Produce
Quality Assurance Specialist
Description
Position Summary
The Produce Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist works within the Supply Chain
team to support Chipotle restaurants by ensuring that purchased fresh produce
items meet Chipotle’s high quality and food safety standards. The Produce QA
Specialist implements and manages QA and Food Safety processes to ensure and
monitor food quality and safety throughout the supply chain from farm to
restaurant. The Produce QA Specialist provides technical information to
growers to help them understand QA and food safety programs needed to
participate in Chipotle’s Local Produce program.
Key areas include QA and food safety documentation, supplier assessments,
third party audit review, local produce grower assessments, vendor performance tracking and reporting, Quality
Inspection Program, and produce quality evaluations. Supports Chipotle
Produce Procurement and Culinary Development team with supplier approval,
food evaluation, sensory evaluation and new item rollout.
Main Accountabilities
In addition to following Chipotle’s policies and procedures, principal
accountabilities include, but are not limited to:
•Managing QA and food safety documentation for fresh produce items including
specifications, 3rd party audits, labeling, and vendor QA and food safety
program documentation
•Conducting food safety assessments at growers and suppliers including GAP
assessments of farms and fields and GMP assessments at packing, processing
and distribution facilities
•Collecting and reviewing third party audits for produce growers, suppliers,
packing facilities and distributors
•Working with restaurants and suppliers to investigate and resolve produce
quality and food safety issues; investigating customer incidents related to
produce items
•Overseeing the produce Quality Inspection Program (QIP) with Distribution
Centers
•Coordinating Stock Recoveries for fresh produce items and communicating with
Operations, Distribution, and suppliers
•Developing Vendor Performance tracking and scorecard program for fresh
produce. Analyze and use data collected from Food Quality Reporting system
•Overseeing sensory evaluations to ensure vendor compliance with Chipotle
culinary standards and specifications
•Supporting the Culinary and Supply Chain Procurement teams with food
testing, sensory evaluations, specification development, shelf-life testing,
label approvals, and new menu item tests and roll-outs
•Driving produce quality improvement programs with vendors, Operations,
Training, and Supply Chain teams
•Reviewing restaurant preparation procedures and training materials for
adherence to Food Code and other regulatory requirements
•Consulting with Operations and Risk Management as needed to meet regulatory
requirements and to assist with Health Department or Food Code topics
•Assisting Marketing, Training and Customer Service with technical questions
about produce items
•Monitoring industry best practices for produce quality, safety, and
regulatory activities/trends that may impact Chipotle Supply Chain or
restaurant operations
•Assisting Chipotle QA team with additional quality assurance and food safety
responsibilities as needed
Qualifications
Education/Training
•B.S. in Food Science or related field with produce quality and food safety
background and experience
•Training, certification and experience conducting Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP) assessments on-farm and GMP assessments for packing and
processing facilities
•Foodservice (restaurant industry) experience preferred
Knowledge/Skills
•Comprehensive knowledge of fresh produce, produce quality, food safety,
produce regulatory requirements, food science, and food preparation
•Training, certification and experience and strong working knowledge of USDA
and FDA regulations, GAPs, GMPs, Food Code, HACCP, SSOPs
•Experience with sensory evaluation of fresh produce
•Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to collect
and utilize data to create reports for management
•Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to
effectively communicate within all levels of the company and with suppliers
•Excellent organization skills and the ability to multi-task. High level of
attention to detail and accuracy
•Ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Able to work while
traveling as well as in an open office environment
•Be driven to continuously improve, be self-motivated, manage time
constraints, and meet deadlines
•Knowledge of and the ability to use a PC and Microsoft Office Suite
•Ability to work in varying conditions of fields, farms, packing and
processing facilities, restaurant, manufacturing, and distribution
facilities; some physical work and lifting is required
Work Experience
•Five to seven years experience in fresh produce
Quality and Food Safety for a restaurant company, produce grower or supplier,
food retailer and/or food manufacturer
Requirements
Travel
•Frequent travel (up to 60%) with some seasonal variation conducting fresh
produce quality and food safety assessments on-farm and in packing and
processing facilities
•Position is based in Denver, CO at company headquarters
Primary
Location : CO-Denver-Wynkoop-(09999)
Work
Locations :
Wynkoop-(09999)
1401
Wynkoop Street Suite 500
Denver
80202
Job
: Purchasing
Job
Posting : Mar 20, 2014, 6:45:38 PM
Job Number:
14003957
