Responsible for managing food safety and quality programs and the technical aspects of complex product categories, including new product commercialization, product quality optimization, and alternate source development projects to ensure that products meet specifications and food safety standards, including all federal, state, and local government regulations, as well as appropriate industry regulated standards. Also responsible for providing expertise to suppliers, distribution centers, restaurant operations, and category team partners to support product development, market testing, and full system commercialization of new and core products.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides advanced technical subject matter knowledge in the development and commercialization of new products and core product improvements: conducts food safety risk assessments; evaluates third party audits and/or conducts on-site facility assessments; evaluates prototype feasibility with Culinary; reviews supplier manufacturing processes to guarantee that products can be safely and consistently manufactured to specification and matched by alternate sources, writes product specifications; collaborates with cross-functional teams, including Culinary, Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain, to scale up approved prototypes for market test and system distribution; travels to supplier facilities as needed to observe manufacturing and verify process control and product is correct; assures finished product standards as defined by Culinary are achieved and consistent throughout all lines, shifts, and processing plants; monitors food safety and quality and confirms that commercialized products comply with specifications, including microbiological standards. Consults with supplier and/or industry experts to implement process changes that would impact food safety and quality as necessary during commercialization of new products Requests leadership approval to market test and launch product system-wide. Evaluates and approves initial production runs and monitors hold and release of products for market test and system commercialization; transitions test product evaluations to ongoing sampling program upon system approval. Collaborates with Culinary, Operations, and suppliers to troubleshoot product performance issues during market test and system roll out.

• Serves as the technical lead for alternate supplier and product optimization projects. Ensures the acceptability of the alternate supplier’s facility and food safety systems by third party audit review and on-site audits during the commercialization of the alternate supplier’s product. Implements microbiological testing requirements and confirmation of critical control points for safe and consistent food product manufacturing. Provides advanced technical knowledge to category team; proactively assesses supplier capabilities, generates cost savings ideas, and recognizes new technologies. Evaluates and determines the acceptability of alternate suppliers and cost/value optimized products through internal product showings. Develops specifications for optimized products and conducts field tests as needed. Travels to supplier facilities as needed to observe manufacturing; manages product monitoring during field test and, upon completion of audits and testing, recommends approval or disapproval to management of alternate suppliers or optimized products. Oversees commercialization of optimized product and product matches through system launch.

• Monitors supplier compliance to Jack in the Box food safety and quality standards for all test and commercialized products via reviews of third party audits and plant documents and by conducting virtual or in-person facility assessments to ensure a safe and consistent supply of ingredients. Applies various food safety and quality systems to assure a consistent supply of highquality products. Identifies potential or existing food safety and/or manufacturing issues; confirms supplier compliance to product specifications; including microbiological standards; identifies suppliers who do not meet Jack in the Box specifications and standards; conducts ongoing assessment of supplier performance, and partners with suppliers to implement appropriate corrective, preventive and proactive actions. Manages strategic business relationships with supplier-partners in collaboration with Purchasing counterpart. Provides feedback to suppliers about product performance and works hand-in-hand with suppliers to remediate areas of nonconformance. Keeps abreast of new regulatory requirements and technologies affecting Jack in the Box products.

• Reviews information received by the Quality Hotline regarding irregular restaurant and/or distribution incidents that affect food safety and quality; investigates and responds to reported core and new product safety and quality issues, including alleged food safety incidences such as foreign objects. Determines severity of the issue and addresses or consults with department management/supplier on corrective action required, including: data retrieval from suppliers, recommending placing potential noncompliant product on hold at the supplier or distribution centers, and/or retrieving non-conforming product from restaurants and/or initiating product removal procedures. Partners with supplier to investigate root causes of food safety/quality issues and implements timely and effective corrective and/or preventive actions, as appropriate.

• Participates in test kitchen and laboratory events, such as consumer testing, sensory testing, and product evaluation studies. Retrieves products from freezer, refrigerator, and other storage areas and moves to testing location; cooks products as required.

• Acts in a lead capacity to provide functional expertise and administrative guidance and direction to lower level Food Safety & Technical Services Managers and staff.

• Performs other related duties, tasks and responsibilities as required, assigned and directed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education – Bachelor's degree, preferably in Food Science, Microbiology or related field. Master’s degree preferred. HACCP certification and knowledge of auditing process and GFSI standards desired.

Experience – 5+ years relevant experience in food/packaging safety, product development, and/or manufacturing and management of food safety/quality systems with demonstrated progressive responsibility. Experience in the foodservice industry necessary. Previous experience serving in the capacity of Food Safety & Technical Services Product Manager I preferred.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Requires strong knowledge of food industry product safety and quality assurance systems, principles and practices, product evalulation techniques, food manufacturing and distribution

• Proficient knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP); HACCP principles; auditing systems/process

• Understanding of government regulatory requirements for products (State and Local, Federal: USDA/FSIS regulations, FDA regulations, including the food code

• Strong knowledge of food science and statistical process control

• Ability to trouble shoot manufacturing issues and exhibit the ability to define complex processes and identify potential improvements

• Able to operate effectively with minimal supervision.

• Must be a team-oriented contributor

• Must be detail-oriented and have strong project management, organization, analytical, interpersonal, and leadership skills

• Excellent English oral communication and formal business writing skills

• Proficiency in mathematics and statistics required

• Working knowledge of personal computers and related software applications (word processing, database, and spreadsheet software)

• Demonstrates integrity and ethical behavior

Physical Requirements

Ability to speak/hear clearly in person and on the telephone. Ability to operate a personal computer. Ability to travel to supplier facilities, restaurants, distribution centers, and other locations as business needs require. Must be able to taste all types/kinds of foods. Exposure to hot and cold temperatures (grill/walk-in freezer, etc.); ability to frequently or as needed stand and walk freely throughout the test kitchen, laboratory, and production plants and operation of foodservice equipment (fryers, ovens, grill, toaster, microwave, shake machine, slicers, etc.). Exposure to cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, dry ice, contaminated food samples, raw food products, and processing equipment. 

The range for this position is $79,800 - $111,800 and is based on an employee located at our corporate headquarters in San Diego. If the candidate is hired in a different city to work remote, we will apply a geographic pay differential based on the cost of labor in the market in which the employee resides.