Description
Direct the Food
Safety and Quality Assurance staff in the development and execution of
comprehensive programs involving food safety, product integrity and quality
assurance. Provide direction and technical expertise in these areas
to corporate and brand management to preserve and protect the sales,
profits and overall integrity of the Brinker International brands.
Key
Performance Elements/Essential Functions
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Provide leadership and direct a staff of Quality
Assurance Managers, Food Safety and Quality Managers, Quality Assurance
Technicians, and Specialists to meet all Quality Assurance and Food Safety
objectives for Brinker International.
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Responsible for working with supplier-partners and
culinary teams to elevate food quality for the guest.
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Define and develop standards that assure the food
safety and product integrity of all food, packaging and sanitation products
(4000+) purchased from 400+ vendors through 60+ distribution centers for
all Brinker concepts.
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Develop and direct the audit and approval programs
for food, packaging and sanitation vendor facilities (400+).
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Develop and direct the audit and approval programs
for distribution and storage facilities (60+).
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Support Culinary/R&D with comprehensive product
specification program for all Brinker products focusing on high volume, key
products.
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Develop and direct an on-going product monitoring
program, including both microbial, physical and
chemical analysis, using both in-house and outside resources to assure
compliance to specification.
·
Provide technical expertise and recommendations to
Purchasing and Culinary for improvements to products to assure quality,
food safety, consistency, and cost improvements.
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Develop and direct restaurant food safety programs,
procedures and protocols to assure food safety within all Brinker
restaurants and compliance to regulatory requirements, including the
development and implementation of HACCP and other programs.
·
Establish, together with appropriate departments,
food manufacturing, handling, shipping, storage and use standards, from
manufacturer through restaurant use, to assure food safety and
quality. These will include processor, vendor, distributor and restaurant
standards, as necessary.
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Provide support and assistance to Operations,
Training, Culinary, Franchise, and other departments to assure all
restaurants meet Brinker standards.
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Develop, supervise and maintain a system-wide product
recall program.
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Provide technical expertise on corporate crisis
management programs, including the further development of food safety
related crisis procedures, and together with Risk Management, Legal and
other Brinker Departments, assisting with the resolution of food-borne
illness reports.
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Support Culinary/R&D to Insure
all products, specific to concept identity, are proprietary to BrinkerDevelop programs and strategies to ensure
product safety throughout the entire supply chain process, to include all
products, food packaging items, equipment, tools and chemicals.
·
Ensure Food Security programs are in place within
Brinker, to also include Brinker’s suppliers and distributors.
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Provide technical support to Operations on local,
state and federal health department requirements, including maintaining
contacts with a broad cross-section of regulatory groups.
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Plan and co-ordinate the future direction of Brinker
Quality Assurance and Food Safety.
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Contracting responsibility of approximately
$250,000.
·
Signature authority for invoice amount of up to
$25,000.
Education/Training:
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College degree required (4 year), preferably in food
science, microbiology or other related science.
·
Requires both Food Safety ServSafe Basic and Trainer Certification and/or
attendance in progress to be promoted.
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R.S. or R.E.H.S. required, or actively working
towards accreditation.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
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Budget/Cost Control - Comprehensive
understanding of QA/procurement budgeting and cost control functions, with
ability to perform complex budgeting/cost control processes.
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Presentation Skills - ability to make
clear, concise and convincing business presentations that will have high
level impact with executive and senior level management.
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Analytical/Negotiating - ability to
independently perform, mentor and manage others in conducting complex
technical analysis of vendor or restaurant food safety & quality
performance along with ability to conduct related complex negotiations that
result.
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Strategic Management - ability to
develop distinctive strategies to achieve competitive advantage; translate
broad strategies into specific objectives and action plans; align the
organization to support strategic priorities.
·
Leadership -ability to act
as team leader for special task assignments; providing leadership in
development of QA skills and specific QA knowledge for QA team members;
demonstrated ability to develop subordinates by driving, delegating, supporting,
coaching, and empowering.
·
Mentoring -ability to
mentor other QA team members in technical knowledge and QA management
skills.
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Interpersonal Skills - ability to
build effective organizational relationships inside and outside the
department; ability to inspire trust via open, candid relationships, fair
treatment and behavior consistent with expressed beliefs and commitments.
·
Communication Skills - excellent
verbal, written and oral ability to deal independently with internal
customers and external resources, including technical writing and
presentation skills.
·
Judgement/Decision Making - ability to
independently work through complex problems and derive innovative
solutions/options.
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Problem Solving - ability to
independently work through complex problems and derive innovative
solutions/options.
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Computer Skills - working
knowledge of Microsoft based software, including Excel, Word, Schedule +,
and Exchange.
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Other - ability to
elicit internal and external support; good interpersonal skills; ability to
work under pressure and short time lines, prioritizing multiple projects
with various deadlines simultaneously, as well as attention to detail with
accuracy.
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Special Technical Skills - must possess
special technical skills as detailed in job description.
Work Experience:
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12+ years quality control / quality assurance / food
safety / management and supervisory experience within a multi-unit food
service organization, or in a food manufacturing capacity, is required; of
which 8 + years experience managing Quality Assurance and Food Safety
programs for a multi-unit food service organization, and 4 + years
experience managing Quality Assurance and Food Safety programs for a large
food products manufacturer. The manufacturing experience should preferably
be at companies producing protein type products within a USDA-inspected,
multi-facility corporation supplying the chain restaurant industry.
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A minimum of 5 years managing/ mentoring and leading
employees. Strong food service background required, preferably with a
casual dining restaurant chain.
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Laboratory experience (or experience working with and
approving outside laboratories) required.
Position Specific
Experience/Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
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Ability to successfully manage a foods laboratory
with specific knowledge relating to chemical, physical, sensory and
microbiological analyses (or experience working with outside laboratories
in this capacity).
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Must possess exceptional taste and smell senses with
the capacity for fine discrimination between different food products.
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High degree of professionalism and initiative.
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Ability to interact with all levels of management
using courtesy and tact.
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Ability to prioritize work, as well as pay attention
to detail with accuracy and perform multiple tasks with various deadlines
simultaneously.
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Team player.
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Solid understanding of restaurant operations,
procedures, financials and related.
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Ability to successfully manage a restaurant food
safety program with specific knowledge relating to food safety practices
and microbiological analyses.
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Ability to successfully manage supply-side food
safety and quality assurance programs for a multiple concept, international
restaurant company, with comprehensive, specific knowledge relating to
meat, poultry, dairy, fish, produce and processed foods.
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Comprehensive knowledge regarding food safety, HACCP
and federal, state and local regulations governing food products and
restaurants is required.
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Solid understanding of Six Sigma and other
statistical process control techniques.
Ability to develop supplier
systems that ensure Brinker vendors are held accountable to specification
compliance (i.e., supplier scorecards, holding product, fines, etc.).
