Jessica Azofeifa
Ingeniería En Alimentos Y Administradora De Empresas
Alajuela
Summary
Compliance Manager, with 25 years of experience in the mass consumption food industry, experience in GFSI certifications, audits of corporate social responsibility and responsible sourcing, occupational health, environment, auditing, management of controls in the chain of supply, including distribution and retail centers. Proven track record by proactively supporting to operations for compliance with standards and regional technical regulations, design and implementation of management systems for obtaining safety certifications. Formation of work teams multicultural, results-oriented and achievement of objectives aligned with business goals Detail-oriented team player with strong organizational skills. Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
2
2
Languages
Work History
Quality, Safety, Innovation and Certifications Dir
Open Blue Sea Farms
4 2020 - Current
- Lead the areas of quality, certifications, laboratory, occupational health and safety, as well as the area of
innovation and product development.
b. Human resource management to guarantee food safety of the products we process and the health and safety of employees.
c. Maintenance and continuous improvement of the management system for the company's certifications: BAP (4 stars), ASC, Kosher, as well as compliance with the export requirements to the US established by the FDA.
d. Creation of the Documentary Platform of the basic safety requirements for the farms of Cuna del Mar group.
and. Implementation of the Innovation and Product Development process
F. Responsible for the annual administration of an approximate budget of $1,500K for the compliance area, as well as the preparation of investment plans related to the compliance area.
g. Due to my solid technical knowledge in the animal protein industry, both processes and laboratory, I have been able to serve as a backup in cases of departures of key technical people (Fish Health and R&D area). So that on both occasions the continuity of normal operations was achieved without detriment to the required results of those areas. - Demonstrated leadership skills in managing projects from concept to completion.
Regional Manager of Compliance and R&D
Grupo Lala
01.2018 - 04.2020
- Lead the areas of quality, safety, certifications, occupational health and environment, as well as the development and innovation of products for Grupo Lala plants in Central America.
- Responsible for the compliance team for the 4 plants of Grupo Lala in Central America, with responsibility for quality and safety, occupational health and Innovation.
- Achievement the certification in SQF of the 4 plants in the region, creation of the regional documentary platform.
- Review and implementation of regional controls for compliance with regulations environmental and improvement of the water treatment systems of the Central American plants.
- Implementation of the innovation process in the technical area and the new product development process
- Responsible for the administration of an annual budget of $ 2.5K for the compliance area and review, together with the operations area, of investment projects related to food safety, health occupational and environment.
Regional Compliance Manager Private Label &DC
Walmart
10.2016 - 11.2017
- Responsible for the quality and product development area for private label for all retail product categories (human consumption, pet food and industrial products)
- Responsible for quality and safety of the distribution centers in Central America and external warehouses (frozen, refrigerated and dry)
- Leader of the regional team of private label quality and safety coordinators to ensure the compliance with standards, of products made under Walmart's private brands in
Central America, including more than 1,200 grocery and consumer products, made inside and outside of
Central America.
• Responsible for the GFSI program for private label suppliers, creating the GFSI initiative School oriented to the support of suppliers for the achievement of a food safety certification and achieving a 58% increase in the% certified suppliers in less than a year.
• Data Lead Support for The Hive program in Central America, a platform aimed at consolidating all information on products sold to Walmart worldwide.
• Design and implementation of safety controls for the supply chain in the process of imports for distribution centers, including origin, shipping companies, customs and warehouses of
temporary storage.
• In charge of the administration of the program for the closing of internal audit findings for the area regional food safety (processing plants, distribution centers and retail), design and implementation of a tool for the documentation and closure of findings related to the corporate requirements.
Regional Compliance Manager, Meat Division
Walmart México y Centroamerica
07.2012 - 10.2016
- Responsible for the compliance team for the 8 plants of the Central American Meat Division, with responsibility for quality and safety, occupational health and the environment. Supporting a operation with monthly sales of over $ 30 million to meet its goals yearly.
- Achievement in a year and a half of the certification in FSSC 22000 of the 8 plants in the region, creation of the regional documentary platform and implementation support for the rest of the Division's plants Agroindustrial (Grains, Vegetables and Bakery) achieving its certification 6 months later.
- Review and implementation of regional controls for compliance with regulations environmental and improvement of the water treatment systems of the Central American plants.
- Review and implementation of operational controls aimed at extending the useful life of products, achieving an increase of more than 50% in the useful life of cooked products in the first 6 months to work for the company.
- Responsible for the implementation of the controls required for the approval of the Corporate Social Responsibility audit in the Central American plants.
- Responsible for the administration of an annual budget of $ 3.5K for the compliance area and review, together with the operations area, of investment projects related to food safety, health occupational and environment.
Quality Manager
Cargill
10.2003 - 07.2012
- Resource management for quality teams, plant hygiene, product returns, chemical, microbiological laboratory and treatment plant for Costa Rica.
- Design and implementation of controls for the quality management system and control of suppliers of raw materials located in Central America, Panama and the United States.
- Lead program of critical tasks for the occupational health area of
the company, achieving in together with the work team the scope of zero days of accidents with disability for 3 years in a row. - Member and representative of Central America for the World Food Safety Education Team of Cargill, made up of representatives from around the world, with different languages
and cultures. Participating actively in the design and implementation of training material for all Cargill plants
Worldwide. - Representative of the company before the National Technical Committee, for the elaboration of sector norms meat and sausages in Costa Rica, in conjunction with government entities such as the Chamber of Food Industry (CACIA), State Universities and government representatives for the sector of consumer Defense.
- Leader of the regional food safety training program for Central America, achieving the creation of a virtual and interactive platform for documentation and execution of training. Including hands-on workshops on meat processing and problem solving aimed at the purchasing, commercial, production, development and research areas of the company.
- Review and implementation of the regional audit program for process plants and laboratories of microbiology of the region.
- Training and participation as a change management agent and in development and implementation of continuous improvement projects
- Collaborated with suppliers to improve raw material quality, ensuring consistency across all sourced components.
- Drove process standardization by creating and implementing SOPs, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced deviations.
Quality Assurance Manager
Rostipollos S.A.
01.2002 - 10.2003
- Resource management for quality management of products offered in the supply chain restaurants (11 restaurants and 10 points of sale), staff training and design and implementation of area controls.
- Management of the dessert area from which they were distributed to the different restaurants in the country and which they were the highest return sku's for the company. Including the operation, budget, management of the human resources, quality and product research and development.
- Design and implementation of consumer panels for the approval of changes in processes oriented to the improvement and optimization of the same.
Quality Control Manager
La Yema Dorada, Grupo Avícola Montserrat
01.2001 - 01.2002
- Implementation of the quality management system for chicken plants, egg dispatch and production of concentrated food of the company.
- Preparation, implementation and government approval for the company's HACCP plans.
- Involvement in the value-added product development project
- Quality supervision in direct sales points in the country.
USDA-UCR Good Agricultural Practices Project
Costa Rica University
07.2000 - 01.2001
- Field work and interviews with farm producers, to collect the necessary farm information on the production and management of agricultural products in different regions of the country
Education
MBA - MBA, With An Emphasis in International Trade
Latin American University Science And Technology
Costa Rica Jan 2017 - Current
Engineering - Food Engineering
Costa Rica University
Costa Rica Jan 1994 - 01.2002
Bachelor - Business Administration, Emphasis in Marketing
University Of Costa Rica
Costa Rica Jan 1994 - 05.1998
Skills
Lead Auditor and advanced knowledge of management system design and implementation
Management and resolution of problems, offering practical compliance options aligned to the goals of the deal
Training and leadership of multicultural work teams, developing talent and enhancing the individual strengths, achieving teams with zero external rotation and a source for recruiting talent internal
Planning and strategy to achieve the objectives in a timely manner
Administration of regional budgets for more than $ 35K per year and human resource management with teams of up to 65 people in charge, in the different countries of Central America, with profiles professionals from operational to technical professionals
Multitasking Abilities,Interpersonal Communication, Analytical Thinking
Seminars and Trainings
- Acuatic Fish Parasitology Course, INVE 2023
- Seafood HACCP, Meriueux 2023
- Aquaculture Production Executive Program, USSEC 2023
- FSSC22000 seminar, internal auditor and changes in the standard 2016, NSF international audit house
- Meat Processing Seminar, Chicago, ADM
- Specialization in Packaging Materials, INTECO
- Specialization, Retail Management, ADEN International Business School
- Lead Auditor and Internal Auditor for FSSC 22000, NSF International Audit House
- Food Safety International Systems Seminar, Michigan State University
- Food Safety Systems, ISO 22000: 2005 & PAS 220: 2008 Training Course, Cincinnati, LRQA audit house
international. - Sausage and Meat Processing short course, Iowa University
- Various courses of the Meat and Sausage Industry, including technical regulations for labeling in Central America
- Safestart / Safetrack, train of trainers for occupational health program
- Leadership Skills Workshop, 5 modules taught in different countries of the region for Cargill (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala)
- Other courses:
Chemical Management, Shelf Life and Sensory Analysis of Food, Labeling, Customer Service,
Standards 10012, ISO 9000, 14000, HACCP, Development of Occupational health plans and congresses
Timeline
Regional Manager of Compliance and R&D
Grupo Lala
01.2018 - 04.2020
Regional Compliance Manager Private Label &DC
Walmart
10.2016 - 11.2017
Regional Compliance Manager, Meat Division
Walmart México y Centroamerica
07.2012 - 10.2016
Quality Manager
Cargill
10.2003 - 07.2012
Quality Assurance Manager
Rostipollos S.A.
01.2002 - 10.2003
Quality Control Manager
La Yema Dorada, Grupo Avícola Montserrat
01.2001 - 01.2002
USDA-UCR Good Agricultural Practices Project
Costa Rica University
07.2000 - 01.2001
Quality, Safety, Innovation and Certifications Dir
Open Blue Sea Farms
4 2020 - Current
MBA - MBA, With An Emphasis in International Trade
Latin American University Science And Technology
Jan 2017 - Current
Engineering - Food Engineering
Costa Rica University
Jan 1994 - 01.2002
Bachelor - Business Administration, Emphasis in Marketing
University Of Costa Rica
Jan 1994 - 05.1998