Sr. Director, Quality Assurance & Food Safety

Zaxby's; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision insurance

Disability & life insurance

401K with company match

Meal discount at company locations

Parental leave

Childcare assistance

Education assistance

Paid time off + holidays

Job summary

Zaxby’s Franchising LLC seeks a Sr. Director of Quality Assurance, Regulatory, and Food Safety to guide enterprise QA, commercialization, and regulatory readiness.

You will partner across Supply Chain, Culinary, Operations, Legal, and Training to ensure product integrity, safety, and brand protection while scaling processes for growth. The role combines strategic and hands-on leadership, building scalable systems, fostering team development, and driving accountability with suppliers,

Qualifications

• 12+ years in food safety, quality or regulatory leadership.
• Experience leading multi-unit teams across operations, QA, regulatory and supplier relations.
• Proven track record in sustaining compliance, risk management, and product integrity.

Responsibilities

• Set enterprise vision, governance, KPIs for QA, commercialization, and regulatory.
• Lead QA to ensure core product specifications meet standards and safety requirements.
• Scale commercialization discipline translating culinary intent into specs and trials.
• Oversee supplier qualification, product approvals, and recall readiness.
• Own the enterprise product specification system and change management.
• Lead regulatory programs across labeling, nutrition, packaging, and compliance.

Skills

Quality leadership

Regulatory compliance

Food safety

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic thinking

Crisis management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related field

Advanced degree or related certifications preferred

Job description

The Sr. Director of Quality Assurance, Regulatory, and Food Safety is responsible for building, leading, and continuously improving the enterprise systems that protect Zaxbys guests, franchisees, team members, products, and brand reputation. This leader owns the strategy, standards, governance, and execution across Quality Assurance, Commercialization, and Food Safety and Regulatory. The role ensures core products consistently meet approved specifications, food safety requirements, regulatory obligations, and restaurant execution standards. This position partners cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Culinary, Operations, Marketing, Legal, Training, and franchisee stakeholders to translate business needs into practical programs that improve product consistency, compliance, and risk management. This position requires an established, high-energy leader who can strengthen the quality assurance function while elevating commercialization discipline and regulatory readiness for the next stage of growth. The Sr. Director must be comfortable operating at both strategic and hands‑on levels, building scalable processes, coaching leaders, influencing across a franchise system, and driving accountability with suppliers, distributors, internal partners, and restaurants. As we continue to grow, our strategies have set us up for success to be the top offering in Chicken Fingerz, Boneless Wings, and Zalads. We’d love to have you as part of our team!

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Company-Paid Disability, Critical Illness, and Basic Life Insurance
• 401K with Company Match
• 50% Off Meal Discount at Company-Owned Locations
• Parental Leave
• Child Care Assistance
• Education Assistance Program
• PTO and 9 Company Holidays + 2 Floating Holidays

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Essential duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Set the enterprise vision, roadmap, operating model, KPIs, and governance for Quality Assurance, Commercialization, and Food Safety and Regulatory.
• Lead the Quality Assurance vertical responsible for adherence to approved specifications for core products, including product attributes, sensory expectations, supplier performance, corrective actions, and ongoing monitoring.
• Build and scale a commercialization discipline that translates culinary and business intent into supplier‑ready specifications, validation plans, production trials, launch requirements, and post‑launch performance monitoring.
• Lead supplier and product approval processes for new suppliers, new products, product changes, limited‑time offers, and alternate supply, ensuring quality, food safety, and operations considerations are addressed before launch.
• Own the enterprise product specification system and related controls, including specification creation, version control, documentation, approvals, change management, and cross‑functional communication.
• Lead Food Safety & Regulatory programs covering restaurant food safety standards, product regulations, supplier compliance, labeling, nutrition/allergen controls, packaging and extended producer responsibility requirements, traceability, recall readiness, and other emerging regulatory obligations.
• Monitor evolving federal, state, local, and industry regulatory activity and translate requirements into practical policies, standards, training, tools, and operating procedures for the business.
• Strengthen traceability, mock recall, withdrawal, complaint investigation, crisis response, and incident management processes to ensure rapid, compliant, and brand‑protective action.
• Establish supplier quality and food safety expectations, audit standards, risk tiering, scorecards, corrective action processes, and escalation paths in partnership with Procurement and Supply Chain.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions for quality failures, food safety incidents, customer complaints, supplier non‑conformance, regulatory findings, and restaurant execution gaps.
• Partner with Operations and Training to strengthen in‑store food safety culture, regulatory compliance, safe food handling practices, and manager/team member capability.
• Build collaborative relationships with strategic suppliers, distributors, laboratories, consultants, regulators, franchisees, and internal stakeholders to drive quality, compliance, innovation, and speed.
• Develop, coach, and retain a high‑performing team; clarify roles, set performance expectations, build succession plans, and create a culture of ownership, urgency, and continuous improvement.
• Prepare executive reporting on quality performance, supplier performance, commercialization readiness, audit results, regulatory risks, complaints, incidents, corrective actions, and strategic priorities.

KEY COMPETENCIES

Seasoned food safety, quality assurance, regulatory, or commercialization leader with strong restaurant, foodservice, QSR, manufacturing, or multi‑unit retail experience. Demonstrated ability to lead across multiple technical disciplines, with particular strength in building commercialization and regulatory capabilities while maintaining quality assurance excellence. Deep understanding of food product specifications, supplier approval, plant capabilities, production trials, sensory/product evaluation, product change management, and launch readiness. Strong knowledge of food safety systems, HACCP/preventive controls, GFSI/SQF/BRC concepts, sanitation, allergen management, labeling/nutrition, traceability, recall readiness, and regulatory compliance. Working knowledge of FSMA, traceability requirements, FDA/USDA expectations, state and local health department requirements, packaging/product regulatory considerations, and emerging EPR requirements. Proven ability to influence senior leaders, franchisees, operators, suppliers, and cross‑functional partners without relying solely on authority. Strong business judgment and ability to balance brand protection, speed to market, restaurant execution, guest experience, supplier capability, and cost realities. Track record of building scalable processes, governance, dashboards, standards, and operating rhythms in a fast‑growth or evolving environment. Excellent crisis management, root cause analysis, risk assessment, written communication, presentation, and executive storytelling skills. High accountability, strong urgency, low ego, and a hands‑on leadership style; able to move from strategy to action quickly while developing the team around them. Experience in QSR, restaurant, food service, franchise systems, multi‑unit retail, food manufacturing, or CPG strongly preferred. Experience leading supplier qualification, specification management, product commercialization, audits, incident response, and regulatory compliance programs required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Animal Science, Meat Science, Nutrition, Public Health, Supply Chain, or related field required; advanced degree or relevant certifications such as PCQI, HACCP, SQF Practitioner, ServSafe, CP-FS, or related credentials preferred

Experience: 12+ years of progressive experience in food safety, quality assurance, regulatory, commercialization, product development, supplier quality, or related technical leadership roles; minimum 5+ years leading people leaders or multi‑disciplinary technical teams

PAY RANGE

$175,000 - $200,000

Zaxby’s Franchising LLC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment decisions based on any factor protected by federal, state, or local law.

Zaxbys® is the saucy chicken chain that put Chicken Fingerz™ on the map as a main course. Founded in 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia, our founders took a bold chance on a new kind of restaurant, and that entrepreneurial spirit still drives how we work, grow, and support our teams today. We’re known for craveable Fingerz™, wings, Zalads®, and signature sauces, all delivered with Southern hospitality and a modern twist. With over 1,000 locations across 22 states and headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, Zaxbys is where bold flavor meets big opportunity! For information about Zaxbys®, visit www.zaxbys.com.