General Manager

Whitsons Culinary Group; Hartford, Northern (CT, KY); Hybrid; USD 78,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance bonus opportunities

Health, dental, and vision benefits

Family-friendly schedule

Paid holidays and retirement plans

Job summary

Whitsons Culinary Group in Hartford, CT is seeking a Food Service General Manager to lead a school nutrition program, delivering nutritious, student-centered meals and building a collaborative kitchen culture.

You will manage daily operations, budgeting, compliance with NSLP/SBP, staffing, and vendor relationships, while fostering growth, equity, and quality in a mission-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a field such as food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, or related area.
• State-recognised school nutrition director certificate or 1 year relevant food service experience (alternative).
• Associate’s degree with 1 year relevant food service experience or equivalent.
• High school diploma with 3 years relevant food service experience.

Responsibilities

• Inspire and lead the food service team to deliver nutritious meals to students and staff.
• Oversee daily operations, including scheduling, inventory, compliance, and food safety.
• Partner with school staff to align meals with student health and learning goals.
• Ensure compliance with NSLP, SBP and other guidelines.
• Manage budgets, staffing, and vendor relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

P&L Management

Food Safety

Staff Development

Communication

Operations Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

School nutrition director certificate (state-recognised)

Associate’s degree + 1 year experience

High school diploma + 3 years experience

Tools

POS platforms

Scheduling software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Food Service General Manager - Lead with Purpose in School Nutrition!

Are you a food service leader who’s passionate about people, operations, and purpose? Join our school nutrition team as a Food Service General Manager and take the lead in a mission-driven kitchen that fuels young minds and futures.

What You'll Do:

• Inspire and lead the food service team to deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to students and staff
• Oversee all aspects of daily operations: scheduling, inventory, compliance, and food safety
• Partner with school staff to ensure meals support student health, learning, and well-being
• Ensure compliance with state and federal child nutrition program guidelines (NSLP, SBP, etc.)
• Manage budgets, staffing, vendor relationships, and performance goals
• Foster a positive, student-centered, and inclusive kitchen culture
• 3-5 years of experience in food service management (K-12 or institutional preferred)
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills
• Knowledge of USDA school meal guidelines and food safety regulations
• A hands-on leader who builds strong teams and models accountability
• ServSafe certification (or ability to obtain)

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary + performance bonus opportunities
• Family-friendly schedule – no nights or weekends
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• Paid holidays, time off, and retirement plans
• A chance to shape a food program that supports learning, growth, and equity

About Us:

At Whitsons, we believe that every school meal is an opportunity to fuel success. As our General Manager, you’ll lead a team dedicated to serving nutritious, student-approved meals with care, efficiency, and pride. Your leadership will help create a kitchen that’s more than a workplace—it’s a hub of health, learning, and community.

$78,000 - $81,000

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES :

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business, or s imilar OR
• Bachelor’s degree in any field plus either a state-recognised school nutrition director certificate or at least 1 year of relevant food service experience OR
• Associate’s degree in a related field plus at least 1 year of relevant food service experience OR
• High school diploma/equivalency plus at least 3 years of relevant food service experience

Experience

• Minimum 5-7 years of progressive experience in restaurant or food service operations
• Minimum 3-5 years of general management experience with full P&L responsibility
• 3 years’ experience in Food Service Management as a Manager/Director required .
• Minimum 1 year experience in K-12 programs required

Certifications and Training :

• ServSafe Mandatory – Local food safety certification if required in jurisdiction of employment. Must be knowledgeable of all local health and food safety ordinances.
• Additional management or hospitality certifications a plus
• Yearly mandatory training in accordance with USDA Professional Standards require ments as well as mandatory Whitsons training requirements

Technical Proficiency

• Strong business acumen including financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and P&L management
• Proficiency in POS platforms, scheduling software, and reporting tools
• Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) for business planning, analysis, and communication
• Understanding of marketing strategies, and customer relationship management as they relate to school nutrition dining

Other Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in driving sales growth, controlling costs, and achieving profitability targets
• Proven track record of building and leading high-performant teams
• Experience in multi-unit oversight or area management a plus
• Working knowledge of cooking procedures and recipe adherence and scaling
• Bi-langu al in Spanish highly desirable

Core Competencies

• Financial Acumen & Cost Management: Manages location-level budgets, P&L, and cost controls — including food cost, labor, and operating expenses — to consistently achieve financial targets and sustain profitability.
• Operational Leadership: Directs all daily operations including production, procurement, inventory, and quality control with a disciplined focus on efficiency, consistency, and brand standards.
• People Leadership & Team Development: Recruits, develops, and retains high-performant teams by providing clear direction, consistent coaching, and a supportive work environment aligned with company values.
• Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance: Ensures all location operations meet or exceed HACCP standards, health codes, sanitation requirements, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations at all times .
• Guest & Client Experience: Builds and sustains strong client and guest relationships through consistent service quality, proactive communication, and a commitment to exceeding expectations.
• Sales, Marketing & Community Engagement: Executes company marketing initiatives and develops local partnerships and community relationships to grow participation, increase revenue, and strengthen brand presence.
• Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement: Maintains rigorous internal audit readiness, monitors quality metrics, and drives year-over-year operational improvements across food production, service, and compliance standards.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER DETAILS

Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full‑time exempt position. The role requires availability during all operational hours as needed, As an exempt position, it is expected that Team Member will devote whatever time necessary to accomplish the goals and responsibilities. This may require extended work hours and flexible scheduling to meet business demands.

This position is aligned with the assigned school district calendar; however, the General Manager is expected to schedule vacation and other planned time off during school closures whenever possible to minimize disruption to operations. Work schedules are determined by the operational needs of the account. At locations where summer feeding programs or other summer operations are offered, the General Manager will be expected to work during the summer months as required to support the needs of the business.

80% of the workday is expected to be in schools observing and supporting the team. Some travel may be required for corporate meetings, training, conferences, or multi- location support. The role requires daily onsite presence at the location to manage operations and staff effectively. Travel throughout school district will be required . All approved travel and related expenses will be covered by the Company. These expectations may evolve based on business needs.

Physical Demands of the Job:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear throughout the facility. The role requires extended periods of standing and walking during operational oversight. The employee must occasionally be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee must be able to work in varying conditions throughout the facility including office areas and operational spaces. Work is primarily hands on during mealtimes with office work occurring before and after mealtimes.

The work is performed in a restaurant/food service environment including both office and operational areas. The work environment includes varying noise levels from moderate in offices to loud during peak operational periods, exposure to varying temperatures, and frequent interaction with staff, customers, and vendors. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work and duties that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duty does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, or a logical assignment to the position, and the Company reserves the right to add additional duties or modify existing duties.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 6:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Salary Target

$78,000 - $81,000