Assistant General Manager - Ashton School Nutrition

Whitsons Culinary Group•Ashton, IL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant General Manager supports the General Manager in overseeing day-to-day operations across multiple school kitchens. The role helps lead teams preparing and serving nutritious, high-quality meals, and supports scheduling, inventory, food safety, compliance with USDA nutrition programs, budgeting, cost management, and effective use of commodities. The Assistant General Manager serves as a key contact for school staff and clients when the General Manager is absent, trains and mentors team members, and helps maintain audit and inspection readiness. The position requires a strong on-site presence, with approximately 80% of the day spent supporting teams in schools. The role contributes to operational execution, financial accountability, team development, food safety and NSLP compliance, client relations, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous improvement. Daily on-site presence at operational locations is required, and travel may be needed for training, conferences, or multi-location coordination. The position is full-time and exempt, with availability required during operational hours. Although the introductory description mentions a Monday-through-Friday, no-nights-or-weekends schedule, the detailed work-hours section states that nights, weekends, and holidays may be required and that extended hours may be necessary. Work takes place in kitchens, restaurant facilities, and/or office environments. Conditions may include moderate to loud noise, fast-paced activity, exposure to cleaning chemicals and kitchen equipment, and varying temperatures, including kitchen heat and refrigeration cold. The job requires standing and walking for extended periods, frequent bending, reaching, and lifting, and manual dexterity for handling equipment and operational systems.

Requirements

At least 3 years of food service management experience.
At least 1 year of experience in K–12 programs.
Education qualification through one of the listed alternatives: a bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a concentration or certificate in a relevant field; an associate degree or equivalent in a relevant field plus at least 1 year of relevant school nutrition programs experience; or a high school diploma plus at least 5 years of school nutrition programs experience.
Relevant fields include food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, or business.
ServSafe certification is mandatory; local food safety certification is required where applicable. The introductory description also says certification may be obtained, while the required qualifications section marks it mandatory.
Knowledge of local health and food safety ordinances.
Culinary background and a strong interest in food.
Working knowledge of cooking procedures, recipe adherence, and recipe scaling.
Knowledge of USDA meal programs and local health department guidelines.
Strong communication, leadership, and time-management skills.
Ability to multitask, think critically, and solve problems while working.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and Outlook, and email communication.
Knowledge of restaurant operations, point-of-sale systems, and reservation management software such as OpenTable.
Proficiency in budgeting, financial reporting, cost analysis, profit margins, and revenue optimization strategies.
Understanding of labor laws, employment regulations, and compliance requirements related to employee management and workplace safety.
Ability to meet the physical demands of extended standing and walking, frequent bending and reaching, and occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds and frequent lifting and carrying up to 25 pounds, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.
Availability during operational hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays, and ability to work extended hours as necessary.
Ability to maintain daily on-site presence at operational locations and travel for work-related needs.

Nice To Haves

Spanish-speaking or bilingual Spanish ability is a plus; bilingual Spanish is described as highly desirable.
Experience in a K–12 or institutional setting is preferred.

Responsibilities

Support the General Manager in overseeing daily operations across multiple school kitchens.
Help lead teams preparing and serving nutritious, high-quality meals to students.
Assist with scheduling, inventory, food safety, and compliance with USDA nutrition programs, including NSLP and SBP.
Serve as a key contact for school staff and clients when the General Manager is absent.
Train, mentor, and support team members and promote a positive, productive kitchen culture.
Monitor budgetary goals, help manage costs, and support effective use of commodities.
Assist with audits and inspections and maintain kitchen readiness for review.
Provide hands-on, on-site support to school teams; approximately 80% of the day is expected to be spent in schools.
Support production, food safety, inventory, service delivery, and consistent operational execution.
Monitor food costs, labor costs, and operating expenses to support budget adherence.
Maintain working knowledge of HACCP standards, USDA regulations, NSLP requirements, and applicable health codes.
Represent the program professionally and maintain responsive communication and consistent service quality.
Support the General Manager across financial, operational, and administrative functions and step into leadership as needed.
Identify operational gaps, reinforce training, support audit readiness, and contribute to continuous improvement.
Travel for training, conferences, or multi-location coordination as needed.
Devote the time necessary to accomplish the position’s goals and responsibilities, including extended hours when needed.