Consumer Protection Supervisor (Food)

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Consumer Protection is seeking two experienced and dedicated candidates to fill our Consumer Protection Supervisor (Food) positions. 

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• Visit our State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Work at a Forbes-recognized company! Connecticut is proud to be featured on both America’s Best Employers by State and Best Employers for New Grads in 2024. With our dynamic job market and commitment to fostering a thriving workforce, Connecticut stands out as a top destination for both seasoned professionals and fresh graduates seeking to launch their careers.
• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• Full-time, first shift
• Monday-Friday, 40 hours/week
• Hybrid telework schedules available
• Location: 450 Columbus Boulevard- Hartford, CT

THE ROLE

The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of food safety regulations, exceptional leadership skills, and a proven track record of implementing successful food safety programs in concert with our sister agencies, and FDA requirements and Food Safety (CP-FS) through NEHA (National Environmental Health Association). Responsibilities include:

• Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work of staff 
• Provides staff training and assistance 
• Conducts performance evaluations 
• Determines priorities and plans inspection work 
• Establishes and maintains inspection procedures 
• Makes recommendations on development of policies and standards 
• Reviews inspection reports and laboratory results for compliance 
• Supervises investigations 
• Prepares evidence for and testifies at hearings and in court 
• Supervises field or program activities pertaining to inspection of premises, vehicles, equipment and products of producers, processors and distributors of food and food products to ensure compliance with state laws and regulations 
• Supervises field activities pertaining to inspection of kosher food establishments engaged in slaughter, production, distribution and sale of kosher foods to ensure compliance with state laws and regulations 
• Supervises field activities pertaining to use of pesticides and herbicides to ensure usage in accordance with state and federal laws and manufacturer directions
• Conducts in-service training 
• Speaks before groups and the media 
• Conducts research and compiles statistics on division activities 
• Prepares correspondence and reports 
• May perform field inspection and investigations 
• May assist Director with administrative duties 
• Performs related duties as required

ABOUT US 

It is DCP’s mission to ensure a fair and equitable marketplace and promote safe products and services for Connecticut consumers. 

Please watch the video below to find out what it’s like to be a state employee! 

Selection Plan

This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.

To Apply:

• In order to be considered for this job opening you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the individual listed on this job posting. 
• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
• Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to [email protected].
• For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other. 

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

• Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

Important Information After You Apply:

• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting’s closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire’s expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user’s spam.
• Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview. 
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
• Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
• Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class in the next twelve (12) months.
• Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

Connect With Us:

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Sharon McIntosh, at [email protected].

Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Consumer Protection this class is accountable for supervising inspectors engaged in inspection, testing, and investigation activities or specific division programs and activities.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work of staff; 
• Provides staff training and assistance; 
• Conducts performance evaluations; 
• Determines priorities and plans inspection work; 
• Establishes and maintains inspection procedures; 
• Makes recommendations on development of policies and standards; 
• Reviews inspection reports and laboratory results for compliance; 
• Supervises investigations; 
• Prepares evidence for and testifies at hearings and in court; 
• Supervises field or program activities pertaining to inspection of premises, vehicles, equipment and products of producers, processors and distributors of food and food products to ensure compliance with state laws and regulations; 
• Supervises field activities pertaining to inspection of kosher food establishments engaged in slaughter, production, distribution and sale of kosher foods to ensure compliance with state laws and regulations; 
• Supervises field activities pertaining to use of pesticides and herbicides to ensure usage in accordance with state and federal laws and manufacturer directions;
• Conducts in-service training; 
• Speaks before groups and the media; 
• Conducts research and compiles statistics on division activities; 
• Prepares correspondence and reports; 
• May perform field inspection and investigations; 
• May assist Director with administrative duties; 
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Considerable knowledge of
• food processing, production, marketing and distribution for both kosher and non-kosher foods; 
• food sanitation and bacteriology; 
• pesticides and herbicides and their properties, toxicities and limitations; 
• relevant state and federal laws and regulations; 
• inspection and investigation methods and techniques; 
• Considerable
• interpersonal skills; 
• oral and written communication skills; 
• Considerable ability to interpret statutes and analyze facts; 
• Supervisory ability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS – GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Seven (7) years of experience in the inspection and enforcement of relevant consumer protection laws and regulations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS – SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been inspecting and investigating consumer protection complaints at the level of a Consumer Protection Inspector.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS – SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

• College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor’s degree.
• A Master’s degree in a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in Agriculture, Food Science, Public Health, Environmental Health, or Microbiology
• Possession of current certifications in HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) certification, Certifications in GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices) or SQF (Safe Quality Food)
• Experience in food safety, quality assurance, or regulatory compliance, in a government industry, conducting inspections, audits, and handling compliance issues related to food safety 
• Experience with federal and state regulations, including the requirements for FDA and USDA with respect to FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act), local health codes, the Food Code
• Experience supervising a team or overseeing safety protocols 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift heavy objects and exposed to moderately disagreeable conditions.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.

Read Full Description