Assistant Manager - FSQA (Tempo Meals)

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo

! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We’re eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef’s offerings.

Note:

The internal title for the position is

FSQA Superintendent.

The FSQA Superintendent plays a key leadership role within Tempo, Home Chef’s Ready-to-Heat (RTH) operation, helping ensure our Food Safety & Quality programs remain effective, compliant, and continuously improving.

In this role, you’ll work closely with plant leadership, FSQA teams, and cross-functional partners while directly leading and developing the RTH supervisory team, including quality and sanitation leadership. You’ll be hands-on in the operation, help solve real-time challenges, and serve as a key driver of food safety culture across the business.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys leading people, improving systems, and making a direct impact in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Food Safety & Quality Across Our Ready-to-Heat Kitchens
• Ensure the enforcement of key aspects of Home Chef RTH Food Safety and Quality Systems, designed to meet regulatory, Food Safety and Quality requirements and assure compliance with SQF requirements.
• Assist in gathering, trending, and reporting metrics that effectively measure and communicate performance.
• Work closely with plant teams and cross-functional partners to understand processes, identify gaps, and propose changes to RTH processes that impact quality systems compliance.
• Review production and CCP records for weekly positive release of all RTH meals.
• Support Day-to-Day FSQA Operations
• You’ll partner closely with RTH Quality and Sanitation Supervisors and hourly FSQA team members to help keep operations running smoothly in a 24/7 production environment.
• Respond to escalations and provide solutions within a 24/7 production environment.
• Provide coverage support as needed within a 24/7 production environment.
• Partner with recruiting teams to adequately staff each shift.
• Assist supervisors with personnel coaching as needed.
• Drive Continuous Improvement Across Food Safety & Quality Systems
• This role is not just about maintaining programs — you’ll help identify gaps, strengthen processes, and drive improvements across the RTH Food Safety & Quality Management System.
• Identify gaps in programs through internal audits or CAPA.
• Develop thorough corrective actions for deviations and gaps in partnership with the FSQA team and cross-functional team members.
• Deliver training to plant FSQA teams related to program rollouts.
• Communicate new or updated programs to plant and corporate stakeholders.
• Develop & Lead the RTH Supervisory Team
• You’ll directly lead the RTH supervisory team, providing coaching, development, and ongoing performance management across both quality and sanitation.
• Lead weekly supervisory meetings.
• Serve as a subject matter expert during new program rollouts.
• Identify developmental opportunities and coach the supervisory team.
• Conduct performance reviews for direct reports.
• Travel
• This position may require up to 10% travel.

What You’ll Bring

• The requirements below represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.
• Completion of a two-year program, such as an Associate degree.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience in quality assurance, food safety, food distribution, food manufacturing, supply chain, or a related field.
• Previous experience with GFSI, SQF, and USDA audits preferred.
• Understanding of Quality Management Systems.
• Experience developing, implementing, and maintaining food safety and quality programs.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
• Self-starter who is results-oriented, resourceful, and takes initiative.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to embrace change and learn quickly in a fast-paced environment.
• Why This Role Matters
• The FSQA Superintendent has a meaningful impact on both the people and the programs behind our Ready-to-Heat operation. You’ll lead and develop quality and sanitation supervisors, partner across the business, strengthen food safety and quality systems, and help ensure every meal leaving our kitchens meets Home Chef’s standards for safety and quality.
• It’s a highly visible role with the opportunity to influence day-to-day operations while also helping shape how our RTH food safety and quality programs continue to evolve.
• More About Us