School Nutrition & Compliance Coordinator

ZipRecruiter; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dedicated Nutrition Program Manager to oversee school district nutrition services. This role ensures compliance with federal and state guidelines while developing nutritious meal plans that cater to the diverse needs of students. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership in food service management, foster collaboration with various stakeholders, and implement innovative nutrition education programs. Join a supportive environment that promotes professional growth and a healthy work-life balance, making a meaningful impact on the community's well-being.

Benefits

Medical, Dental & Vision

401k with matching

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Paid Unused Sick Time

Company Paid Holidays

Public Transportation Benefits

Annual Credit for Shoes

Free Meals

Paid Life & AD&D Insurance

Bi-annual Training and Development Conference

Qualifications

• Requires Registered Dietitian (RD) credential or RD-eligibility.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in food service management.
• Experience in developing and managing budgets.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning and evaluation of nutrition programs.
• Manage compliance reporting and audits.
• Lead menu planning and recipe management.

Skills

Client Relations

Food Safety Leadership

Budget Management

Menu Planning

Team Leadership

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

MS Office Proficiency

English Proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition or Dietetics

Master’s Degree in Nutrition or Dietetics

Tools

Proprietary Menu Planning Software

Job description

Job DescriptionJob Description

Our Promise

Balance - Quest fosters a fun, supportive environment that puts people first and strives for both culinary excellence and enduring relationships. Our flexible work opportunities encourage a healthy life balance for all of our valued team members.

Meaning - Quest believes that every aspect of what we do has significance, and therefore, our food is fresh and made from scratch, using high quality and responsibly sourced ingredients. We nourish our communities with wholesome meals and through our genuine and personal connections.

Recognition - Quest provides competitive compensation and benefits, and celebrates the fulfillment of our collective values at all levels of the organization. We support professional growth through training, development and access to highly visible leadership.

Position Summary

Responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the school district's nutrition programs, ensuring that all services meet federal, state, and local regulatory requirements. This role leads the development of nutritious, appealing, and cost-effective meal plans while maintaining strict adherence to USDA guidelines, food safety standards, and wellness policies. Manages compliance reporting, audits, staff training, and budgeting, while fostering a culture of health and wellness across the school community. Collaboration with school administrators, food service staff, parents, and external agencies is essential to ensure the success and integrity of the district’s food service operations. This district has 15 locations and approximately 12,000 students.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Cascades the vision of Quest Food Management Services ensuring the Quest vision, values and founding principles are effectively communicated, understood and practiced.
• Demonstrates commitment to Quest vision, values and missions through actions on a daily basis.
• Creates a customer-focused climate and provides quality services and support to schools and other stakeholders.
• Designs menus and recipes that meet federal nutrition guidelines, incorporating feedback from students, parents, and staff.
• Track and manage allocated commodity ordering and utilization in monthly menus.
• Supports planning and execution of student taste testing’s.
• Manages student special diet and allergy requests and coordinates with families and school staff to ensure proper accommodations.
• Ensures food service operations meet safety, nutrition, and quality standards; provides recommended improvements.
• Supports staff training, identifies training needs, and monitors performance.
• Leads menu planning and recipe management using proprietary software.
• Collaborates with culinary personnel in strategic purchasing and recipe execution.
• Supports the development and execution of student nutrition education programs.
• Conducts internal audits and monitors district compliance with USDA requirements for school nutrition programs.
• Works with various Quest team members on initiatives like sustainability, local foods, and wellness programs.

Job Requirements/Specifications

• Requires Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, or related field. Master’s degree .
• Requires Registered Dietitian (RD) credential or RD-eligibility with requirement of passing RD exam within 6 months of hire.
• Requires ServSafe Manager certification or ability to pass ServSafe Manager exam within 3 months of hire. ServSafe Instructor and Proctor certifications .
• K-12 food service experience strongly
• Minimum 3 years of experience in food service management
• Experience in developing and managing budgets
• Experience in food safety leadership within a food service or restaurant environment
• Experience in building and leading a high performing team
• Strong client relations experience
• Proficient in MS Office
• Strong knowledge of the food service and hospitality industry
• Requires extensive hours at times and frequent local travel
• Responsible for meeting and maintaining state and local certification requirements (Food Service Manager)

Essential Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to Quest vision, values and mission through actions on a daily basis
• Ability to maintain professionalism and a positive attitude in the workplace
• Demonstrated skill with developing long-term strategic plans and lead/participate in short-term operational implementation (ability to be both strategic and tactical)
• Keen analytic, organization and problem solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to consistently communicate a clear understanding of internal and external customer expectations and adapt as appropriate to exceed their needs
• Proven ability to focus attention on determining what can be done to make progress
• Proven skill to anticipates the needs of coworkers and proactively assists them to meet a common goal
• Demonstrated ability to understand and determine priorities, effectively manage time and develop work plans in order to accomplish tasks and/or projects

Skills

• Ability to read, write and speak English

Full Time Benefits

Medical, Dental & Vision
401k with matching
PTO
Paid Unused Sick Time
(8) Company Paid Holidays
Public Transportation Benefits PreTax Savings Plan
Shoes for Crews $40.00 Annual Credit
Free Meals
Paid Life & AD&D Insurance
Bi-annual Training and Development Conference
Quest University Learning & Development
Career Path Growth and more!

Quest Food Management Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.