General Manager - Downers Grove School Nutrition

Whitsons Culinary Group•Berkeley, IL

10h•$68,000 - $70,000•Onsite

About The Position

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)
Experience managing satellite meal programs within a large K–12 school district environment.
Demonstrated knowledge of bulk food production, transportation logistics, meal holding standards, and satellite service procedures.
Experience coordinating production schedules and delivery timelines to ensure accurate meal counts and on-time service across multiple schools.
Ability to manage operational consistency between multiple production kitchens while maintaining USDA and state compliance standards.
Experience supervising staff across both production and satellite serving locations.
Knowledge of HACCP procedures, temperature control, food safety, and transportation documentation for satellite meal service.
Experience with inventory coordination, ordering, and distribution of food and supplies to multiple district locations.
Strong organizational and communication skills to support seamless operations between central kitchens, drivers, and elementary satellite sites.
Bachelor’s degree in a related field OR Bachelor’s degree in any field plus a state-recognized school nutrition director certificate OR Bachelor’s degree in any field plus at least 2 years of relevant school nutrition program experience OR Associate’s degree in a related field plus at least 2 years of relevant school nutrition program experience
Minimum 5-7 years of progressive experience in food service operations management
Minimum 3-5 years of general management experience with full P&L responsibility
3 years’ experience in Food Service Management as a Manager/Director required.
Minimum 1 years experience in K-12 programs required
ServSafe Mandatory– Local food safety certification if required in jurisdiction of employment. Must be knowledgeable of all local health and food safety ordinances.
Yearly mandatory training in accordance with USDA Professional Standards requirements as well as mandatory Whitsons training requirements
Strong business acumen including financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and P&L management
Proficiency in POS platforms, scheduling software, and reporting tools
Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) for business planning, analysis, and communication
Understanding of marketing strategies, and customer relationship management as they relate to school nutrition dining
Demonstrated success in driving sales growth, controlling costs, and achieving profitability targets
Proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams
Working knowledge of cooking procedures and recipe adherence and scaling

Nice To Haves

Additional management or hospitality certifications a plus
Experience in multi-unit oversight or area management a plus
Bi-lingual in Spanish highly desirable

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
Oversight of multi-site food service operations with LUNCH meals produced from two central kitchens and distributed to 11 elementary school locations. Must have satellite service experience. No breakfast service.
Monitor participation trends, forecast meal counts, and communicate effectively between production sites and satellite schools.
Manages location-level budgets, P&L, and cost controls — including food cost, labor, and operating expenses — to consistently achieve financial targets and sustain profitability.
Directs all daily operations including production, procurement, inventory, and quality control with a disciplined focus on efficiency, consistency, and brand standards.
Recruits, develops, and retains high-performing teams by providing clear direction, consistent coaching, and a supportive work environment aligned with company values.
Ensures all location operations meet or exceed HACCP standards, health codes, sanitation requirements, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations at all times.
Builds and sustains strong client and guest relationships through consistent service quality, proactive communication, and a commitment to exceeding expectations.
Executes company marketing initiatives and develops local partnerships and community relationships to grow participation, increase revenue, and strengthen brand presence.
Maintains rigorous internal audit readiness, monitors quality metrics, and drives year-over-year operational improvements across food production, service, and compliance standards.