Technical Services Manager - Supply Chain
About The Position
The Technical Services Manager — Supply Chain owns the supplier and raw-material assurance system, ensuring materials are approved, documented, risk-assessed, and maintained in alignment with Kettle Cuisine, customer, regulatory, and food-safety requirements. The role establishes program standards, leads escalations and supplier performance management, and manages Vendor Ingredient Specialist positions. The manager leads supplier and raw-material approval programs, monitors supplier compliance, directs high-risk reviews and supplier visits, and collaborates with purchasing, customer quality, internal audit, and the broader FSQA team. The position also develops team members, promotes accountability and continuous improvement, and plans work while tracking results and resolving issues. The role is based at the Everett Plant in Everett, Washington, and requires travel to suppliers and Kettle Cuisine sites and work in manufacturing environments.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Safety, or Quality; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
- Seven or more years of experience in supplier quality, food safety, technical services, regulatory compliance, or procurement quality.
- Experience with supplier approval, audits, CAPA, risk assessment, SQF/GFSI, FSMA, FSVP, and food-fraud controls.
- Strong analytical, organizational, project-management, decision-making, and written-communication skills.
- Self-directed, with high integrity and sound judgment.
- Able to make timely, risk-based decisions and document the rationale and controls.
- Positive and collaborative, with the ability to build strong supplier and internal relationships.
- Organized and able to manage priorities, projects, metrics, and escalations.
- Willing to address difficult situations with patience and respect.
- Able to travel to suppliers and Kettle Cuisine sites and work in manufacturing environments as required.
Responsibilities
- Lead supplier approval, raw-material approval, conditional approval, supplier-audit, and incoming-goods programs.
- Maintain and assign risk classifications, review frequency, escalation criteria, and approval standards for raw materials and suppliers.
- Analyze and report existing standards against potential future risks, including changing regulations, customer assurance requirements, and food fraud.
- Develop and maintain the Supplier Manual, standard forms, and documentation requirements.
- Monitor and report supplier compliance trends and recurring documentation gaps, and develop solutions with the Customer Quality Technical Manager and Purchasing teams.
- Lead and develop Vendor & Ingredient Specialists.
- Direct high-risk supplier reviews, site visits, emergency substitutions, and conditional approvals.
- Collaborate with the FSQ Internal Auditor and the larger FSQA team on supplier performance and food safety or quality audits.
- Model and support Kettle Cuisine’s Core Values and safety culture.
- Develop individual team members and their careers, and create a culture of accountability and performance.
- Drive a focus on quality assurance and continuous improvement.
- Plan work, track results, and resolve issues.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
