General Manager- East Aurora School Nutrition

Whitsons Culinary Group•Aurora, IL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

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. 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.

Requirements

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)
Bachelors degree or equivalent with concentration in food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business or a related field. OR Bachelors degree or equivalent with any academic major AND a state recognized certificate in food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, or business. OR Associates degree or equivalent with concentration in food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business or a related field AND at least one year of relevant school nutrition programs experience. OR High School diploma or GED AND at least Five (5) years experience in school nutrition programs.
ServSafe Mandatory– Local food safety certification if required in jurisdiction of employment. Must be knowledgeable of all local health and food safety ordinances.
Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications is required.
Must be able to communicate electronically through use of email and other similar computer platforms.
Able to learn new programs easily and quickly.
3 years’ experience in Food Service Management as a Manager/Director required.
Minimum 1 year experience in K‐12 programs required. Strong interest in school nutrition program development.
Culinary background is required ‐ Must have a passion and an interest in food
Communication: Effectively write, present and transfer ideas and information for the advancement of individual and company performance.
Customer Focus: Act in the best interest of the customer, both internal and external.
Innovation: Create new ideas, processes or products which when implemented lead to positive effective change.
Organization Leadership: Apply strategic thinking, prioritization and decision-making to drive results.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual Spanish speaking is preferred.

Responsibilities

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
Working knowledge of cooking procedures and recipe adherence and scaling.
Demonstrated experience developing talent and managing multiple priorities
Use “critical thinking” skills in order to resolve problems or would result in improving program overall.
Effectively communicate verbally, electronically and written with clients, parents, students and support staff.
Excellent time management and organizational skills