Director of Supplier Food Safety and Quality Assurance

Job DescriptionAre you passionate about ensuring the highest standards of food safety, and quality? Whole Foods Market is seeking a Director of Supplier Food Safety and Quality Assurance to lead our Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) Supply Chain team. In this role, you will drive continuous improvement in product safety, quality, social responsibility, and compliance with both regulatory requirements and our own rigorous Whole Foods Market Quality Standards. This role is based in Austin, TX, with an expectation of being in the Store Support office five days a week.Key Responsibilities : Lead with Purpose : Guide the FSQA-Supplier team to success, aligning suppliers with Whole Foods Market's standards and regulatory requirements.Shape Quality Standards : Ensure food safety and product quality during supplier onboarding and at all points during the supplier relationship including dealing with adverse events in supply chains.Foster Communication : Clearly articulate quality expectations and key trends to both internal stakeholders and suppliers.Stay Ahead of the Curve : Monitor industry developments and proactively identify opportunities for innovation and risk mitigation.Embrace Technology : Investigate and implement innovative technologies to enhance FSQA programs.Utilize Data : Capture performance data and use that to drive continuous improvements in supply chains and internal programs.Build a Food Safety and Quality Culture : Continue to nurture and evolve a robust food safety and quality culture across our supply chain and within our company.Required Skills and Qualifications : 10 years of senior leadership experience in food retail, food service, or complex food production supply chainsBS degree with 15-20 years of relevant experience (graduate degree preferred)Technical proficiency in MS Office, Product Lifecycle Management systems such as Oracle Agile PLM, CMX1, FoodLogiQSuperior communication skills, both written and verbalStrategic thinking with ability to execute tacticallyExperience in process improvement, change management, and cost optimizationStrong relationship-building skills with executives and stakeholdersAble to comprehend and assess food safety risks and deploy effective risk mitigation strategies in supply chainsProject management and risk assessment expertiseUnderstanding of WFM business, retail food industry, and key supplier partnersThis position requires domestic and international travel (up to 30%)Preferred Qualifications : International experience, particularly in the EUHigh technical competency in category-specific knowledge and specifically high risk food productionExperience with system deployment (e.g., CMX1) and managing technologyRemote team management experienceConsulting group and second / third party resource management expertiseField program leadership and staff scheduling experienceStrong team development and succession planning track recordKey Competencies : Ability to design and champion organizational mission, vision, and strategyExperienced in team change managementSkill in identifying strategic gaps and formulating solutionsProficiency in conducting reviews with team members, stakeholders, and partnersCapability to assess and optimize business functions and processesTalent for identifying business partner interdependencies and long-term relationship developmentAt Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.Whole Foods Market works with job sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter to promote opportunities at our company. Please be aware that other career sites may not be accurate or up to date and may even be fraudulent. We encourage and recommend all candidates to apply via our site.