Interim Food Service Director

QUEST FOOD MANAGEMENT SERVICES•Chicago, IL

19h

About The Position

The Interim Food Service Director leads Quest Food Management Services’ nutrition and guest experience efforts, providing vision, leadership, and strategic guidance. The role communicates and advances Quest’s vision, values, and founding principles while managing assigned company locations and team members. The director develops Quest’s food experience—including recipes, menus, concepts, and merchandising—and establishes systems and processes to ensure those experiences are operationally and financially executable. The role advances nutrition and wellness, supports purchasing, leads food safety and sanitation efforts, contributes to corporate marketing and sales strategies, and serves as Quest’s internal sustainability subject matter expert. The director also provides hands-on support for special events, account-level management coverage, and sales and marketing efforts for account retention and acquisition. This role requires extensive hours at times and frequent local travel, as well as meeting and maintaining state and local Food Service Manager certification requirements. The work takes place in a kitchen environment and may involve exposure to odors, noise, heat, steam, walk-in freezers, and cleaning chemicals and detergents.

Requirements

Education or equivalent work experience in dietetics, nutrition, hospitality management, or a related field.
Three years of experience in food service management.
Experience developing and managing budgets.
Experience in food safety leadership in a food service or restaurant environment.
Experience building and leading a high-performing team.
Strong client relations experience.
Proficiency in MS Office.
Strong knowledge of the food service and hospitality industry.
Ability to read, write, and speak English.
Ability to develop long-term strategic plans and lead or participate in short-term operational implementation.
Analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to understand customer expectations, adapt, and work to exceed needs.
Ability to determine priorities, manage time, and develop work plans.
Ability to maintain professionalism and a positive attitude.
Ability to anticipate coworkers’ needs and proactively assist them toward common goals.
Ability to fulfill office activities, including computer-based work, filing, and lifting and carrying office supplies.
Ability to meet the role’s physical demands, including frequent standing, walking, sitting, hand use, and reaching; occasional lifting or moving of up to 20–25 pounds; and fine hand manipulation.

Nice To Haves

K12 food service experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Communicate and ensure the practice of Quest’s vision, values, and founding principles.
Manage staff, including selection, work allocation, training, coaching, mentoring, problem resolution, performance evaluation, feedback, and corrective action.
Develop Quest’s food experience, including its food brand, recipes, menus, concepts, and merchandising.
Develop systems and processes to ensure food experiences are operationally and financially executable.
Advance Quest’s nutritional standards in recipe, menu, and brand development.
Provide nutrition and wellness expertise, including customer nutrition counseling, operational guidance regarding dietary needs, and nutrition and allergen information.
Support purchasing efforts to align product selection with Quest’s food experience.
Lead food safety and sanitation efforts to ensure meals are served with attention to guest safety.
Provide leadership in corporate marketing and sales strategies.
Serve as Quest’s internal sustainability subject matter expert, identifying onsite sustainability solutions with clients and participating in industry best practices.
Provide hands-on support for special events and cover gaps in management presence at accounts.
Support sales and marketing efforts for account retention and acquisition.
Meet and maintain state and local Food Service Manager certification requirements.