Food Service Director

Aramark; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Aramark is seeking a Food Service Director to lead dining operations for school nutrition programs. You will mentor teams, manage menus, and align operations with Aramark standards to deliver high-quality meals and service.

You will oversee budgets, drive cost controls, and ensure safety, sanitation and regulatory compliance across sites while building strong relationships with clients and districts.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 4 years of overall experience and 1-3 years in a management role.
• Experience in food service is required.
• Strong communication skills and customer service focus.
• Ability to build client rapport and collaborate with other departments.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, engage and develop teams, including recruiting, training and performance management.
• Ensure connected to the Executional Framework and drive safety and sanitation standards.
• Identify client needs and communicate operational progress effectively.
• Build revenue, manage budgets, and control costs for food, beverage and labor.
• Oversee production, distribution and overall food service operations.
• Coordinate unit personnel regarding production, merchandising, quality and cost control.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Customer service

Budgeting

Food service experience

Client relations

Team development

Physical stamina

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Job Description

Aramark Student Nutrition provides food and nutrition services to over 350 school districts in the U.S. It offers public and private education institutions a variety of dining options including breakfast and lunch programs, after-school snacks, catering, nutrition education and retail operations. We partner with schools to create culinary experiences that propel students to success. Our goal is to provide healthy, nutritional meals with a stellar dining experience for our communities. For more information on Aramark's Student Nutrition Food Service Programs, please visit Aramark Student Nutrition

The Food Service Director is a management position responsible for developing and executing dining solutions to meet customer needs and tastes. Oversees and manages dining operations where customers order prepared foods from a menu.

Job Responsibilities

Leadership

• Lead, mentor, engage and develop teams to maximize their contributions, including recruiting, assessing, training, coaching and managing performance
• Ensure food services appropriately connects to the Executional Framework
• Coach employees by creating a shared understanding about what needs to be achieved and how to execute
• Reward and recognize employees
• Ensure safety and sanitation standards in all operations

Client Relationship

• Identify client needs and effectively communicate operational progress

Financial Performance

• Adopt Aramark process and systems
• Build revenue and manage budget, including cost controls regarding food, beverage and labor
• Ensure the completion and maintenance of P&L statements
• Achieve food and labor targets
• Manage resources to ensure quality and cost control within budgetary guidelines

Productivity

• Implement and maintain Aramark agenda for both labor and food initiatives
• Create value through efficient operations, appropriate cost controls and profit management
• Full compliance with Operational Excellence fundamentals, including food and labor
• Direct and oversee operations related to production, distribution and food service

Compliance

• Maintain a safe and healthy environment for clients, customers and employees
• Comply with all applicable policies, rules and regulations, including but not limited to those relating to safety, health, wage and hour

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain systems and procedures for the ordering, receiving, storing, preparing and serving of food related products, as well as menu planning and development
• Develops operational component forecasts and can explain variances. Responsible for components accounting functions.
• Ensures that requirements for appropriate sanitation and safety levels in respective areas are met
• Coordinates and supervises unit personnel regarding production, merchandising, quality and cost control, labor management and employee training
• Recruits, hires, develops and retains front line team.
• Conducts period inventory
• Maintains records to comply with ARAMARK, government and accrediting agency standards
• Interacts with Client Management and maintains effective client and customer relations at all levels with client organization
• May participate in sales process and negotiation of contracts
• Looks for opportunities to implement new products and services which support sales growth and client retention

Qualifications

• Requires at least 4 years of experience
• Requires at least 1-3 years of experience in a management role
• Requires previous experience in food service
• Requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to develop and maintain effective client and customer rapport for mutually beneficial business relationships
• Ability to demonstrate excellent customer service using Aramark's standard model
• Ability to maintain an effective working relationship with other departments to a unified food service experience for all customers
• Requires occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling up to 50 lb.
• Must be able to stand for extended periods of time.

About Aramark

Our Mission

Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet.

At Aramark, we believe that every employee should enjoy equal employment opportunity and be free to participate in all aspects of the company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by applicable law.

About Aramark

The people of Aramark proudly serve millions of guests every day through food and facilities in 15 countries around the world. Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. We believe a career should develop your talents, fuel your passions, and empower your professional growth. So, no matter what you're pursuing - a new challenge, a sense of belonging, or just a great place to work - our focus is helping you reach your full potential. Learn more about working here at http://www.aramarkcareers.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.