Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager - Poultry

Whataburger Restaurants • San Antonio, TX

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager – Poultry protects the Whataburger brand by ensuring the safety, quality, and integrity of poultry products from suppliers through restaurant execution. The manager leads FSQA programs, supports regulatory compliance, assesses food safety risks, resolves issues, and works with suppliers and internal partners to continuously improve quality standards.

The role partners with Supply Chain, Operations, Product Development, Risk, and Category Management to bring products to market safely and consistently. It also provides coaching and guidance to FSQA team members and project teams.

The position is based at Whataburger’s San Antonio Home Office. It is onsite Monday through Thursday, with remote flexibility on Fridays. The work is fast-paced and involves close collaboration with leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners. Full-time availability is required, with occasional extended hours and travel to properties, project sites, and external meetings. Candidates must live within commuting distance of the San Antonio Home Office.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Safety, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 5 years of experience in food safety and quality assurance, preferably in poultry, 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, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Full-time availability, including occasional extended hours based on business needs and occasional travel.
• Must reside within commuting distance of the San Antonio Home Office.

Nice To Haves

• Professional food safety certifications such as CP-FS, REHS, HACCP, PCQI, SQF, BRC, GFSI, or similar.
• Experience supporting product commercialization and specification development.
• Background working directly with poultry 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 poultry 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.
• Work with suppliers to improve sanitation, GMPs, HACCP, and overall food safety performance.
• Create, maintain, and update product specifications and quality requirements for poultry categories.
• Support commercialization of new and existing poultry products from a food safety and quality perspective.
• Serve as the FSQA liaison among suppliers, Operations, Product Development, Category Management, and Risk.
• Investigate food safety incidents and illness claims with Operations and Risk Management.
• Maintain accurate FSQA documentation, calibration records, and compliance data.
• Monitor and interpret local, state, and federal regulations and support responses to regulatory authorities.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and oversight to FSQA team members and project teams.

Benefits

• Competitive weekly pay.
• Bonus program.
• Five weeks of PTO starting on day one.
• Flex weeks.
• Paid corporate holidays.
• Paid parental leave.
• 401(k) match of $1 for every $1 contributed, up to 4%.
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Short-term and long-term disability benefits.
• Career development and growth opportunities.
• Whataburger Family Foundation scholarship program for eligible dependents and hardship grant assistance.
• Discounted meals for the employee and a guest.
• Cell phone service discounts.
• Computer and software discounts.
• Fitness and gym discounts.
• Awards and recognition.
• Retirement celebration program.

What This Job Offers

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