Consumer Affairs & Product Recall Manager

About Grocery Outlet:

• Our Mission: Touching lives for the better

• Our Vision: Touching lives by being the first choice for bargain-minded consumers in the U.S.

• Our Values & Behaviors: Achievement, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Family, Fun, Integrity & Service

About the Team:

Our Purchasing team’s mission is to provide bargain-minded customers with the deepest discounts on quality and branded products. In many ways our team is the heart of the organization- building and maintaining vendor relationships and providing solutions for our supplier partners and independent operators. Our buyers are empowered with speed, flexibility, and freedom while their passion and creativity embody the art of closeout buying. Successful members of our team are motivated to exceed annual comp sales, thrive in a collaborative environment, have an entrepreneurial spirit, and be motivated by relationship building.

About the Role:

We are seeking a highly organized and proactive Consumer Affairs & Product Recall Manager to lead and coordinate all aspects of product recalls, customer complaints, and consumer affairs across our grocery retail operations. This role serves as the central point of contact between internal teams, suppliers, regulatory bodies, and customers during product issues, ensuring timely, accurate, and effective communication and resolution.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with strong project management skills who thrives in high-pressure situations, excels in cross-functional collaboration, and is committed to protecting customer trust and brand integrity. Reports to the GO Brands Technical Services Director and is a new role to Grocery Outlet.

Responsibilities Include:

Product Recalls:

• Lead end-to-end management of product recalls, from initial identification through resolution and reporting.

• Coordinate with suppliers, distribution centers, stores, and regulatory agencies (e.g., FDA, USDA) to ensure timely removal of affected products.

• Ensure accurate recall notifications are drafted, reviewed, and distributed promptly.

• Maintain and update recall logs and documentation in compliance with regulatory requirements.

• Develop and continuously improve recall procedures and response plans.

Customer Complaints & Consumer Affairs:

• Serve as the main escalation point for customer complaints involving food safety, product quality, and safety concerns.

• Investigate complaints by gathering information from stores, suppliers, and QA teams.

• Collaborate with customer service teams to ensure consistent and empathetic responses to customers.

• Identify complaint trends and provide actionable insights to QA, merchandising, and operations teams.

• Optimize and leverage data on product satisfaction among our shoppers and independent operators using digital reviews, customer surveys/emails, repeat rate and returns data to stand up tracking of quality performance, partnering with our suppliers to improve the experience with our products.

Warehouse Compliance:

• Maintain up-to-date Safety Data Sheets for all relevant products across Warehouse Network.

• Conduct regular inspections and risk assessments to identify potential food safety hazards.

• Train and educate warehouse staff on food safety procedures, policies, and compliance requirements.

• Monitor and manage pest control, sanitation, allergen control, temperature logs, and traceability programs.

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation including standard operating procedures (SOPs), audit reports, CAPAs, and training records.

• Serve as the primary contact for regulatory agencies, auditors, and customer compliance inquiries.

Supplier Management:

• Maintain necessary documentation for compliance with Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) compliance requirements for all imported products (National Brands and Private Label).

• Audit documentation to ensure supplier information is well maintained on an annual basis.

• Liaise between cross-functional team members to prepare teams for regulatory audits.

Project Management & Communication:

• Act as project manager for cross-functional initiatives related to product issues and recalls.

• Ensure all stakeholders (legal, QA, marketing, operations, customer service) are aligned and informed.

• Prepare internal reports, debriefs, and communication summaries for executive leadership.

• Lead post-recall reviews and implement continuous improvement initiatives.

• Perform ad hoc Regulatory and Quality support for stakeholders across the company, becoming a key thought partner with the business.

About The Pay:

• Base Salary Range: $130,000 - $150,000 Annually

• Annual Bonus Program

• Equity

• 401(k) Profit Sharing

• Medical, Dental, Vision & More!

• Final compensation will be determined based upon experience and skills and may vary based on location.

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Public Health, Business, or related field. Master’s a plus.

• 5+ years of experience in consumer affairs, product quality, food safety, or a related role in retail or food industry.

• Demonstrated experience managing recalls or crisis communications.

• Strong project management skills; PMP certification a plus.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.

• Ability to handle sensitive and high-pressure situations with professionalism and discretion.

• Familiarity with FDA, USDA, and other regulatory guidelines related to food safety.

• Action-oriented, self-starter with courage to lead change, and implement operational improvements.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (especially with Microsoft Excel functions and data analysis) and compliance-related software systems.

• Experience with complaint and recall tracking systems (e.g., Recall InfoLink, SAP, Salesforce, Intelex) preferred.

• Experience with call centers preferred.

• Bilingual a plus.

• Knowledge of food labeling, traceability, and supply chain logistics preferred.

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