General Manager - School Nutrition

whitsonsculinarygroup; Fairfield (CT); On-site; USD 82,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Paid holidays

Time off

Retirement plans

Family-friendly schedule

Performance bonuses

Job summary

Whitsons Culinary Group is hiring a Food Service General Manager for our school nutrition program. You will lead a mission-driven kitchen, delivering nutritious meals to students and staff with a focus on quality, safety, and service.

As a hands-on leader, you’ll manage budgets, staffing, and compliance while building strong partnerships with school teams and vendors to drive profitability and program impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent
• State-recognized school nutrition director certificate or equivalent
• Bachelor’s degree + 2 years relevant school nutrition experience or Associate’s + 2 years
• ServSafe certification or ability to obtain
• Minimum 5–7 years in food service operations management
• Minimum 3–5 years general management with P&L responsibility
• 3 years’ experience in Food Service Management as a Manager/Director
• 1 year experience in K-12 programs

Responsibilities

• Inspire and lead the food service team to deliver nutritious meals
• Oversee daily operations: scheduling, inventory, compliance, and food safety
• Partner with school staff to support student health and learning
• Ensure compliance with NSLP, SBP and other guidelines
• Manage budgets, staffing, vendor relationships, and performance goals
• Foster a positive, student-centered kitchen culture

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organizational skills

Financial acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

State-recognized school nutrition director certificate

Bachelor’s degree + 2 years school nutrition experience

Associate’s degree + 2 years school nutrition experience

Tools

POS platforms

Scheduling software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Food Service General Manager – Lead with Purpose in School Nutrition!
School Dining Leadership

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

We’re Looking For:

• 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.

$82,000 -$85,000

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field OR

• Bachelor’s degree in any field plus a state-recognized school nutrition director certificate OR

• Bachelor’s degree in any field plus at least 2 years of relevant school nutrition program experience OR

• Associate’s degree in a related field plus at least 2 years of relevant school nutrition program experience

Experience

• Minimum 5-7 years of progressive experience in food service operations management
• 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 requirements 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-performing teams
• Experience in multi-unit oversight or area management a plus
• Working knowledge of cooking procedures and recipe adherence and scaling
• Bi-lingu 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-performing 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.

Travel & Onsite Expectations

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.

Work Environment:

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.