Technical Services Manager (Food & Restaurant)

The Technical Services Manager is responsible for bridging product innovation and operational execution by ensuring that all new products, menu innovations, recipe enhancements, and process improvements developed by the Research & Development team are commercially viable, scalable, and consistently executable across commissaries and restaurant operations.

This role leads the technical commercialization process by developing standardized operating procedures, managing Bill of Materials (BOM), creating technical documentation, and partnering with cross-functional teams to ensure successful product launches, operational readiness, food safety compliance, and product consistency. The position also drives continuous improvement initiatives to enhance product quality, process efficiency, and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities:

Product Commercialization & Technical Development

• Lead the technical commercialization of new products, menu innovations, recipe enhancements, and process improvements from concept validation through commercial implementation.
• Partner with the Research & Development team during concept development, product trials, pilot testing, and product launches to ensure recipes and processes are practical, scalable, and executable within commissary and restaurant operations.
• Evaluate production methods and identify opportunities to improve product consistency, manufacturability, efficiency, and operational performance.
• Validate recipes, production workflows, and preparation methods to ensure consistent execution across all operating locations.

Process Standardization

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve standardized operating procedures for food production and restaurant execution.
• Lead the preparation and maintenance of comprehensive Technical Manuals covering:
  • Production workflows
  • Equipment and material requirements
  • Standard operating procedures
  • Food safety and sanitation standards
  • Product quality specifications
  • Critical control points
  • Operational quick reference guides
• Ensure all technical documentation remains accurate, updated, and aligned with current operational requirements.

Bill of Materials (BOM) Management

• Oversee the development, validation, and maintenance of Bill of Materials (BOM) for all products.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Finance, and Research & Development to ensure ingredient specifications, product yields, material requirements, and costing information remain accurate.
• Maintain BOM accuracy within SAP or other ERP systems to support inventory management, production planning, and cost control.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Research & Development, Commissary Operations, Restaurant Operations, Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, Industrial Engineering, Training, and Quality Assurance teams to ensure smooth commercialization and implementation of new products.
• Support store and kitchen design initiatives by collaborating on equipment selection, workflow optimization, production capacity, and operational readiness.
• Coordinate with the Training team to facilitate effective technology transfer and rollout of new products, procedures, and operational standards.
• Work alongside the Quality Assurance team to establish and maintain food safety requirements, quality standards, and critical control points throughout production and restaurant operations.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Drive initiatives focused on improving product quality, operational efficiency, productivity, consistency, and cost optimization.
• Lead root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions for product, process, or operational issues.
• Monitor operational performance following product launches and recommend process improvements based on performance data and operational feedback.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, quality standards, company policies, and operational procedures.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Technical Assistants, SAP Assistants, and other technical support personnel.
• Set team objectives, manage workloads, and ensure the timely completion of technical documentation and project deliverables.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement within the team.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while ensuring alignment with business priorities and timelines.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Nutrition, or a related field.
• At least 8–10 years of progressive experience in food product development, technical services, process engineering, product commercialization, or related technical functions within the food manufacturing or restaurant industry.
• Minimum of 5 years of managerial experience leading technical, R&D, process development, or product commercialization teams.
• Strong expertise in product commercialization, process standardization, recipe validation, Bill of Materials (BOM) management, and operational process control.
• Experience supporting commissary operations, central kitchens, food manufacturing, quick service restaurants (QSR), casual dining, or multi-unit restaurant operations is highly preferred.
• Working knowledge of food safety systems, including HACCP, GMP, SSOP, and other applicable regulatory standards.
• Experience using SAP or other ERP systems, particularly in managing BOM and product master data.
• Excellent analytical, project management, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Strong leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives and deliver results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.