Director of Food and Nutrition Services

Director of Food and Nutrition Services Orange East Supervisory Union Orange East Supervisory Union - Bradford, Vermont Open in Google Maps Waits River Valley School - East Corinth, Vermont Open in Google Maps Bradford Elementary School - Bradford, Vermont Open in Google Maps Newbury Elementary School - Newbury, Vermont Open in Google Maps Oxbow High School - Bradford, Vermont Open in Google Maps Thetford Elementary School - Thetford, Vermont Open in Google Maps Blue Mountain Union - Wells River, Vermont Open in Google Maps Job Details Job ID: 5930988 Application Deadline: Posted until filled Posted: Sep 17, 2026 12:00 AM (UTC) Starting Date: Immediately Job Description ABOUT OESU OESU is an interconnected, forward-thinking educational system serving a diverse and beautiful region stretching from the historic valley of Thetford in the south to the rolling hills of Groton in the north. OESU serves Ryegate, Wells River, Groton, Newbury, Bradford, Corinth, Topsham, and Thetford, offering an exceptional quality of life in the Upper Connecticut River Valley near the White Mountains and the cultural and intellectual resources of the Dartmouth College region. The area offers abundant outdoor recreation, strong civic engagement, and a rich local heritage. POSITION OBJECTIVE The OESU Director of Food Service provides leadership and oversight for the district's Child Nutrition Programs and serves as the School Food Authority (SFA) administrator. The Director is responsible for ensuring compliance with Vermont Agency of Education, USDA, federal, state, and local requirements while providing effective, financially responsible, nutritious, and student-centered food service. The Director oversees programs at Blue Mountain School, Bradford Elementary School, Newbury Elementary School, Oxbow Middle High School, Thetford Elementary School, and Waits River Valley School. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Child Nutrition Programs & Compliance Administers OESU Child Nutrition Programs and School Food Authority responsibilities. Oversees the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and applicable after-school and summer meal programs. Ensures compliance with Vermont, USDA, federal, state, and local requirements. Maintains required records, applications, reports, claims, and documentation. Coordinates administrative reviews, inspections, corrective actions, and program improvement. Keeps current with changes in child nutrition regulations and requirements. Menu Planning & Nutrition Develops and coordinates nutritious, appealing, cost-effective, and USDA-compliant menus. Coordinates menus across self-operated and vendor-operated schools. Incorporates local foods, seasonal products, student preferences, and nutrition education when feasible. Coordinates appropriate accommodations for students with allergies and special dietary needs. Reviews vendor menus for nutritional and program compliance. Procurement, Ordering & Vendors Coordinates food, supplies, and equipment procurement and ordering. Establishes purchasing practices consistent with program, district, state, and federal requirements. Monitors food costs, inventory, product quality, and purchasing practices. Manages relationships and performance of food service vendors, distributors, and suppliers. Promotes high-quality and locally sourced foods when financially feasible. Financial Management & Grants Develops and monitors the Child Nutrition Program budget in collaboration with the Director of Finance. Monitors revenues, expenditures, participation, food costs, and overall program financial performance. Identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, participation, and financial sustainability. Identifies, applies for, administers, and reports on grants supporting Child Nutrition Programs, including Local Food Incentive, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable, and state and federal equipment grants. Ensures grant funds are appropriately managed and documented. Vermont Summer Meals Plans and oversees OESU summer meal programs in accordance with Vermont Agency of Education and USDA requirements. Coordinates eligible sites, menus, staffing, procurement, meal preparation, distribution, meal counts, reporting, and compliance. Oversees applicable congregate and approved non-congregate meal service. Promotes Vermont Summer Meals and develops partnerships that expand access and participation. Evaluates summer meal operations and recommends improvements. Operations, Food Safety & Facilities Maintains standardized recipes per USDA standards and oversees safe, efficient, and high-quality food service operations. Establishes standards and procedures for food safety, sanitation, storage, preparation, service, and inventory. Provides leadership and support to self-operated kitchens and monitors vendor-operated kitchens. Assesses equipment and facility needs and assists with capital planning, procurement, and grant-funded improvements. Maintains required food safety certification and ensures appropriate staff training. Personnel & Professional Development Supervises food service personnel assigned to self-operated kitchens. Coordinates with school administrators and vendors regarding staffing at vendor-operated schools. Participates in hiring, onboarding, training, evaluation, and professional development. Establishes performance expectations and addresses personnel concerns in accordance with OESU policies. Ensures required training and professional development are completed. Technology, Reporting & Program Evaluation Maintains and utilizes food service management and point-of-sale systems. Monitors meal counts, participation, production records, menus, ordering, inventory, and financial data. Ensures accurate records supporting state and federal reimbursement. Uses data to evaluate program performance and identify opportunities for improvement. Customer Service & Community Engagement Promotes a welcoming, inclusive, and student-centered dining environment. Develops strategies to increase participation in school meals. Communicates effectively with students, families, staff, administrators, vendors, state agencies, and community partners. Promotes school meals, local foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, nutrition, and summer meal programs. Builds partnerships that strengthen the OESU Child Nutrition Program. Participates in the district's School Wellness Committee to align meal programs with district health policies. SUPERVISION The Director of Food Service works under the general supervision of the Director of Operations and is evaluated in accordance with OESU administrative procedures. The Director supervises food service personnel assigned to self-operated kitchens and provides district-level oversight of Child Nutrition Program operations across all six schools, including monitoring vendor-operated programs. QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree in food and nutrition, dietetics, food service management, culinary arts, business, hospitality, nutrition education, family and consumer sciences, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and relevant experience may be considered. Relevant experience in school nutrition, institutional food service, or food service management. Experience supervising employees and managing food service operations. Knowledge of USDA Child Nutrition Programs, Vermont school nutrition requirements, menu planning, procurement, food safety, budgeting, and program administration. Experience with grants and vendor management preferred. Strong leadership, organizational, communication, financial, and problem-solving skills. Ability to work effectively with students, families, employees, administrators, vendors, state agencies, and community partners. Proficiency with food service management, point-of-sale, and standard office technology. Must meet applicable Vermont Agency of Education and USDA qualifications. Certification: ServSafe Manager certification or willingness to obtain certification within 30 days of hire. Additional certifications required by Vermont Child Nutrition Programs or USDA must be maintained. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES Leadership and accountability Integrity and sound judgment Organization and attention to detail Financial and operational management Effective communication and collaboration Problem-solving and adaptability Customer service orientation Commitment to student health, nutrition, and well-being Commitment to equity and inclusion PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS The position requires regular travel among six OESU schools and work in offices, cafeterias, kitchens, storage areas, and other school facilities. Physical demands may include standing and walking for extended periods; bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, reaching, and twisting; use of hands; lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment; and exposure to typical school kitchen conditions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. DISCLAIMER This job description describes the general nature and level of work associated with the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, qualifications, or working conditions. Duties may be modified or assigned as necessary to meet the needs of OESU. OESU is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected characteristic. Position Type: Full-time Salary: $85,000 to $95,000 Per Year Job Categories: Administration > Food Services Welcome to Orange East Supervisory Union, Waits River Valley School, Bradford Elementary School, Newbury Elementary School, Oxbow High School, Thetford Elementary School, Blue Mountain Union , The Waits River Valley School is a unified school district (USD#36), serving the communities of Topsham and Corinth. While approximately 250 students currently attend our K-8 school, our approximately 140 High School students attend various High Schools, given our unique school choice status. Our school is adjacent the beautiful Waits River, in one of Vermont’s most picturesque settings, just 25 miles from our capitol city. Our progressive approach to education, integration of technology, and openness to innovation sets us apart from the others., Bradford Elementary School is an engaging PK-6 community of learners located among the hills of the Connecticut River Valley. Members of our staff are highly skilled, creative individuals who value a respectful, collaborative working environment. They build strong partnerships with parents and are capable of integrating technology into a curriculum centered on the Vermont Grade Level Expectations. Our students are challenged to be successful as independent learners in a caring and supportive school culture. Find out more about our school at , Oxbow High School is located one mile north of Bradford, Vermont’s bustling Main Street where you’ll find coffee shops, boutiques, and restaurants. We’re 25 interstate miles north of Dartmouth Medical Center, and the many cultural events around Hanover, New Hampshire and Dartmouth College. It’s an ideal location for nature enthusiasts, within minutes of biking, skiing, hiking, horseback riding, and several rivers and lakes for kayaking and swimming., Thetford Elementary School currently serves 182 children in grades K-6. The staff includes experienced classroom teachers, as well as paraprofessionals and support staff. The town's children continue their secondary education at Thetford Academy in grades 7-12., Job Requirements At least 4 year(s) of relevant experience preferred. Bachelor degree preferred. Citizenship, residency or work visa required Contact Information Megan Sullivan , HR Manager 64 Main Street Bradford, Vermont 05033 Phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io Fax: View phone number on click.appcast.io Email: View email address on click.appcast.io #J-18808-Ljbffr