Senior Manager, Food Safety

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Texas.

📋 Description

• Offer strategic direction on food safety policies and procedures.

• Ensure compliance with all safety programs through validation and foster a genuine culture of safety and compliance.

• Educate and train on food safety programs; review Area/Regional performance results and trends.

• Meet with and advise franchisees and company leaders; report findings and results.

• Provide operational assistance and follow-up to identify and rectify areas for improvement.

• Collaborate with federal, state, and local agencies as required.

• Coordinate with franchisees, company field leaders, Learning & Development, Operations Excellence, and colleagues to create and implement food safety e-learning and safety modules/programs.

• Advise franchise and company Operations on adherence to state, federal, and OSHA regulations.

• Counsel leaders regarding communicable diseases, outbreaks, and local/state protocols.

• Mentor, instruct, and support leaders on brand standards, regulatory guidelines, safety, and operational procedures.

• Develop processes for escalating hotline calls, complaints, product issues, equipment concerns, regulatory and OSHA requirements, as well as field requests.

• Collect and follow up on information from Operations, third-party auditors, health departments, guests, and other stakeholders.

• Ensure that brand Food Safety/HACCP standards are upheld across all restaurants.

• Investigate claims of foodborne illnesses, safety concerns, and restaurant trends; assist in investigations, administrative hearings, and fines.

• Collaborate with Operations and vendors regarding reported pest issues.

• Oversee compliance with restaurant food charts, quick-reference guides, prep/pull charts, manager logbooks, and walkthrough/temperature documentation.

• Develop guidelines for Brand Standards/HACCP manuals and Menu HACCP for new products.

• Support menu updates, module resources, recipe cards, and Product Development to ensure food safety and brand standards compliance.

• Create and update Food Safety Audit forms and Food Safety Resource Guides.

• Advise franchisees on food safety components of plan reviews for permitting.

• Act as the main contact for Restaurant Food Safety and EHS.

• Participate in Operational BAC committees.

• Enforce the current FDA Food Code to meet or exceed Denny’s Brand Standards.

• Collaborate across functions on food safety, cleanliness, environmental health and safety, and brand standards.

• Analyze behaviors and trends to formulate execution and improvement strategies.

• Attend area/regional meetings to disseminate information, trends, results, and corrective measures.

• Educate, coach, and update field leaders through communications regarding actions and solutions.

• Execute other assigned duties.

⛳️ Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in food science, microbiology, or a related discipline.

• Certification as a Food Safety Certified Manager.

• At least 10 years of experience in food safety.

• A minimum of 5 years of experience supporting or overseeing restaurant food safety programs.

• Instructor/Proctor status is preferred.

• Certification as a Certified Professional Food Safety (CP-FS) is preferred.

• Previous experience in franchise operations support is advantageous.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively engage with restaurant staff, field leaders, regulatory inspectors, supervisors, and state directors.

• Demonstrated management experience and leadership capabilities.

• Capacity to manage rapidly changing priorities with a sense of urgency.

• Excellent planning and organizational abilities; capable of working independently.

• Strong influencing skills and the ability to navigate objections and communicate complex or controversial decisions.

• Strategic mindset and adaptability.

• Skills in stakeholder management with operations and executive leaders.

• Creative and business-oriented perspective.

• Willingness to travel domestically 50–75% of the time.

• Remote location should be near a major airport, preferably situated in the eastern or central time zone.

🏝️ Benefits

• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.

• Opportunity for professional development and training.

• Flexible work arrangements available.