Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager - Proteins

Whataburger • San Antonio, TX

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

As the Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager – Proteins, you play a critical role in protecting the Whataburger brand by ensuring the safety, quality, and integrity of our protein products—from supplier through restaurant execution. In this role, you lead with purpose, working hand in hand with suppliers and internal partners to ensure regulatory compliance, strengthen food safety programs, and continuously elevate quality standards across the system. You Make a Difference by safeguarding our food and protecting our guests through strong FSQA programs, sound risk assessment, and proactive issue resolution. You Serve with Heart by building trusted relationships with suppliers and cross‑functional teams, showing up as a thoughtful advisor, collaborator, and advocate for food safety and quality. You Win as One by partnering closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Product Development, Risk, and Category Management to bring products to market safely, consistently, and with confidence. You Move Forward Boldly by driving continuous improvement, embracing change, and strengthening systems and processes that support Whataburger’s growth—today and into the future.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Safety, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of experience in food safety and quality assurance, preferably in proteins, manufacturing, or restaurant systems
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, FDA Retail Food Code, and regulatory requirements
• Experience managing supplier food safety programs and third‑party audit processes
• Ability to assess risk, analyze complex issues, and drive effective corrective actions
• Proven ability to collaborate cross‑functionally and influence without authority
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to present findings and recommendations clearly
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Nice To Haves

• Professional food safety certifications (CP‑FS, REHS, HACCP, PCQI, SQF, BRC, GFSI, or similar)
• Experience supporting product commercialization and specification development
• Background working directly with protein suppliers and processing environments
• Experience leading or mentoring teams and managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Familiarity with restaurant supply chain operations and large‑scale retail food systems

Responsibilities

• Lead and support FSQA programs for protein suppliers in alignment with company and regulatory standards
• Review third‑party audit results and regulatory inspection reports; assess risk and approve corrective action plans
• Conduct supplier audits, product reviews, and sampling to verify food safety and quality compliance
• Partner with suppliers to improve sanitation, GMPs, HACCP, and overall food safety performance
• Create, maintain, and update product specifications and quality requirements for protein categories
• Support commercialization of new and existing protein products from a food safety and quality perspective
• Serve as FSQA liaison between Suppliers, Operations, Product Development, Category Management, and Risk
• Investigate food safety incidents and illness claims in collaboration with Operations and Risk Management
• Maintain accurate FSQA documentation, calibration records, and compliance data
• Monitor and interpret local, state, and federal regulations; support responses to regulatory authorities
• Provide coaching, guidance, and oversight to FSQA team members and project teams

Benefits

• Competitive Weekly Pay
• Bonus Program that scales up to 2.5X payout potential based on company results
• 5 weeks PTO
• Flex Weeks
• Paid Corporate Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• 401(k) match $1/$1 up to 4%
• Competitive Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits
• Short-term and Long-term Disability Benefits
• Opportunities for Career Development and Growth
• Whataburger Family Foundation - Scholarship Program (dependents eligible) and Hardship Grant Assistance
• Discounted Meals for You and a Guest
• Wireless Service Discounts
• Computer & Software Discounts
• Fitness / Gym Discounts
• Awards and recognition for all you do
• Retirement Celebration Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager