School Food Program Manager

Halifax Regional Centre for Education; Dartmouth; On-site; CAD 75,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) is seeking a School Food Program Manager to lead the planning, implementation and ongoing management of school food programs across HRCE, including breakfast, snacks and the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program.

You will supervise school food service staff, oversee vendor relations, and coordinate with the provincial EECD to ensure compliance with policies, standards and contracts at the regional level. Strong leadership and collaboration are required.

Qualifications

• Diploma/Certificate in food service management, nutrition, culinary or hospitality management, business administration, public administration, health promotion, or related field.
• Three to five years of experience coordinating or managing multi-site food service and supervising staff or vendor relationships.
• Experience in education or public-sector environments and procurement or contract management is an asset.
• Valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, implementation, and ongoing management of school food programs within HRCE, including breakfast, snacks and the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program.
• Coordinate regional vendor relations and oversee supplier performance and contract requirements.
• Collaborate with internal departments, schools, EECD and Health Promoting Schools partners.
• Monitor program delivery, ensure compliance with provincial policies and standards.
• Support procurement activities and reporting to the Assistant Director - System Services.

Skills

Staff supervision

Vendor relations

Procurement support

Valid driver’s license

Education

Diploma/Certificate in related field

Job description

The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) is the largest Centre for Education in Atlantic Canada with over 11,000 full-time, part-time and casual employees. Serving more than 60,000 students in 136 schools, our geographic region spans a 350 km radius.

The School Food Program Manager works in partnership with the provincial school food team at the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) to plan, coordinate, implement and oversee school food programs within the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE), including breakfast and snack programming and the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program. The position ensures programs align with provincial policies, standards, processes and program requirements.

This position directly supervises school food service staff and leads regional vendor relations with third-party food service providers. The School Food Program Manager serves as the primary liaison among the HRCE, schools, third-party food service providers and EECD, supports provincially led procurement and contract management, and monitors program delivery, vendor performance and the implementation of contractual requirements at the regional level. The position works closely with internal departments, school administrators and Health Promoting Schools partners and reports directly to the Assistant Director - System Services.

Key Responsibilities:

Leads the planning, implementation, ongoing management and continuous improvement of school food programs within HRCE, including breakfast and snack programming and the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program, to ensure alignment with provincial policies, standards and program requirements.

Represents HRCE in provincial school food planning and provides regional advice and recommendations on program design, delivery models and implementation.

Oversees self-operated, vendor-operated and mixed food service delivery models and supports the alignment and integration of existing school food programs.

Directly supervises school food service staff in self-operated models and provides leadership, coaching, training and operational support in collaboration with regional Human Resources and other relevant departments.

Leads regional vendor relations and serves as the liaison among schools, third-party food service providers and EECD. Supports provincially led procurement and contract management, monitors vendor performance and the implementation of contractual requirements in collaboration with EECD, documents performance and operational issues, and escalates significant or unresolved concerns.

Qualifications:

Diploma/Certificate Program in food service management, nutrition, culinary or hospitality management, business administration, public administration, health promotion, or a related field.

Three to five years experience coordinating or managing multi-site food service, school food or comparable operational programming, including experience supervising staff and/or overseeing vendor relationships.

Experience in an educational or public‑sector environment and experience supporting procurement or contract management would be considered assets.

Valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.

Salary:

This is a PEG (Professional Employees Group) position classified on the Education Entities Non-Union Compensation Framework at Band 8 with a salary range between $74,931 - $93,665.

Nova Scotia’s Regional Centres for Education and the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) are committed to an inclusive education system that supports the well‑being and achievement of every student and is high‑quality, culturally and linguistically responsive.

The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) is actively working to hire individuals from under‑represented groups, particularly people of African Nova Scotian, African Canadian and African ancestry and Mi'kmaw/Indigenous ancestry, to work toward equitable representation within all employee groups. Equitable hiring strengthens the knowledge and expertise in our schools, and supports our public education system in establishing schools as safe, caring, and accessible learning spaces that support all students. This will provide opportunities for students to see themselves reflected throughout their schools, learning resources, and within their learning experiences.

HRCE has a Recruitment, Selection and Hiring of Staff Policy and we actively encourage applications from under‑represented groups, particularly people of African Nova Scotian, African Canadian and African ancestry and Mi'kmaw/Indigenous ancestry, in compliance with the applicable collective agreements or terms and conditions of employment.

Thank you for your interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Employment with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education is contingent upon providing a satisfactory Criminal Records Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search and Child Abuse Registry Search.