Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance in Orange City, Iowa at Pizza Ranch

Reports to:

VP of Supply Chain & Procurement

Purpose and Objective of Position:

The Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance is responsible for leading Pizza Ranch's Food Safety & Quality Assurance function to protect guests, strengthen brand trust, and ensure consistent compliance across all corporate and franchise locations.

This role partners closely with franchisees, corporate leadership, suppliers, and regulatory agencies to balance regulatory requirements, operational realities, and the Pizza Ranch guest experience—ensuring safe, high-quality food is consistently delivered across the system.

Because Pizza Ranch is a franchise organization, this role plays a critical partnership function—supporting franchisees as both a compliance resource and operational advisor to ensure food safety and quality standards are successfully implemented in real-world restaurant environments.

Key Accountabilities:

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Lead and continuously improve Pizza Ranch's food safety programs to ensure compliance with company standards and all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
• Serve as the primary food safety resource for franchisees, restaurant leadership, operations teams, and corporate staff by providing guidance, support, and resolution of food safety concerns.
• Review regulatory inspections, health department findings, and food safety assessments to identify trends, evaluate risks, and develop corrective action plans that strengthen compliance and operational performance.
• Lead food safety incident response activities, including product recalls, alleged foodborne illness investigations, contamination concerns, regulatory inquiries, and crisis management efforts.
• Partner with health departments, regulatory agencies, industry organizations, suppliers, and distributors to address compliance matters, resolve concerns, and stay informed of changing regulations and industry best practices.

Quality Assurance & Supplier Management

• Manage supplier and distributor quality assurance programs, including supplier approval processes, specification reviews, regulatory compliance verification, and facility inspections or audits as needed.
• Review and maintain product specifications to ensure products consistently meet Pizza Ranch quality standards, food safety requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Monitor supplier performance, product quality trends, and corrective action plans to drive continuous improvement throughout the supply chain.
• Analyze and report key food safety and quality performance indicators, including supplier performance, assessment scores, inspection results, pest management trends, and corrective action completion.

Training, Support & Operations

• Develop, maintain, and communicate food safety standards, Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs), product specifications, training materials, and program updates to ensure consistent execution across the Pizza Ranch system.
• Coordinate and support third-party food safety assessment programs, including communication with assessment providers, restaurant leadership, and corporate stakeholders while monitoring performance and follow-up actions.
• Support restaurant operations through field visits, training, coaching, and collaboration with Franchise Business Consultants, Field Trainers, and restaurant leadership to promote a culture of food safety excellence.

Strategic Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor emerging food safety risks, regulatory developments, consumer trends, and industry best practices, recommending and implementing enhancements to strengthen Pizza Ranch's food safety and quality systems.
• Participate in strategic planning and cross-functional initiatives related to food safety, quality assurance, supplier performance, product development, risk management, and operational excellence.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence by promoting best practices throughout the Pizza Ranch system.

Qualifications, Skills, and/or Competencies:

• Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant field such as Environmental Health, Food Science, Nutritional Science, Microbiology, Biological Sciences, or Hospitality Management
• Minimum of 5 years of related experience in regulatory food safety and/or restaurant industry food safety roles
• Minimum of 3 years of progressive leadership experience as a Food Safety Director or Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager/Director in a multi-unit or multi-site environment preferred
• Strong working knowledge of restaurant operations from a food safety perspective, including the ability to investigate and resolve food safety and quality complaints
• Thorough understanding of applicable food codes and regulatory requirements across federal, state/provincial, and local health departments, and how they apply to restaurant operations
• Proven ability to provide consultative guidance, including assessing complex situations and developing multiple viable solutions that support operational and regulatory requirements
• Experience working directly with regulatory authorities across multiple states and/or provinces, including inspections, audits, and corrective action resolution
• Working knowledge of HACCP, SSOPs, GMPs, USDA, and FDA regulations, as well as state and local food safety and health codes
• Experience in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of restaurant food safety programs
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to influence across franchise and corporate environments
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Valid driver's license and proof of auto insurance, with the ability to maintain eligibility to legally operate a motor vehicle
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 20% (primarily local and intrastate), including trips of 1–3 nights as needed