Central Kitchen Manager

Richland County School District One

Costa Mesa (CA)

On-site

USD 62,000 - 84,000

Full time

10 days ago

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Job summary

RICHLAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE is seeking a Food Service Manager to lead the Central Kitchen, Warehouse, and Logistics operations for Nutrition Services. You will direct production, inventory, and distribution to support district meal programs with a strong focus on food safety and regulatory compliance.

The role reports to the Director of Nutrition Services and requires a bachelor's degree in a related field and at least five years of large-scale food service experience; SC driver’s

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Food Service Management, Nutrition, Business Administration, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or a related field.
Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in large-scale food service operations, quantity food production, warehouse management, logistics, or institutional food service management.
Must possess a valid South Carolina driver's license.
Preferred SNS, RDN or ServSafe Manager Certification.

Responsibilities

Directs and manages daily operations of Central Kitchen, warehouse, distribution center, transportation services, and catering functions.
Oversees production planning based on menus, participation projections, inventory, and program requirements.
Ensures compliance with USDA meal patterns, recipes, portions, and menu specs.
Maintains inventory systems and ensures proper handling, storage, and security of assets.
Leads HACCP program, food safety plans, inspections, and corrective actions.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Food safety

Inventory management

Logistics management

Budgeting

Compliance

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

SNS Credential (Preferred)

RDN (Preferred)

ServSafe Manager Certification

Tools

Inventory software

ERP systems

Kitchen management software

Job description

Position Type: CLASSIFIED/ NUTRITION SERVICES
Date Posted: 8/26/2026
Location: NUTRITION SERVICES

RICHLAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE

CLASSIFICATION DESCRIPTION

Classification Title: Food Service Manager, Central Kitchen & Logistics

Department: Nutrition Services

Reports To: Director of Nutrition Services

FLSA Status: Exempt Salary Range: $62,037.00-$83,904.00

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Under limited supervision, plans, organizes, directs, and manages the day-to-day operations of the District's Central Kitchen, Warehouse, Distribution Center, Fleet Operations, and Catering Services. Provides leadership for all food production, inventory management, warehousing, logistics, transportation, and distribution activities necessary to support federally funded Child Nutrition Programs. Responsible for ensuring the efficient flow of food, supplies, equipment, and USDA Foods from vendors through receiving, storage, production, distribution, and delivery to schools and program sites. Ensures compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations governing school nutrition operations, food safety, transportation, procurement, and inventory accountability. Reports to the Director of Nutrition Services.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential Functions

Operational Leadership

1. Directs and manages the daily operations of the Central Kitchen, warehouse, distribution center, transportation services, and catering functions.
2. Establishes operational procedures that ensure efficiency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
3. Coordinates production, inventory, receiving, storage, distribution, and delivery activities to support uninterrupted meal service.
4. Ensures operational readiness for all District meal programs, special events, and emergency feeding operations.
5. Monitors operational performance and implements corrective actions as needed.

Production Management

1. Oversees quantity food production for breakfast, lunch, afterschool meals, summer feeding, special events, and catering programs.
2. Directs production planning based on menus, participation projections, inventory availability, and program requirements.
3. Ensures compliance with USDA meal pattern requirements, standardized recipes, portion control standards, and menu specifications.
4. Monitors production records, forecasting practices, yield management, and waste reduction initiatives.
5. Ensures meals are prepared, packaged, and distributed accurately and on schedule.

Warehouse and Inventory Management

1. Oversees all warehouse receiving, storage, inventory control, and distribution functions.
2. Maintains inventory systems for purchased foods, USDA Foods commodities, supplies, equipment, and consumable goods.
3. Establishes procedures for ordering, receiving, inventory counts, stock rotation, reconciliation, and inventory accountability.
4. Maintains appropriate inventory levels to support uninterrupted operations while minimizing waste and excess inventory.
5. Ensures proper handling, storage, and security of all inventory assets.

Logistics and Fleet Operations

1. Oversees food and supply distribution operations for all schools and program sites.
2. Develops delivery schedules and routing plans to ensure efficient and timely service.
3. Oversees Nutrition Services fleet operations including vehicles, delivery equipment, maintenance schedules, inspections, repairs, and fuel management.
4. Ensures compliance with transportation safety regulations and District operational standards.
5. Monitors delivery performance, fleet utilization, and overall logistics effectiveness.

Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance

1. Serves as administrator of the department's HACCP Food Safety Program.
2. Maintains food safety plans for the Central Kitchen, Warehouse, and Distribution Operations.
3. Oversees sanitation, food handling, storage, receiving, product traceability, and recall procedures.
4. Ensures compliance with USDA, South Carolina Department of Education, DHEC, OSHA, and District requirements.
5. Coordinates inspections, audits, reviews, and corrective action plans.
6. Maintains emergency preparedness and continuity of operations plans.

Personnel Management

1. Supervises Warehouse Lead, Production Lead, Shipping & Distribution Lead, and Catering Lead.
2. Plans, assigns, reviews, and evaluates employee performance.
3. Participates in hiring, employee development, disciplinary actions, and workforce planning.
4. Coordinates employee schedules and staffing assignments.
5. Ensures staff receive required training and professional development.

Procurement Coordination

1. Coordinates food and supply ordering activities with purchasing staff and approved vendors.
2. Monitors inventory needs and utilization patterns to support procurement decisions.
3. Assists with forecasting, product evaluations, bid specifications, and implementation of approved products.
4. Supports compliance with federal procurement requirements and District purchasing procedures.

Financial and Administrative Responsibilities

1. Assists in preparing and monitoring operational budgets.
2. Monitors food, labor, transportation, and supply costs.
3. Reviews operational reports and performance metrics.
4. Maintains records required by federal, state, and District regulations.
5. Utilizes data to improve operational effectiveness and resource utilization.

Additional Duties

1. Attends meetings, workshops, conferences, and professional development activities.
2. Supports emergency feeding and disaster response operations.
3. Performs related duties as assigned.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

Production Operations

Meal production and distribution completion rates
Meal order fulfillment accuracy
Production forecasting effectiveness
Food waste reduction
Service continuity across all schools

Inventory Management

Inventory accuracy
Inventory turnover
USDA Foods accountability
Product loss prevention
Inventory reconciliation compliance

Warehouse Operations

Receiving efficiency
Product traceability
Storage compliance
Stock rotation effectiveness
Inventory accountability

Logistics and Distribution

On-time delivery performance
Delivery accuracy
Route efficiency
Operational reliability
School service satisfaction

Fleet Management

Preventative maintenance compliance
Vehicle availability
Safety and inspection compliance
Fleet utilization
Reduction in vehicle downtime

Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance

HACCP compliance
Successful inspections and audits
Corrective action completion
Recall readiness and traceability
Sanitation compliance

Financial Stewardship

Budget adherence
Labor cost management
Food cost management
Transportation cost management
Operational efficiency improvements

Workforce Management

Training compliance
Employee safety performance
Staffing effectiveness
Productivity measures
Employee retention and engagement

Customer Service and Operational Support

School support responsiveness
Internal customer satisfaction
Vendor relationship management
Communication effectiveness

Continuous Improvement

Process improvement initiatives
Operational efficiency gains
Data-driven decision making
Strategic goal achievement

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Bachelor's degree in Food Service Management, Nutrition, Business Administration, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or a related field.

Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in large-scale food service operations, quantity food production, warehouse management, logistics, supply chain operations, or institutional food service management.

Preferred:

School Nutrition Specialist (SNS) Credential
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
ServSafe Manager Certification
Experience with USDA Child Nutrition Programs
Experience in K-12 school nutrition operations

Must possess a valid South Carolina driver's license.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS REQUIRED

Physical Requirements

Must be physically able to operate a variety of office equipment, industrial kitchen equipment, warehouse equipment, delivery vehicles, and computer systems. Must be able to occasionally lift up to fifty (50) pounds and work in both warehouse and production environments.

Knowledge