School Nutrition Manager

Community Education Building; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite parking

Full benefits

Job summary

The Community Education Building (CEB) in Wilmington, DE, seeks a School Nutrition Manager to lead meal program operations. You will design menus, manage food costs, procurement, and vendor relationships while supervising Food Services staff and ensuring safety standards.

This full-time exempt role requires a commitment to nutritious, appealing meals and student-focused service, with onsite parking and full benefits included. Join a team dedicated to educational equity and community well-being.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in culinary arts or related field.
• Three years in school nutrition or high-volume food service.
• At least one year supervising food-service staff.
• Experience in menu planning, recipe development, and food-cost control.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and allergen controls.
• Proficiency with office and food-service systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain nutritious, appealing cycle menus.
• Create standardized recipes with yields and portions.
• Monitor food costs, inventory, and waste; implement corrective actions.
• Coordinate procurement, contracts, and vendor performance.
• Oversee daily food-service operations and ensure safety standards.
• Direct and coach Food Services Associates; manage staffing and training.
• Prepare reports and partner with stakeholders to improve meal experiences.

Skills

People leadership

Menu design

Food cost control

Vendor management

Communication

Food safety

Analytical skills

Education

Associate degree in culinary arts

Bachelor’s degree (preferred)

Tools

POS systems

Inventory software

Spreadsheets

Job description

Description

THE COMMUNITY EDUCATION BUILDING

The Community Education Building (CEB) is a nonprofit organization advancing educational equity by ensuring that students and families thrive regardless of race or zip code. Serving as a national model for whole-child, whole-family support, CEB operates an innovative co-location and shared services model that integrates high-quality education with comprehensive, educational and wraparound resources—including healthy meals, mental health services, life coaching, and family supports. Inspired by the Harlem Children's Zone, CEB functions as a vibrant hub in Wilmington's central business district, serving more than 2,000 students of color and their families. CEB removes barriers to learning, deepens family engagement, and drives academic and postsecondary success-ensuring every child from infancy to and through college or career has an equitable opportunity to thrive.

POSITION SUMMARY

The School Nutrition Manager leads the day-to-day planning and management of CEB's school meal program, ensuring students receive appealing, nutritious, cost-effective meals that meet organizational standards and applicable program requirements. Reporting to the Director of Culinary Services Team, this role creates menus and standardized recipes, manages food costs and waste, oversees procurement and vendor contracts, and supervises Food Services Associates. The manager combines culinary knowledge, financial discipline, operational leadership, and a commitment to responsive service for students and school communities. This is a full-time, exempt position eligible for full benefits including onsite parking.

Requirements

PERSONAL TRAITS AND STRENGTHS

• People leadership and staff development
• Culinary judgment and student-centered menu design
• Financial stewardship and analytical problem-solving
• Procurement, negotiation, and vendor management
• Planning, organization, and attention to detail
• Clear communication and collaborative relationship management
• Sound judgment, adaptability, and consistent follow-through
• Commitment to food safety, service quality, and continuous improvement
• Collaborative team player who supports CEB's mission and vision
• Maintains confidentiality related to personnel and student information

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate degree in culinary arts, food service management, nutrition, hospitality, business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Three years of progressively responsible experience in school nutrition, institutional food service, high-volume culinary operations, or a related environment.
• At least one year of experience supervising, leading, or training food-service employees.
• Demonstrated experience with menu planning, standardized recipe development, food-cost control, inventory management, procurement, and vendor coordination.
• Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen controls, production records, and high-volume meal service.
• Proficiency with common office and food-service systems, including spreadsheets, inventory or purchasing tools, and point-of-sale or production applications.
• Ability to obtain and maintain required food-safety certification within the timeframe established by CEB.
• Valid ServeSafe Certification
• Successful completion of required background checks

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nutrition, dietetics, culinary arts, hospitality, business, or a related field.
• Experience in a school nutrition program or other regulated child-nutrition setting.
• Experience managing competitive solicitations, contracts, and vendor performance.
• Current recognized food-protection manager certification and relevant school nutrition credentials.
• Experience using participation, cost, inventory, and waste data to improve program performance.

Physical and Work Requirements

• Work is performed primarily in commercial kitchen and school food-service environments, with exposure to heat, cold, noise, cleaning agents, and food allergens.
• Ability to stand and move for extended periods; bend, reach, and perform repetitive tasks; and lift or move items up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to work an operating schedule that may include early mornings and occasional evenings or special events.
• Regular travel among CEB sites and vendor locations may be required.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND OBJECTIVES

Menu Planning and Recipe Development

• Develop and maintain cycle menus that are nutritious, appealing, culturally responsive, operationally feasible, and aligned with budget expectations.
• Create, test, document, and update standardized recipes, including ingredients, yields, portion sizes, preparation methods, allergen information, and production instructions.
• Use student feedback, participation trends, seasonality, product availability, and program requirements to improve menu offerings.
• Coordinate menu changes and communicate clear production guidance to Food Services Associates and other stakeholders.

Food Cost and Waste Management

• Establish food-cost targets and monitor purchasing, inventory, production, participation, and cost-per-meal data.
• Analyze variances and implement corrective actions to control costs while protecting meal quality and nutritional value.
• Develop and maintain systems for forecasting, production planning, portion control, inventory rotation, and waste tracking.
• Lead practical food-waste reduction efforts and report trends, root causes, and results to the Director of Culinary Services Team.

Procurement and Contract Management

• Plan and coordinate procurement of food, supplies, small equipment, and related services in accordance with approved budgets and organizational procedures.
• Develop product specifications, compare bids and proposals, support vendor selection, and maintain purchasing documentation.
• Manage vendor relationships and contracts, including pricing, delivery performance, product quality, substitutions, service issues, renewals, and corrective action.
• Monitor market conditions and identify purchasing strategies that improve value, reliability, and menu consistency.
• Verify that orders, invoices, credits, and receiving records are accurate and resolve discrepancies promptly.

Operations, Food Safety, and Compliance

• Oversee daily food-service operations to support timely, consistent, and high-quality meal preparation and service.
• Maintain procedures for food safety, sanitation, allergen management, temperature control, recordkeeping, and incident response.
• Ensure menus, recipes, production records, procurement activities, and meal service practices comply with applicable organizational policies and school nutrition program requirements.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance and timely repair of kitchen equipment; elevate facility or safety concerns as needed.
• Maintain readiness for audits, inspections, and internal reviews, and implement corrective actions when required.

Supervision and Team Leadership

• Direct, schedule, coach, and support Food Services Associates to meet service, quality, safety, and productivity expectations.
• Assign work, monitor performance, provide timely feedback, and contribute to hiring, onboarding, performance management, and professional development.
• Conduct regular team meetings and training on recipes, production standards, food safety, customer service, equipment use, and waste reduction.
• Promote a respectful, inclusive, accountable, and collaborative work environment.
• Plan staffing coverage and adjust assignments in response to enrollment, participation, absences, special events, and operational priorities.

Planning, Communication, and Continuous Improvement

• Prepare and review operating reports, budgets, forecasts, inventories, purchasing records, and performance measures.
• Partner with school leaders, staff, students, families, and vendors to respond to needs and improve the meal experience.
• Identify operational risks and opportunities, recommend solutions, and lead approved process improvements.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Director of Culinary Services Team.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The CEB is an equal opportunity employer. We will extend equal opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Our policy reflects and affirms the CEB's commitment to the principles of fair employment and the elimination of all discriminatory practices.