Food Service Lead

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, 3777 Nolensville Road, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America Job Description Posted Monday, April 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM Reports to: Food Service Supervisor(s) and Food Service Operations Manager(s) Who are we For more than 50 years, SSA has partnered with cultural attractions to design the hospitality experience journey, freeing our partners to remain mission-focused. We bring together admissions, culinary, and retail with innovation and human connection to shape a seamless guest journey. Our focus is on people, innovation, and operational intelligence as a means to create special moments with lasting impact. We call it 452 Hospitality, the foundation of how we serve our partners and their communities. Responsibilities Live out 452 Hospitality by delivering warm, welcoming, and memorable experiences for every guest and client. Ensure location (or stand) is adequately stocked, prepped, and staffed for daily operation, working with direct reports to fill as necessary. Assist supervisors with tasks to ensure the restaurant and other food locations run smoothly. Supports restaurant prep (FOH and line) for daily operation. Meets daily quick service, food service, safety and quality, availability, merchandising, and guest service standards. Participates in safety logs, including food temperatures, rotation, and waste as necessary. Ensures proper uniform, hygiene, hand-washing, and glove use with oneself. Maintains a SSAfe work environment by abiding to all SSAFETY rules. Follows through daily prep and item lists, as assigned. Actively helps to support operations in the assigned role, supporting holes as necessary. Actively and efficiently responds to guest and client feedback, with a report to the supervisor to ensure that any potential complaints are mitigated against further occurrence. Communicates with the Restaurant Supervisor and/or Food Operations Manager in regard to any issues seen with daily service or quality. Remains knowledgeable of all menu items, prices, and specials for sharing with guests. Perform other tasks as deemed necessary. Maintain s a clean, safe, and organized work environment. Uphold and demonstrate a complete understanding of company policies and procedures. Responsibly geared towards presenting a clean and welcome experience for guests through upholding sanitation requirements. Job Requirements Strong interpe rsonal and communication skills. Exceptional problem-solving/decision-making skills combined with the ability to be organized. Demonstrates the abili ty to remain flexible in a fast-paced environment. An ideal candidate is a team player, personable, professional, upbeat, and energetic, and takes initiative. Physical ability to stand for extended periods and to move and handle boxes ( 10-35lbs) as necessary to operation, which entails lifting, and perform all functions as set forth above. Ability to work varied hours/days, including nights, weekends and holidays, as needed. IDEA + Belonging Promote an inclusive & supportive approach within the Brand team, with networking continuing at all units. Focuses on removing barriers and empowering growth and opportunity for team members at all levels. Leads by example through Sustainability/Conservation efforts; displays knowledge of efforts in business application, as well as giving adequate opportunity for teaching to unit staff as necessary. Engages with SSA/Unit in driving community effort through engagement activities and focuses on opportunities for giving back. Previous Experience 1 year of food service experience preferred. All educational backgrounds are eligible. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with this job description. SSA Group reserves the right to revise the job description or to require that other or different tasks are performed when circumstances change (i.e. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs or technological developments) Compensation and Benefits Eligible for overtime pay. On-Demand Pay Program: Get access to a portion of earned wages before payday. Meal Plan & Employee Discounts at applicable locations. Participation in a 401(k) program with a 15% company match (must be 21 years or older, eligible after one year of employment with 1,000 hours worked, available to enroll during Open Enrollment Periods). Tuition Discount through Partnership College. Up to 8 hours of Bereavement Leave. Holiday pay of 1.5× the regular rate is provided for hours worked on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day . Paid sick leave is provided in accordance with applicable state and local laws. Accrual rates, caps, and usage rules vary by location. Locations include: Arizona, California, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C.. Colorado: Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year, under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA). Maryland: Employees accrue at least 1 hour of paid sick and safe leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year, as required under the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act. Washington: Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, in accordance with the Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time. SSA Holdings and its affiliated companies, including SSA Group, A&F Souvenir, Cinchio Solutions, and Behavioral Essentials, are equal opportunity employers. We are committed to diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. A diverse team strengthens our collective impact. All California Residents: By submitting your job application, you agree you have reviewed the SSA Group California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Candidate and Employee Privacy Notice ("Notice"). San Francisco Residents: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Please see the "Fair Chance Ordinance - Know Your Rights" documentfor more information. By submitting your job application, you agree you have reviewed the "Fair Chance Ordinance - Know Your Rights" document. We accept applications for this position on a rolling basis. Apply anytime at thessagroup.com. Applications are reviewed as received, and the position remains open until filled. Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, 3777 Nolensville Road, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America #J-18808-Ljbffr