Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager - Proteins

Welcome to Whataburger Careers! Our Flavor — Why Whataburger Whataburger isn’t just a fast-food burger chain it is where bold leadership starts — and where potential doesn’t just grow, it heats up. Whether you're leading the line or working behind the scenes, this is the place where opportunities stack up, and every day gives you a chance to Make a Difference. Since 1950, we’ve invested in people who lead with integrity, Serve with Heart , and bring their best flavor to the team. We believe in working together, speaking up, having a little fun, and Winning as One — because great burgers (and great teams) start with the right ingredients. If you're ready — to learn, grow, impact, and Move Forward Boldly — we’ve got your back and your path cooked to perfection. Your Recipe for Impact — What You’ll Do As the Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager – Proteins, you play a critical role in protecting the Whataburger brand by ensuring the safety, quality, and integrity of our protein products—from supplier through restaurant execution. In this role, you lead with purpose, working hand in hand with suppliers and internal partners to ensure regulatory compliance, strengthen food safety programs, and continuously elevate quality standards across the system. You Make a Difference by safeguarding our food and protecting our guests through strong FSQA programs, sound risk assessment, and proactive issue resolution. You Serve with Heart by building trusted relationships with suppliers and cross‑functional teams, showing up as a thoughtful advisor, collaborator, and advocate for food safety and quality. You Win as One by partnering closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Product Development, Risk, and Category Management to bring products to market safely, consistently, and with confidence. You Move Forward Boldly by driving continuous improvement, embracing change, and strengthening systems and processes that support Whataburger’s growth—today and into the future. Day-to-Day Ingredients — Responsibilities As a Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager - Proteins, you will: Lead and support FSQA programs for protein suppliers in alignment with company and regulatory standards Review third‑party audit results and regulatory inspection reports; assess risk and approve corrective action plans Conduct supplier audits, product reviews, and sampling to verify food safety and quality compliance Partner with suppliers to improve sanitation, GMPs, HACCP, and overall food safety performance Create, maintain, and update product specifications and quality requirements for protein categories Support commercialization of new and existing protein products from a food safety and quality perspective Serve as FSQA liaison between Suppliers, Operations, Product Development, Category Management, and Risk Investigate food safety incidents and illness claims in collaboration with Operations and Risk Management Maintain accurate FSQA documentation, calibration records, and compliance data Monitor and interpret local, state, and federal regulations; support responses to regulatory authorities Provide coaching, guidance, and oversight to FSQA team members and project teams The Sauce — Pay & Perks As a Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager - Proteins, you will receive: Competitive Weekly Pay Bonus Program that scales up to 2.5X payout potential based on company results 5 weeks PTO Flex Weeks Paid Corporate Holidays Paid Parental Leave* 401(k) match $1/$1 up to 4% Competitive Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits* Short-term and Long-term Disability Benefits* Opportunities for Career Development and Growth Whataburger Family Foundation - Scholarship Program (dependents eligible) and Hardship Grant Assistance Discounted Meals for You and a Guest Wireless Service Discounts Computer & Software Discounts Fitness / Gym Discounts Awards and recognition for all you do Retirement Celebration Program What You Bring to the Table — Required Experience As a Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager - Proteins, you must have:  Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Safety, or a related field (or equivalent experience) 5+ years of experience in food safety and quality assurance, preferably in proteins, manufacturing, or restaurant systems Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, FDA Retail Food Code, and regulatory requirements Experience managing supplier food safety programs and third‑party audit processes Ability to assess risk, analyze complex issues, and drive effective corrective actions Proven ability to collaborate cross‑functionally and influence without authority Strong communication skills, including the ability to present findings and recommendations clearly Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) Extra Toppings — Desired Experience As a Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Manager - Proteins, we prefer you to have:  Professional food safety certifications (CP‑FS, REHS, HACCP, PCQI, SQF, BRC, GFSI, or similar) Experience supporting product commercialization and specification development Background working directly with protein suppliers and processing environments Experience leading or mentoring teams and managing multiple projects simultaneously Familiarity with restaurant supply chain operations and large‑scale retail food systems Where & How You’ll Work This role is based at the San Antonio Home Office, working on‑site Monday through Thursday with remote flexibility on Fridays. In this role, you’ll have strong collaboration with leadership, across cross-functional teams, and with external partners to align capabilities with restaurant realities. The work environment is fast‑paced and requires sound judgment, strategic thinking, and strong collaboration skills. Full‑time availability is required, with occasional extended hours based on business needs, along with occasional travel to properties, projec