The OU prides itself on being service-oriented. While we maintain the most extensive infrastructure of kosher services and expertise, our staff is dedicated to servicing clients’ needs with personal, hands-on, user friendly communication and responsiveness.
The following is a breakdown of the OU’s staffing and managerial structure.
Senior Management
The Rabbinic Administrator bears ultimate responsibility for the entire OU Kosher operation, and his general management and direction unify the spectrum of sub-departments to work as one. He is responsible for establishing and maintaining the standards of Halacha (Jewish Law) that govern the agency, in conjunction with the Kashrut Commission of the Rabbinical Council of America.
Two Executive Rabbinic Coordinators oversee the day-to-day functioning of OU Kosher. While taking responsibility for general policy decisions and personnel issues, they work with the Senior Rabbinic Coordinator to supervise the office and field staff and address issues of growth and development. They are especially involved in smoothing the process through which new companies achieve OU certification.
The Senior Rabbinic Coordinator supervises the overall work of the Rabbinic Field Representatives, and coordinates senior reviews of certified companies. Special projects involving new services offered to companies and industry publications are directed by him.
Group Leaders
Group leaders directly supervise the team of Rabbinic Coordinators, giving them direction and guidance on an ongoing basis. Regular meetings keep the group leader fully informed as to the day-to-day work of his group.
Rabbinic Coordinators
Each OU-certified company is assigned an account executive known as a Rabbinic Coordinator (RC). He is the primary and central contact for all of a client’s kosher needs, handling all ingredient, label and product approvals, as well as all billing issues. Rabbinic Coordinators work with client companies in maximizing the benefits of their OU certification and in streamlining the way their kosher programs work. OU Rabbinic Field Representatives, who make the actual plant visits, each report to a Rabbinic Coordinator.
Rabbinic Field Representatives
Certified plants are visited regularly by Rabbinic Field Representatives (RFR’s), whose task it is to ensure that the OU kosher program is running smoothly.