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SalaryBe the one who makes a difference!
At Vertex Education we are a team of high achievers, courageous leaders, and passionate believers in changing lives through education. As a purpose-led education services provider, our mission is destined to benefit many and yet it starts with just one person inspired to work together with us to make a memorable and meaningful difference for our clients, schools, students, and communities. Be the one who makes a difference—with us.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Our mission of changing lives through education extends to the nutrition and well-being of our students, with the Director of Food Services playing a key role. This position requires a leader who is innovative, passionate, and engaging, tasked with overseeing our food service program to ensure it supports our educational goals and student health. The ideal candidate will manage, improve, and align our food offerings with the organization's values, making a direct impact on student wellness. If you're driven to contribute to our mission through effective food service management, we welcome you to join us in this essential role.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Team Leadership: Leading teams towards innovative food service excellence.
- Develop and articulate a vision for the food service program aligned with organizational goals.
- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team, setting clear objectives and performance metrics.
- Cultivate a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and excellence.
- Implement effective communication channels and feedback mechanisms within the food service team and with external stakeholders.
- Evaluate and enhance team capabilities through professional development.
Growth: Expanding the program's reach and impact.
- Identify and assess new opportunities for program expansion.
- Develop strategies and collaborate with our partnerships team to promote the food service program to prospective schools.
- Oversee the launch and integration of Food service operations in new schools, ensuring a smooth transition and high service quality from day one.
- Implement processes for efficient kitchen setup and new school openings.
Operational Management: Ensuring operational excellence across Food Service teams.
- Oversee comprehensive menu planning, incorporating nutritional standards, student preferences, and seasonal variations.
- Manage NSLP administration and compliance, maximizing funding while meeting program requirements and maintaining readiness for audits.
- Enforce strict quality and safety standards in food production, storage, and serving processes.
- Conduct systematic audits for continuous quality assurance and adherence to health regulations.
- Stay updated with and integrate the latest laws, regulations, and best practices into the food service operations.
Financial Management: Overseeing the financial health of the food service program.
- Develop and manage the food service budget, monitoring and optimizing expenditures.
- Implement streamlined procurement, ensuring cost-effective purchasing of Food, equipment, and services.
- Secure competitive bids from vendors to achieve the best value for goods and services.
- Optimize grant administration and funding opportunities, including identifying, applying for, and managing grants.
- Analyze financial data to inform strategic decisions, improve efficiency, and forecast future financial needs.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Nutrition, Culinary Arts, Business Administration, or a related field is required.
- Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Health, Nutrition, or a related field is preferred.
Certifications
- Certified Food Service Manager (CFSM) or equivalent certification is preferred.
- ServSafe Certification or equivalent food safety and handling certification is preferred.
- School Nutrition Specialist (SNS) certification or equivalent is preferred to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of school nutrition programs.
Experience
- A minimum of 7 years of experience in food service management, with at least 3 years in a leadership role overseeing large-scale or multi-site operations.
- Proven track record of developing and implementing successful food service programs in educational settings or comparable environments.
- Demonstrated experience in budget management and cost control in food service settings.
- Extensive experience with National School Lunch Program (NSLP) administration and compliance.
- Strong background in menu planning, nutritional analysis, and adherence to dietary standards.
BACKGROUND CHECKS
- The incumbent in this position will be required to pass a criminal history background check
- Must be able to obtain and hold a valid IVP Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card at all times
PHYSICAL AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS / WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Travel between campuses is required from time to time.
- This position requires the need to lift objects (up to 25 pounds) on occasion.
- This position may require sitting for long periods at times, talking on the phone, standing, kneeling, stooping and long periods of concentration.
- Local and in-state travel required.
Be excited to be a part of our team and grow your career with us!
Be the one who enables us to positively impact over 25,000 students across multiple states while driving our growth forward so we can enrich even more lives. Be the one who helps us achieve excellence for the 26 schools we support with academics, finance, technology, human resources, communications, marketing, facilities, construction, and Food Services. Be the one who is a diverse thinker, a team player, a smart risk taker, an innovator, and a difference maker by encouraging others to climb higher and reach farther to further education.
- Be yourself surrounded by wonderful people who care about you, value your unique skills, and lift you up.
- Be supported in your work by caring leaders and team members who want you to succeed.
- Be empowered to make a difference and climb higher and reach farther to change lives through education.
- Be well in all aspects of your life from your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing to your finances.
- Enjoy industry-leading pay, rewards, referral bonuses, with unlimited flexible paid time-off for performance.
- Be able to care for your health and your family with comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits and invest in your future with 401(k) plans with a 6% employer match on your contributions.
- Enhance your growth and development with mentoring and money to take training classes.
- Thrive in a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment where we treat others with fairness and respect, celebrate diversity, and elevate equality and inclusion as an equal opportunity employer.
Be the one who makes a difference!
With an innovative mind, a hungry heart, and engaging spirit you can change lives through education. Be a part of Vertex Education and let’s make a difference together. Apply Today!
