VIVA Retail is actively hiring a Food Safety Compliance Manager in Sharjah, UAE to lead Quality and Food Safety (Q&FS) compliance across all retail stores in the UAE, Oman and KSA territories. This is a senior leadership role covering HACCP development, team management, regulatory audits, incident response, and food safety culture — for a qualified professional with FSSC 22000 or BRC Lead Auditor certification and a minimum of 8–10 years in QA or food safety.
About VIVA Retail — Multi-Site GCC Food Retailer
Industry: Retail Food & Grocery — UAE, Oman and KSA operations
Scope: Multi-site retail stores across three GCC territories
Standards: FSSC 22000, BRC, HACCP and UAE/KSA/Oman regulatory frameworks
Team: Dedicated Store Hygiene Officers across the cluster
Focus: Building a proactive, people-first food safety culture across all locations
Regional Scope & Career Opportunity
Territories: UAE, Oman and KSA — full compliance leadership across all three markets
Regulatory Knowledge: UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia food authority requirements
New Projects: Lead food safety for new store openings and remodels at country level
Career Growth: Senior QA leadership role with strategic, cross-functional influence
Position Overview
This Food Safety Compliance Manager role at VIVA Retail is a high-impact senior position based in Sharjah, UAE. The successful candidate will lead the full Quality and Food Safety compliance function across a growing multi-site retail operation spanning three GCC countries. From HACCP program development and store audits to incident management and regulatory authority support, this role sits at the intersection of food science expertise and operational leadership.
Why This Role Matters: As Food Safety Compliance Manager at VIVA Retail, you will shape food safety policy and HACCP programs across UAE, Oman and KSA, manage and coach a team of Store Hygiene Officers, lead regulatory authority inspections, drive corrective action closure, and embed a proactive food safety culture that protects consumers and the business across every store in the cluster.
Key Responsibilities
Q&FS Compliance Leadership
- Lead Quality and Food Safety compliance across all VIVA Retail stores in the UAE, Oman and KSA territories.
- Develop and implement food safety policies, HACCP studies and related SOPs aligned with regulatory and company standards.
- Ensure all stores meet food safety requirements set by UAE, Oman and Saudi food authorities at all times.
Team Management & Coaching
- Manage and coach Store Hygiene Officers across the cluster, building capability, consistency and accountability.
- Drive food safety training and awareness programs to embed a proactive food safety culture among all store teams.
- Set clear performance expectations and support team development through regular coaching and reviews.
Audits, Inspections & Compliance Reviews
- Conduct store inspections, compliance reviews and food safety audits across all locations.
- Monitor corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) through to full closure.
- Support regulatory authority inspections and ensure full compliance with inspection findings and action plans.
Compliance Trend Analysis & Reporting
- Analyze compliance trends, food safety data and KPI performance metrics to identify risks and areas for improvement.
- Prepare management reports on compliance performance and risk for senior stakeholders.
- Implement corrective measures based on data-driven analysis of food safety trends across the cluster.
Operations & Supply Chain Partnership
- Partner with Operations and Supply Chain teams to integrate food safety and quality considerations into all retail processes.
- Liaise with the project team on new store openings, remodelling and new retail concepts to ensure food safety standards are implemented from day one.
- Ensure hygiene, pest control, temperature monitoring and food defense compliance across all stores.
Incident & Recall Management
- Lead food safety incident investigations end-to-end, from identification through root cause analysis to resolution.
- Manage the full product recall process including coordination with authorities, operations and communications teams.
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Veterinary Science or a related field.
- FSSC 22000, BRC Food Lead Auditor or equivalent food safety certification (preferred).
Experience Requirements
- 8–10 years of experience in QA or Food Safety within retail, FMCG or food manufacturing environments.
- Minimum 3 years in a food safety team leadership or management role.
- Proven experience managing multi-site retail food safety operations.
- Demonstrated knowledge of UAE, Oman and KSA food safety regulations and authority requirements.
Essential Skills
- Strong HACCP study design, SOP development and food safety policy implementation skills.
- Excellent audit management, inspection support and CAPA closure capabilities.
- Proven ability to coach and develop food safety teams across multiple locations.
- Strong analytical skills for compliance data interpretation and KPI reporting.
- Arabic and English fluency — both written and spoken — is mandatory for this role.
About VIVA Retail
VIVA Retail is a growing multi-site food and grocery retail operator with stores across the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The business is committed to the highest standards of food safety and quality, embedding compliance into every aspect of the retail experience — from supply chain to shelf. This Food Safety Compliance Manager role offers a senior professional the chance to lead that mission across a meaningful and expanding GCC footprint.
Career Impact: Shape food safety standards for a growing GCC retailer and make a direct difference to consumer health and business compliance across three markets.
Who Should Apply?
- Senior Food Safety Managers: With 8–10 years QA experience in retail or FMCG and GCC regulatory knowledge.
- HACCP & FSSC 22000 Specialists: Certified auditors with multi-site compliance management experience.
- QA Team Leaders: With 3+ years managing food safety teams and a track record of audit-ready operations.
- Food Science Professionals: With strong GCC market knowledge and bilingual Arabic/English communication skills.
- Retail Food Safety Experts: Experienced in new store openings, incident response and authority inspection support.
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