Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager Bedford Park, IL

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online  and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better‑for‑you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein‑packed, fiber‑rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto‑friendly, and dietitian‑approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We’re eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next‑level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef’s offerings.

As the FSQA Manager, you are the strategic guardian of food safety and quality at our production facility. You will lead a high‑performing team to ensure the integrity of two distinct, fast‑growing business lines: our signature Meal Kit and our Ready‑to‑Heat (Tempo) products. This is not just a compliance role; it is a leadership position requiring a strategic mindset to drive continuous improvement, manage complex Tempo risk profiles, bridge the gap between corporate standards and site execution, and serve as a vital member of the Site Management Team.

• Coach, train, and develop a multi‑shift FSQA team to ensure they possess in‑depth knowledge of both raw meal kit and RTH safety principles.
• Partner with Production, Warehouse, and Continuous Improvement to integrate food safety into the facility's daily operational DNA.
• Strategically build a talent pipeline at the site level to support business growth and technical complexity.

• Lead the implementation of Home Chef and SQF standards for both business platforms, ensuring consistent compliance with FDA and USDA requirements.
• Act as the site SME for FSQA programs, overseeing program pilots, validations, and readiness assessments.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all regulatory and third‑party inspections, managing CAPA activities and systemic root cause investigations.

• Utilize internal and customer‑reported data to identify trends and execute strategic initiatives that reduce errors and enhance the customer experience.
• Lead site‑level FSQA risk assessments for new product launches and process changes, ensuring food safety is integrated from concept to consumer.
• Deliver against key site metrics that reflect broader company business objectives.
• Drive the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) process for any incidents, ensuring permanent corrective and preventive actions are sustained.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, food technology, microbiology, or related field preferred (or 10+ years in FSQA food safety and quality assurance of equivalent high‑level success).
• 7-10 years experience in quality assurance, food safety, food distribution, food manufacturing, supply chain or related field.
• A proven track record in Ready‑to‑Eat (RTE) or Ready‑to‑Heat (RTH) operations is essential; you must understand the nuances of high‑risk food environments.
• Minimum 5 years supervisory experience required with at least 3 years successfully managing multi‑shift operations or departments.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• A strategic thinker who thrives in fast‑paced, evolving environments and can make high‑stakes decisions with minimal supervision.
• Previous experience with GFSI, FDA, and USDA inspections, programs, and expectations.
• Certifications:
  
  SQF, PCQI, HACCP, and Serve Safe Manager at time of hire or within 6 months of position.