ASST DIR, DINING SERVICES - KIPP Houston, TX

Chartwells School Dining Services K12; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance/AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Paid Parental Leave

Personal Leave

Job summary

Chartwells K12 seeks an Assistant Director of Dining Services to support operations for KIPP Houston Public Schools in Houston, TX. You will oversee a $13M–$15M dining program and partner with the Director of Dining Services to ensure exceptional service.

The ideal candidate has 1–3 years of food service management, strong leadership, and knowledge of school nutrition compliance, with a focus on developing teams across multiple locations.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of food service management experience.
• Experience in restaurants, hotels, corporate dining, education, military, health care, or related food service operations.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Financial experience and business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Works with Chef and management to create nutritious, top quality food.
• Implements new culinary programs with marketing and culinary teams.
• Maintains excellent relationships with the client.
• Manages, trains, and develops associates.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership & communication

Bilingual (Spanish/English)

Financial experience

MS Office proficient

K-12 food service understanding

Education

Associate’s degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Chartwells K12

Chartwells K12's goal is to make sure students leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than they came in, by serving food kids love to eat and creating custom dining programs. With more than 16,000 associates in 4,500 schools, ranging from large public institutions to small charter and private schools, Chartwells K12 is built on decades of food, education and operational experience driven by top culinary, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability talent. For more information, visit www.ChartwellsK12.com.

Job Summary

Assistant Director of Dining Services | KIPP Houston Public Schools | Houston, TX

Join a growing team that's making a difference every day. KIPP Houston Public Schools serves more than 21,000 students across 34 feeding locations and operates three commissary kitchens that support schools throughout the region. Due to continued growth, we're seeking an Assistant Director of Dining Services to support operations on the north side of Houston. Reporting to the Resident District Manager (RDM), this leader will help oversee a $13M-$15M dining program while partnering closely with the Director of Dining Services, Executive Chef, and Sous Chef leadership team to ensure exceptional service, compliance, and operational excellence.

This is a highly visible leadership role focused on supporting daily operations, conducting audits, ensuring compliance with K-12 nutrition regulations, partnering with HR, and developing teams across multiple locations. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with strong leadership skills, excellent time management, and the ability to influence and support a workforce of up to 170 associates. We are specifically seeking someone with K-12 food service experience, a strong understanding of school nutrition compliance and regulatory requirements, and a proven background leading multi-site operations. This is an outstanding opportunity for a mission-driven leader who is passionate about developing people, driving operational success, and creating a positive dining experience for students every day.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Works with the Chef and management team in creating nutritious and top quality food.
• Implements new culinary programs in conjunction with the marketing and culinary teams.
• Maintains excellent relationships with the client.
• Manages, trains, and develops associates.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 1 to 3 years of food service management experience.
• Experience in restaurants, hotels, corporate dining, education, military, health care, and/or related food service operations.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Financial experience and business acumen skills.
• Proficient computer skills and knowledge of MS Office products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and internet.
• Bilingual (Spanish / English) strongly preferred
• Associate’s degree is preferred.

Chartwells Schools is a member of Compass Group USA

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Chartwells K-12 maintains a drug-free workplace.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Associates at Chartwells K-12 are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Personal Leave

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.

https://www.compass-usa.com/wpcontent/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_ChartwellsK12.pdf

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Chartwells K12