Senior Manager, Food Safety

gategroup; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

401k with company match

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Voluntary life/accident/hospital plans

Employee Assistance Program

Employee discounts

Free hot healthy meals

Job summary

gategroup seeks a proactive leader to assure QEH&S compliance across the US operations, driving improvements, regulatory adaptation, and risk mitigation in collaboration with regional QEHS teams. The role reports to the Director, Regional Operations Compliance and guides unit-level QFS/HSSE performance toward world‑class standards.

Responsibilities include leading QFS/HSSE teams, partnering with HR and Customer Service, and overseeing audits, training, and regulatory reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Safety, Quality Management, or a related field. In exceptional cases, relevant and extensive work experience may substitute for the degree requirement.
• Minimum 5 years industrial experience in food safety and quality.
• Airline and/or food industry experience preferred.
• Proven track record of successful results.
• Proven experience in field implementation of food safety and quality processes.
• Certification in quality management or food safety (e.g., ASQ CQE, HACCP certification, Six Sigma).
• Basic lean, Six Sigma knowledge, and continuous improvement understanding is a plus.
• Familiarity with airline client specifications and standards related to food safety and quality.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and development for hub unit QFS & HSSE team members, through teaching and coaching.
• Drives attainment of regional QFS & HSSE goals at the unit level.
• Liaises with HR and Customer Service to evaluate and reduce risks.
• Provides operating unit technical support in quality, food safety, safety and health, chemical safety, waste management, and environmental reporting.
• Prepares proposals and reports for unit and regional leadership.
• Ensures adherence to departmental budgets.
• Liaises with unit customers, airport regulators to identify trends and issues.
• Implements projects related to QFS & HSSE objectives.
• Assesses compliance with regulations and regulatory reporting responsibilities.
• Partners with units to integrate sustainable compliance solutions.
• Supports Compliance Calendars for assigned units.
• Works with regulatory agencies and environmental firms to achieve goals.
• Supports unit operations training in QFS & HSSE.
• Drives waste minimization and recycling initiatives.
• Supports root cause analysis for quality defects and injuries.
• Oversees investigations of quality-related issues and corrective actions.
• Monitors safety trends and scorecards.
• Leads development of food safety and quality assurance programs.
• Oversees HACCP plans, allergen management, and supplier quality assurance initiatives.
• Evaluates and improves risk prevention processes (BMS, CCPs, PRIDE, SQUAD).
• Works with operations to optimize QFS & HSSE processes.
• Administers corporate QFS & HSSE policies.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Risk mitigation

Stakeholder liaison

Training & coaching

QFS/HSSE

Budget management

Regulatory reporting

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Safety, Quality Management, or related field

Tools

ASQ CQE

HACCP

Six Sigma

Lean

Microsoft Office

Job description

We’re looking for motivated, engaged people to help make everyone’s journeys better.

Responsible for assuring Quality, Environment, Health and Safety (QEH&S) compliance in assigned business unit and associated operations. Actively lead improvements and implement risk mitigation solutions for business operating units. Manage regulatory and internal requirement changes for immediate and flawless adaptation in operations. This individual will work collaboratively with business units and with QEHS team members within the region to drive gategroup’s compliance strategy and plans to achieve world-class/zero incident QEH&S performance. This position will report directly to the Director, Regional Operations Compliance.

Salary Range: $110,000 - $125,000

• Paid time off
• 401k, with company match
• Company sponsored life insurance
• Voluntary short-term/long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary life, accident, and hospital plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts
• Free hot healthy meals for unit operations roles

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and development for hub unit QFS (Quality and Food Safety) & HSSE (Health, Safety, Security, and Environment) team members, through teaching and coaching.
• Drives successful attainment of regional QFS & HSSE goals, objectives and targets at the unit level.
• Liaises with support functions such as Human Resources and Customer Service to evaluate and reduce potential risks.
• Provides operating unit technical support in the areas of quality, food safety, occupational safety and health, chemical safety, waste management, waste water and storm water pollution prevention, air quality and environmental annual reporting.
• Prepares proposals and reports for unit and regional leadership.
• Ensures adherence to departmental budgets.
• Liaises with unit customers, union representatives, airport and regulatory agencies to identify emerging trends and issues.
• Implements special projects related to company business objectives related to the QFS & HSSE.
• Assesses and ensures compliance with local, state and federal food safety, environmental, health and safety regulations. Ensures regulatory reporting responsibilities of units are met.
• Partners with units to integrate sustainable compliance solutions within operations.
• Supports Compliance Calendars for assigned units.
• Works with regulatory agencies and environmental consulting firms to achieve goals and ensure permits are in place.
• Supports unit operations training in QFS & HSSE.
• Drives waste minimization, reduction and recycling process through the identification of opportunities and targets. Supports operating unit program implementation.
• Supports operating units in determination of quality defects, accident and injury root causes, corrective and preventive actions.
• Oversees the investigation of quality-related issues, conduct root cause analyses, and implement corrective and preventive actions to address non-conformities effectively.
• Monitors, measures and communicates unit safety trends, targets and impacts through the use of QFS & HSSE scorecards.
• Leads the development, implementation, and maintenance of food safety and quality assurance programs, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with operational excellence.
• Oversees the execution of key initiatives and special projects aimed at enhancing food safety systems, such as HACCP plans, allergen management, and supplier quality assurance.
• Evaluates and continuously improves unit risk prevention process effectiveness (Business Management System (BMS), Critical Control Points (CCPs), Personal Responsibility in your Daily Efforts (PRIDE) and Ramp Safety, Quality and Delivery (SQUAD).
• Works with operations leadership to optimize deployment of QFS & HSSE processes.
• Administers corporate QFS & HSSE policies and procedures within hub units and make improvement recommendations.
• In conjunction with Human Resources, identifies and supports implementation of CSR, health and wellness initiatives at the unit level.
• Completes Hazard Analysis and Risk Based Preventative Controls (HARPC) Preventative Controls for Human Food training and certification course to be a PCQI “Preventive Controls Qualified Individual according to company policy.
• Completes all other company required training including but not limited to ServSafe Sanitation Manager Certification.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Safety, Quality Management, or a related field. In exceptional cases, relevant and extensive work experience may substitute for the degree requirement.

Work Experience

• Minimum 5 years industrial experience in food safety and quality
• Airline and/or food industry experience preferred
• A proven track record of successful results
• Proven experience in field implementation of food safety and quality processes

Technical Skills: (Certification, Licenses and Registration)

• Certification in quality management or food safety (e.g., ASQ CQE, HACCP certification, Six Sigma)
• Basic lean, Six Sigma knowledge, and continuous improvement understanding is a plus
• Familiarity with airline client specifications and standards related to food safety and quality
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Strategic, systems-oriented thought leader and change agent

Language / Communication Skills

• Excellent interpersonal, influencing, verbal and written communication skills required.
• Strong presentation skills for all levels of unit employees
• Proven teamwork experience in a fast-paced environment. Able to build consensus and lead successful teams
• Passionate and self-motivated to excel
• Detail orientated, flexible and responsive
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and meet tight deadlines.

Job Dimensions

Geographic Responsibility: Business Unit in US

Type of Employment: Full-time

Travel %: 15%

Exemption Classification: Exempt

Work Environment / Requirements of the Job: Normal office environment, airport ramp and flight kitchen

Budget / Revenue Responsibility: <$250,000

Organization Structure

Direct Line Manager (Title): BU Leader

Dotted Line Manager (Title, if applicable): Director, Ops Compliance, US

Number of Direct Reports: Varies by location, up to 10

Number of Dotted Line Reports: Varies by location, up to 10

Estimated Total Size of Team: Varies by location, up to 15

gategroup Competencies Required to be Successful in the Job

• Thinking – Information Search and analysis & problem resolution skills
• Engaging – Understanding others, Team Leadership and Developing People
• Inspiring – Influencing and building relationships, Motivating and Inspiring, Communicating effectively
• Achieving – Delivering business results under pressure, Championing Performance Improvement and Customer Focus

Demonstrated Values to be Successful in the Position

Employees at gategroup are expected to live our Values of Excellence, Integrity, Passion and Accountability. To demonstrate these Values, we expect to observe the following from everyone:

• We treat each other with respect and we act with integrity
• We communicate and keep each other informed
• We put our heads together to problem solve and deliver excellence as a team
• We have passion for our work and we pay attention to the little details
• We foster an environment of accountability, take responsibility for our actions and learn from our mistakes
• We do what we say we will do, when we say we are going to do it
• We care about our coworkers, always taking an opportunity to make someone’s day better

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

gategroup is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status or other category under applicable law.