Food & Nutrition Field Project Manager, hospitals

Compass Group•Detroit, MI

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Food & Nutrition Project Manager (also referred to as Project Engineer) is an experienced, highly adaptable foodservice operations professional who functions as an “operator without a portfolio.” This role provides flexible, high-impact support across new, prospective, and existing accounts. This position is responsible for leading and supporting a wide range of operational initiatives, including client site assessments, start-ups, operational audits, process improvements, training, and troubleshooting. The Project Manager plays a critical role in driving operational excellence, client satisfaction, and business retention. This is a hands-on, field-based role requiring significant travel and flexibility, combining operations leadership, project management, and technical execution with strong visibility across the business.

Requirements

Associate degree required; Bachelor’s preferred or equivalent experience
5+ years of Food & Nutrition or foodservice management experience
Healthcare foodservice experience strongly preferred
Proven ability to lead operations in high-volume, fast-paced environments
Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
Technically proficient in Smartsheet, Excel, and reporting tools
Highly organized with strong attention to detail and follow-through
Strong communication skills, including ability to support executive-level discussions and documentation
Hands-on, flexible leadership style
Ability to travel up to 90% with the regions and work a flexible schedule

Responsibilities

Support new account start-ups, transitions, and operational rollouts
Conduct site assessments and operational audits; identify gaps and implement improvement plans
Re-engineer existing operations to improve quality, efficiency, and financial performance
Build strong client relationships and support satisfaction and retention efforts
Partner with Regional Vice President on strategic initiatives and project execution
Attend meetings, capture notes, and translate discussions into clear action plans and deliverables
Develop and manage project plans, timelines, and trackers to ensure accountability and follow-through
Utilize tools such as Smartsheet and Excel to track progress, manage workflows, and report results
Analyze operational data (census, volume, staffing) to support decision-making and staffing models
Train and support onsite leadership teams; reinforce standards and best practices
Provide hands-on support in the field, including troubleshooting and performance improvement