New York State School Food Operations Specialist

Chef Ann Foundation•New York, NY

11h•$66,027 - $89,215•Remote

About The Position

The School Food Operations Specialist is part of the New York State School Food Operations Program at the Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) and reports to the Senior School Food Operations Specialist. The role provides technical support and programmatic guidance to school districts partnering with Sullivan 180 in Sullivan County and participating in New York Healthy School Food Pathways programs. The specialist helps districts advance scratch cooking and sustainable practices through expertise in USDA regulations, procurement, and food service operations, delivering assistance virtually and on site. The role reviews operational content, provides targeted feedback, and guides district teams across five core areas: food, finance, facilities, human resources, and marketing. The position also supports program development and delivery, including assessments, district training, relationship development, implementation tasks, professional learning, and public presentations. The position is remote and can be based anywhere in New York State, with 50% to 75% of time spent traveling locally and nationally. The anticipated start date is January 4, 2027.

Requirements

Four years of college or equivalent advanced training qualifying for a bachelor's degree, with a relevant major such as culinary, nutrition, or food service.
At least four years of experience in school food service; experience operating a scratch-cook operation is preferred.
At least two years of culinary experience, or an equivalent combination of formal culinary training and professional kitchen experience.
Ability to travel locally throughout New York State and nationally, with 50% to 75% of time spent traveling.
Current, valid driver's license in the state of residence and reliable transportation.
Basic-level skills with Asana or project management software, Google Workspace, and Zoom virtual meetings.
Ability to build strong, trusting relationships with school food operators.
Strong writing and editing skills, including creating and editing content for school food operators.
Ability to create and deliver impactful training programs for school food operators.
Knowledge of National School Lunch Program regulations and willingness to stay informed about new regulations.
Strong organization and ability to meet targeted outcomes.
Passion for food systems and a strong interest in childhood health and wellness.
Ability to think ahead and work independently as well as collaboratively.
Strong interpersonal skills for working with people of different personalities and backgrounds.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills and exceptional attention to detail.
Effective telephone and email customer service skills.
Flexible mindset, innovative thinking, willingness to engage in continuous learning and training, and ability to adapt to shifting priorities.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience understanding and developing fiscal budgets and models for school food programs.
Demonstrated experience with menu planning and K-12 recipe/menu software for ingredient-based, cook-from-scratch meal programs.
Demonstrated experience and knowledge of K-12 procurement, including RFPs, purchasing cooperatives, and inventory management.

Responsibilities

Answer technical and operational questions about USDA regulations, procurement, and school food operations.
Provide on-site and virtual operational expertise for New York Healthy School Food Pathway programs.
Review operational content related to district work and provide feedback on recommendations and technical assistance.
Attend meetings with funders and stakeholders as needed to answer operational questions.
Provide in-person and virtual technical assistance to increase scratch cooking across food, finance, facilities, human resources, and marketing.
Support food service directors with educational components of New York Healthy School Food Pathway programs.
Support development of assessment reports for district technical assistance.
Provide on-site training, including scratch cooking, recipe development, and local procurement.
Assist with relationship development with potential, new, and existing host districts.
Represent CAF in trade-based channels, conferences, and collaboratives.
Work with the Operations team on implementation tasks for districts contracting with CAF.
Ensure districts remain engaged and progress through key program milestones.
Lead or participate in virtual learning sessions for New York Healthy School Food Pathway programs and other CAF professional development programs.
Coordinate schedules, travel, and district outreach strategy with the School Food Operations team.
Work with districts and the CAF Marketing Team to highlight program results in district communities and nationally.
Develop and deliver presentations for webinars, conferences, and other public opportunities focused on school food operations.
Manage CAF initiatives to a high standard and uphold the organization's commitment to quality, results-driven programming.
Stay current on trends, factors, and regulations influencing the school food landscape, particularly in New York, and reflect this knowledge in programming.
Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the position.