The QA & Food Safety Lead will be the principal driver of the national restaurant & ingredient quality and food safety agenda for 622 restaurants within the KFC Canada system and 115 suppliers. The role works closely with the food innovation technology team, operations, supply chain, development, marketing and training teams to improve restaurant quality and drive food safety awareness.Responsibilities: (includes but not limited to) Reports food safety and quality performance of the brand and provides recommendations to the Leadership team Actively collaborates and contributes to KFC global food safety, quality programs and crisis management Leads recall and withdrawal activity for the brand as required Actively participates in interdisciplinary taskforce meetings Works collaboratively with Training & Restaurant Excellence team to develop national training for food safety, core products and quality initiatives Provides oversight of the restaurant food safety auditing program as executed by the Restaurant Compliance Lead Drives continuous improvement and manages supplier performance (29 key suppliers) for products and categories including (but not limited to) poultry, packaging, dairy products, fresh produce, dessert, flour and grain-based products and beverages for KFC Manages the supplier food safety/quality auditing program as well as the 3rd party vendor that executes the audits on behalf of KFC Canada Manages 3rd party pest control and chemical vendors that provide support to restaurants Manages the ingredient & product quality program byo Reviewing product monitoring evaluations and analyzing patterns, themes and trendso Actively working on continuous improvement and corrective action plans based on those evaluationso Managing the internal restaurant product quality complaint system (QA Hotline)o Managing the 3rd party vendors executing the quality monitoring programs Works collaboratively with supply chain partners to ensure efficiency, minimize waste and improve profitability without compromising quality and food safety Leads the food safety agenda for field product testing, development of new suppliers, reviews and signs-off on restaurant procedures for food safety, wholesomeness and regulatory compliance Attends plant trials and production of new ingredients as required Conducts in-restaurant visits as requiredKey Qualifications: Post Secondary Degree in Science and/or Microbiology (Food Science considered an asset) Experience in food industry QA experience in a manufacturing or retail sector, or equivalent experience Experience with multiple commodities such as poultry and produce considered an asset Experience in managing quality systems (supplier approval, traceability/recall, HACCP, consumer complaints, audit) Familiarity with the Canadian Packaging & Labeling Act, Canadian Weights & Measures, Food & Drug Act, CFIA Meat Inspection Act, general CFIA & Health Canada guidelines, GFSI schemes, Animal Welfare requirements Training in HACCP, GMPs, Auditing, Microbiology Strong oral and written communications skills Proficient in MS Office (particularly Excel). Ability to work with minimal supervision and in a team environment Excellent interpersonal relationship development skills Excellent organizational and time management skills with ability to multi-task several priorities Some travel is required (10- 15% of travel)What makes KFC a great place to work?Our People. We invest in people capability above all else, with a proven track record of developing internal talent to leadership levels across the business both in Canada and globally. We want people with smart, heart and courage that have the opportunity to not just make impact today but to become leaders of the future.Our Culture. We are known for a culture that rewards and recognizes great effort, big or small, and providing the work life balance that is so important to staying inspired and engaged. We don`t just say it, we mean it every Friday is a half day at KFC Canada! We will focus on your personal development as much as your professional development to ensure you can bring your best self to work.KFC, part of Yum! Brands, is the world's most popular chicken chain and every day, we serve more than 12 million customers in more than 45,000 restaurants around the world. Our commitment to great food and service is the same commitment Colonel Harland Sanders had when he founded the concept more than 55 years ago, and that's why KFC remains the worldwide leader in the category.
Job Title
QA & Food Safety Lead