Field QA Manager
4 days ago
Indianapolis
Job Overview The Field QA Manager provides hands-on, field-based leadership for food safety and quality assurance across GBC Food Services’ prepared food programs. This role serves as the primary quality resource for the field organization, partnering directly with National Training Specialists, Regional Managers, and Franchisees to build food safety competency, drive program compliance, and cultivate a culture of quality excellence throughout the franchise network. Operating across multiple prepared food business programs and geographically dispersed locations, the Field QA Manager designs and delivers targeted training, conducts field assessments and audits, and supports corrective action execution at the unit level. The role bridges corporate QA standards and field-level execution, ensuring that all prepared food programs—including HACCP, Safety Culture, Steritech, and regulatory compliance—are consistently upheld across the entire system. Supervisory Responsibilities • Provides functional QA guidance and accountability to National Training Specialists in the delivery and execution of food safety training programs., • Partners with Regional Managers to identify compliance gaps, establish corrective action plans, and monitor food safety performance at the market level., • Serves as the primary QA support resource for Franchisees, offering coaching, training, and technical guidance to drive food safety standards at the unit level., • Participates in the recruitment, training, and onboarding of new field-facing QA and training personnel as needed., • Provides mentorship and performance evaluation feedback to field team members on QA execution and program adherence. Key Responsibilities • Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive food safety and quality assurance programs for all prepared food business programs aligned with regulatory and customer requirements., • Serve as HACCP Coordinator for prepared food programs and lead preventive controls initiatives across the franchise system., • Design, deliver, and continuously improve food safety training programs for National Training Specialists, Regional Managers, and Franchisees to reinforce food safety excellence throughout the network., • Conduct on-site field visits to assess food safety practices, provide real-time coaching, and ensure adherence to brand and regulatory standards., • Support Franchisee onboarding by establishing food safety baselines, training on required programs, and validating compliance readiness prior to opening., • Oversee internal audits, regulatory inspections, and third-party certification audits (e.g., FDA, USDA, Steritech, SafetyCulture, Health Permitting) across all prepared food programs., • Manage crisis response plans and ensure timely resolution of non-compliance issues at the market and unit level., • Allocate resources when required to ensure on-time new store openings and permit renewals for prepared food program locations., • Oversee supplier scorecard and ensure ongoing compliance with supplier quality standards relevant to prepared food programs., • Review and provide feedback on labeling, specifications, SOPs, and written food safety programs to ensure field-ready accuracy and compliance., • Drive continuous improvement through root cause analysis and corrective action planning., • Provide regular reporting on statuses of:, • New and Modified SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), • Permit Renewal Status, • New Store Opening Status, • SafetyCulture Reporting, • Steritech Performance Reporting, • Training Completion and Certification Status across the field network Competencies • In-depth knowledge of USDA, FDA, FSIS, and local health regulations as applied to prepared food and franchise operations., • HACCP, Steritech, SafetyCulture, and NSF program auditing and management across multi-unit environments., • Strong understanding of food safety risk assessment and mitigation strategies in prepared food contexts., • Exceptional training design and facilitation skills with the ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical field application., • Skilled at influencing without direct authority—able to drive accountability and behavior change across Franchisees, Regional Managers, and Training Specialists., • Ability to communicate complex regulatory requirements clearly across diverse field audiences., • Cross-functional collaboration with Corporate QA, Operations, Compliance, Legal, R&D, and Executive Leadership. Required Skills/Abilities • Align field-level QA and food safety objectives with the organization’s strategic roadmap and franchise growth initiatives., • Drive continuous improvement projects that enhance food safety culture and operational consistency across all prepared food program locations., • Monitor regulatory trends and proactively adjust training content and field programs to maintain compliance and competitive advantage., • Establish measurable KPIs for field food safety performance that align with overall business and QA objectives., • Lead cross-functional planning sessions to ensure QA initiatives and training programs are embedded in company-wide field operations goals., • Support Regional Managers, National Training Specialists, and Franchisees in achieving compliance milestones through targeted coaching, guidance, and resource allocation., • Ability to communicate professionally and effectively across all forms of media (written, verbal, digital), adapting style to diverse field audiences., • Skilled in preparing clear and concise reports and presentations suitable for both field stakeholders and executive leadership., • Root cause analysis and corrective action implementation at the unit and market level., • Data-driven approach to continuous improvement and field performance measurement. Education and Experience • Bachelor’s degree in food science, Biology, Chemistry, Hospitality Management, or a related field (required)., • Minimum of 3–6 years of experience in quality assurance or food safety roles, with at least 2 years in a senior or managerial capacity with increasing levels of responsibility., • Experience working within franchise systems or multi-unit food service operations strongly preferred., • HACCP Certification (Processors, RTE, Retail), Seafood (Required)., • ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification (Required)., • Experience in adult learning, training facilitation, or instructional design a plus. Physical Requirements • Prolonged periods working across office and field environments, including extended travel days by ground and air transit., • Ability to access and navigate franchise locations, host sites, distribution facilities, and cold storage areas., • Occasionally required to lift up to 25 pounds., • This is a road warrior position requiring extensive national travel in excess of 80% of working time, conducted by both ground and air transit with varying notice. Candidates must have the ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally on short notice and for varying durations. Work Environment • Primarily field-based with continuous travel to Franchisee locations, Regional Manager markets, distribution centers, and host sites across all prepared food program arms of business. This role involves sustained national travel (80%+) by ground and air with varying advance notice., • Exposure to various food preparation, warehouse, and cold storage environments., • Frequent interaction with geographically dispersed teams via virtual platforms, phone, and in-person visits. Other Duties Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Equal Opportunity Statement GBC Food Services, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
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