Korn Ferry has partnered with a growing food hospitality restaurant chain in the Midwest seeking a skilled Director of Quality - Supply Chain to drive the development, implementation, and continuous advancement of quality assurance strategies for food and beverage products across manufacturing and distribution. This role is instrumental in establishing and maintaining supplier quality and food safety standards that support business goals and enhance brand value. This hire will report to the Vice President of Supply Chain and will offer hybrid work schedule following training.
Role Highlights:
- Establish and Communicate Food Safety Standards: Set and communicate food safety standards with suppliers, cultivating strong relationships with key partners to align with quality expectations. Reinforce food safety and quality standards throughout all stages of the supply chain.
- Ensure Compliance with Brand Standards: Represent the brand and maintain quality standards through supplier audits, collaborating with supply chain and cross-functional leaders to ensure compliance. Oversee partnerships with third-party auditors as needed.
- Conduct Sensory Evaluations: Ensure quality standards are upheld on core and new products, working with menu development teams and overseeing contingency supply plans with suppliers.
- Product Recall Leadership: Act as a gatekeeper for product recalls, determining risk severity and executing recall processes while collaborating with risk management teams to safeguard the brand.
- Lead Food Service Incident Management (FSIM) Quality Reporting Tool: Utilize FSIM data to communicate quality issues to category teams and suppliers.
- Develop and Mentor Team Members: Support team success through effective communication, coaching, and engagement.
Core Competencies:
- Communication Skills: Actively listens, clearly presents ideas, and creates a safe space for open feedback.
- Customer Service Orientation: Prioritizes internal and external customer needs, maintaining effective relationships built on trust.
- Teamwork: Promotes a collaborative environment, supporting group decisions and fostering team spirit.
- Organizational Ability & Time Management: Efficiently organizes resources and prioritizes critical tasks, eliminating roadblocks.
- Analytical/Problem Solving: Uses rigorous analysis to address complex problems, digging deep for optimal solutions.
- Conflict Resolution: Effectively navigates conflicts and finds common ground for cooperation.
- Persuades others tactfully, adapting presentations to various audiences.
Background/Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Supply Chain, Logistics, or related field (Master’s preferred).
- 10+ years’ experience in maintaining and implementing a quality management system (QMS) within food hospitality industry to include supplier quality scorecard reviews and establishing recall system protocols.
- Candidate selected for hire will have food audit experience to include understanding of USDA, BRC, and FDA standards.
- 5+ years leadership work experience to include leading Quality Assurance professionals
- Ability to travel 30-40%.
- Candidate must be willing to relocate to the Madison, WI area – No remote work schedule offered.
Salary range: $140 to 160k plus generous bonus and relocation incentive.
SE# 510686530
