General Manager - Maynard School Nutrition

Whitsons Culinary Group • Maynard, MA

1d • $1,575 - $1,800 • Onsite

About The Position

The General Manager leads a school nutrition food service operation, managing its staff and daily operations while ensuring students and staff receive nutritious, high-quality meals. The role oversees scheduling, inventory, food safety, compliance, production, procurement, quality control, budgets, staffing, vendor relationships, and performance goals. The General Manager partners with school staff and builds a positive, student-centered, inclusive kitchen culture.

The position is accountable for location-level financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, P&L management, cost control, sales growth, and profitability. It also includes team recruitment, development, and retention; client and guest relationships; marketing and community engagement; and ongoing quality assurance and operational improvement. Operations must comply with HACCP standards, health and sanitation codes, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including child nutrition program guidelines such as NSLP and SBP.

This is a full-time exempt position aligned with the assigned school district calendar. The General Manager must be available during operational hours and devote the time necessary to meet business needs, which may include extended hours and flexible scheduling. Planned time off should generally be scheduled during school closures. Summer work may be required where summer feeding or other summer operations are offered. Daily onsite presence is required, with about 80% of the workday spent in schools supporting and observing the team. Travel within the school district and occasional travel for corporate meetings, training, conferences, or multi-location support may be required; approved travel expenses are covered.

Work takes place in a restaurant or food service environment, including office and operational areas, with varying noise levels and temperatures and frequent interaction with staff, customers, and vendors. The work is primarily hands-on during mealtimes, with office work before and after meals. The position requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, talking, and hearing; extended standing and walking; and occasional lifting or moving of up to 50 pounds.

Requirements

• Meet one of the stated education and experience pathways: a related bachelor's degree; any bachelor's degree plus a state-recognized school nutrition director certificate or at least one year of relevant food service experience; a related associate degree plus at least one year of relevant food service experience; or a high school diploma/equivalency plus at least three years of relevant food service experience.
• Have a minimum of 5–7 years of progressive restaurant or food service operations experience.
• Have a minimum of 3–5 years of general management experience with full P&L responsibility.
• Have three years of food service management experience as a manager or director.
• Have at least one year of experience in K–12 programs.
• Hold mandatory ServSafe certification and any local food safety certification required in the jurisdiction; be knowledgeable about local health and food safety ordinances.
• Complete yearly training required by USDA Professional Standards and mandatory Whitsons training requirements.
• Demonstrate business acumen in financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and P&L management.
• Be proficient with POS platforms, scheduling software, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Understand marketing strategies and customer relationship management as they relate to school nutrition dining.
• Demonstrate success in driving sales growth, controlling costs, and achieving profitability targets.
• Have a proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams.
• Have working knowledge of cooking procedures, recipe adherence, and recipe scaling.
• Be able to meet the role's physical demands, including extended standing and walking and occasional lifting or moving of up to 50 pounds, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.
• Be available during operational hours and as needed for extended hours, flexible scheduling, onsite work, and required travel.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in K–12 or institutional food service management.
• Additional management or hospitality certifications.
• Experience in multi-unit oversight or area management.
• Bilingual Spanish skills.

Responsibilities

• Inspire and lead the food service team in delivering nutritious, high-quality meals to students and staff.
• Oversee daily operations, including scheduling, production, procurement, inventory, quality control, and food safety.
• Partner with school staff to ensure meals support student health, learning, and well-being.
• Ensure compliance with child nutrition program guidelines, HACCP standards, health codes, sanitation requirements, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Manage location-level budgets, staffing, vendor relationships, financial performance, and operational goals.
• Drive sales growth, control costs, and achieve profitability targets.
• Recruit, develop, coach, and retain high-performing teams, fostering a supportive, accountable, student-centered kitchen culture.
• Build and maintain client and guest relationships through service quality and proactive communication.
• Execute marketing initiatives and develop local partnerships and community relationships to grow participation and revenue.
• Maintain audit readiness, monitor quality metrics, and drive continuous operational improvement.
• Support operations onsite at school locations and travel throughout the school district as required.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Performance bonus opportunities.
• Family-friendly schedule with no nights or weekends, as described in the introductory benefits section.
• Health, dental, and vision benefits.
• Paid holidays and time off.
• Retirement plans.
• Approved travel and related expenses covered by the company.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager