Supplier Quality Assurance Manager

Overview

At BJ’s Restaurants, we serve our award‑winning craft beer, a Southern California twist on deep dish pizza, the world‑renowned dessert – the Pizookie, and much more. BJ’s is a $1 billion public restaurant company and a growth concept with a winning track record of introducing new on‑trend menu offerings and opening new restaurants. We offer guests a high‑energy, contemporary setting to enjoy special moments with gold standard service.

Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers a differentiated menu and experience to guests across the U.S.

• Develop, implement, and manage all Supplier Quality Assurance programs and policies related to the purchase of raw materials (Meats, Dairy, Produce, Grocery, Packaging, and Chemicals).
• Establish and maintain a supplier approval and onboarding process, including initial assessments, documentation review, and approval criteria.
• Assess the risk of suppliers and ingredients and categorize the level of scrutiny for each based on hazard analysis and historical performance.
• Maintain an index for every supplier, including documentation of supplier visits, third‑party audits, certificates of insurance (COI), certificates of analysis (COA), allergen statements, and mandatory supplier‑provided QA and food safety documentation.
• Manage supplier expectations manual and ensure all suppliers are aware of and compliant with company standards.

• Audit distributors and suppliers, including food processors, co‑packers, packaging facilities, and storage/distribution facilities, using GFSI‑recognized standards or company‑specific audit protocols.
• Review and approve supplier and distributor food safety programs, third‑party audits (SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000, etc.), and related documentation.
• Ensure vendor regulatory compliance with USDA, FDA, FSMA, State, and local authorities.
• Stay current on new food safety regulations, industry standards, and emerging risks, and communicate changes to internal stakeholders and suppliers.

• Assist in the development and maintenance of specifications for identified products, including raw materials, packaging, and finished goods.
• Ensure labeling compliance for inbound ingredients by reviewing ingredient declarations, allergen statements, weight statements, and nutrition facts panels for accuracy and compliance with all labeling regulations (FDA, USDA, state‑specific).
• Support new product development and menu innovation by evaluating supplier capabilities and ingredient safety.

• Design and oversee shelf‑life testing protocols for new and existing products to validate expiration dates and storage conditions.
• Coordinate microbiological and chemical testing (e.g., plate counts, pathogen screening, allergen testing, nutritional analysis) with third‑party labs and interpret results.
• Establish hold‑and‑release protocols for high‑risk ingredients and finished products pending lab clearance.

• Assist with recalls and traceability exercises, including mock recalls, supplier notifications, and regulatory reporting.
• Oversee root cause analysis for supplier‑related quality or safety incidents, including foreign objects, allergen cross‑contact, microbial contamination, and specification deviations.
• Provide technical support and expertise in quality‑related problem solving, risk analysis, and crisis management.
• Partner with the supply chain team and vendors on compliance issues to find workable, cost‑effective solutions.

• Draft, implement, and enforce department SOPs as needed to ensure consistency and compliance.
• Track and trend supplier performance metrics (e.g., non‑conformance rates, audit scores, corrective action closure rates) and present findings to leadership.
• Lead supplier corrective action and preventive action (CAPA) processes, ensuring timely and effective resolution of issues.

• Partner with Procurement, Operations, R&D, and Risk Management to align supplier quality expectations with business goals.
• Serve as the primary…