliance

•     Maintain a complete, current and compliant vendor database

•     Onboard new vendors, assess against HFM policy, and escalate non-compliance with clear corrective action

•     Own the label audit program across all stores and HFM-branded lines

•     Support the Buying team through product development to keep sourcing policies on track

Food Safety, HACCP & Compliance

•     Own and deliver the store food safety audit schedule across the network

•     Manage the swab and environmental monitoring program with full site documentation

•     Review and maintain HACCP plans, recipes and specifications to regulatory standard

•     Identify, document and close non-conformances within agreed timeframes

•     Deliver hygiene and food safety training to store teams

Continuous Improvement & Projects

•     Drive a structured CI program, minimum 3 active initiatives at any time

•     Support new store openings and refurbishments from a food safety setup perspective

•     Embed incident learnings into updated procedures and benchmarks

•     Report the CI pipeline quarterly to the GM

About You

Essential

•     Minimum 3–5 years' hands-on food safety experience in retail grocery, fresh food retail or supermarket, this is non-negotiable

•     Manufacturing-only backgrounds will not be considered without demonstrated retail crossover

•     Deep working knowledge of FSANZ Food Standards Code and state/territory regulatory requirements

•     Demonstrated HACCP competency, able to develop, review and audit HACCP plans

•     Experience managing microbiological testing, swab programs and environmental monitoring

•     Familiarity with food labelling law (FSANZ Standard 1.2.x suite) and nutritional panel requirements

•     Proven ability to lead, coach and develop a team

•     Experience auditing or managing compliance across a multi-site retail network

•     Strong Excel skills for data analysis, audit reporting and program tracking

•     Bachelor of Science in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Chemistry or equivalent

•     Current Driver's Licence and willingness to travel to stores across NSW, ACT and QLD

Desirable

•     Postgraduate qualification in Food Safety or Quality Management

•     HACCP Lead Auditor or Internal Auditor certification

•     Strong food technology, microbiology or food chemistry background

What We Offer

. Competitive salary package commensurate with experience

•     Flexible working arrangements

•     25% employee discount for you and a family member

•     Genuine career development, this role is foundational to a growing Safety, Risk & Compliance function

•     Real leadership opportunity in a business at an exciting stage of transformation

•     The autonomy to build and own a function, not just maintain it

If you’re looking for a role where your expertise and attention to detail will truly make an impact, then we want to hear from you!

Apply today and become a key part of the Harris Farm team.

Please note: only candidates with direct food retail or fresh food retail experience will be progressed. If your background is manufacturing-only, please address any retail crossover experience clearly in your cover letter.