senior manager, roasted coffee quality and operations

Starbucks Coffee Company • Seattle, WA

11d • Onsite

About The Position

Lead the future of Starbucks coffee quality and the talented teams who bring it to life. This role provides deep expertise in roasting science, sensory methodology, and process control partnering closely with suppliers, operations, and R&D to translate green coffee potential into consistent, high quality roasted outcomes at scale. You will lead the Roasting Center of Excellence, advancing enterprise roasting standards, strengthening training and calibration frameworks, and enabling the Global Master Roaster community through focused technical, sensory, and capability building support. In doing so, this role shapes enterprise quality programs and reinforces Starbucks’ commitment to craft, consistency, and operational excellence worldwide.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, engineering, quality, operations, manufacturing, supply chain, international business, or other applicable fields (ideally with food and beverage experience)
• Progressive experience leading a quality and operational team (10 years)
• Project and/or program management experience (10 years)
• Applicable coffee industry experience (5-10 years)
• Proven ability to collaborate, influence, and drive alignment on process excellence and standards across a global organization
• Strong communication, negotiation, listening, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to operate effectively at multiple levels in a fast‑paced environment
• Experience with global food safety regulatory frameworks, including FDA Preventive Controls for Human Food and GFSI schemes (e.g., BRC or SQF)

Nice To Haves

• Passion for coffee, roasting craft, sensory evaluation, and coffee quality systems.
• Legacy and/or evolved q-grader preferred.

Responsibilities

• Guide the development, harmonization, and scaling of roasted coffee quality standards, sensory protocols, and roasting best practices through the Roasting Center of Excellence
• Lead global coffee quality strategy and programs, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities and Starbucks quality standards
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor on end-to-end coffee quality, from green coffee through roasting, sensory, and manufacturing execution
• Drive strategic global coffee initiatives by supporting quality, sensory, and operational scaleup across manufacturing networks, ensuring successful adoption of new tools, processes, and standards
• Develop strategic and operational plans that balance long-term priorities with day-to-day execution needs while minimizing risks, improving quality and operational efficiency
• Drive continuous improvement—enhancing productivity, reducing costs, and integrating state-of-the-art practices across roasting - Using data, KPIs, and operational insights to guide decisions and establish clear performance expectations
• Ensure strong governance, compliance, and business continuity planning for all roasting and quality functions
• Strengthen and grow capabilities across roasting and sensory teams, empowering direct-report and cross-functional partners to innovate, learn, and elevate craft
• Cultivate an inclusive, high-performance environment that encourages collaboration, curiosity, and continuous improvement
• Provide coaching and development support for global roasting and sensory SMEs, creating opportunities for mastery and technical leadership
• Foster connectedness across global teams by sharing context, clarifying expectations, and enabling shared problem-solving
• Serve as relationship lead with key stakeholders and external suppliers, supporting escalations and strengthening quality outcomes
• Communicate changes in policies, practices, and priorities to ensure clarity and alignment across teams
• Build strong influence through relationships, shared goals, and a focus on enterprise success

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits
• short-term and long-term disability
• paid parental leave
• family expansion reimbursement
• paid vacation from date of hire
• sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked)
• eight paid holidays
• two personal days per year
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• discounted company stock program (S.I.P.)
• Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock)
• incentivized emergency savings
• financial well-being tools
• 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan
• student loan management resources
• access to other educational opportunities
• backup care
• DACA reimbursement

What This Job Offers

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