Child Nutrition Services Field Manager

Field Manager Of Child Nutrition Services

The Field Manager of Child Nutrition Services is responsible for the supervision and efficient operation of the Child Nutrition Services operation in assigned schools in compliance with USDA, local, State, and Federal policies, procedures, rules, regulations and guidelines. This includes training, the implementation of high standards of nutrition, food production, financial accountability, student services, and collaborating with the School Health Initiative Program.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitates regular meetings with cafeteria managers to review and update the cycle menu in alignment with current nutritional standards, student preferences, and emerging food trends, ensuring menus continuously reflect a commitment to improving meal quality and student satisfaction.
• Gathers input from staff, students, and stakeholders to analyze menus for compliance with Federal guidelines while proactively identifying opportunities to strengthen nutritional value, expand scratch cooking offerings, and enhance the overall meal experience for students.
• Visits school sites regularly to evaluate food preparation, storage, service, and sanitation practices; identifies opportunities for improvement and works collaboratively with school and division staff to advance meal quality, student satisfaction, and the expansion of scratch cooking across all school nutrition programs.
• Reviews and approves monthly menu materials prior to distribution, ensuring accuracy, nutritional integrity, and alignment with WJCC Wellness Policy Nutrition Standards.
• Researches and collects nutrient data for menu items, conducting evidence-based nutrient analyses that inform continuous improvements to the nutritional quality of school meals.
• Evaluates food production records across school sites to support cafeteria managers in planning and producing meals that meet nutritional goals, advance scratch cooking initiatives, minimize waste, and promote operational efficiency.
• Designs and delivers new employee orientation, Food Handlers training, and sanitation education, ensuring all Child Nutrition Services personnel are equipped with foundational knowledge and skills that translate directly into improved daily practice and meal quality.
• Conducts ongoing training needs assessments; plans, coordinates, and facilitates targeted training sessions for Child Nutrition Services personnel, including scratch cooking techniques and culinary skill development, maintains comprehensive records of all training activities, and monitors staff for consistent implementation of skills within daily practice.
• Facilitates the Manager Training Course, developing and preparing all instructional materials and teaching core components to build leadership capacity, operational excellence, and a culture of continuous improvement across school nutrition programs.
• Monitors, supervises, and evaluates manager performance of assigned duties and responsibilities; assists in completing written performance evaluations and participates in the recruitment and hiring process for Child Nutrition Services staff.
• Audits all Child Nutrition Services programs for compliance with Federal and State guidelines; initiates corrective actions following health department inspections and ensures sustained adherence to safety and sanitation standards division-wide.
• Leads and contributes to Child Nutrition managers' meetings; attends local, State, and national workshops and meetings to stay current on best practices, emerging nutrition trends, and innovative programming, bringing forward-thinking ideas back to strengthen the division's child nutrition program.
• Inspects each school's food service operation at regular intervals, evaluating procedures, personnel, and equipment to ensure safety and sanitation standards are consistently maintained and opportunities for operational improvement are identified and acted upon.
• Provides managers with point-of-sale training on computerized systems and monitors for effective implementation within daily operations, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and alignment with division standards.
• Coordinates work assignments and scheduling of employees, including approved substitute cafeteria workers as needed, to promote operational efficiency; provides ongoing coaching to reinforce best practices and drive continuous improvement in daily operations.
• Substitutes for Child Nutrition managers when necessary.
• Actively seeks out and participates in formal and informal professional development opportunities, including a minimum of 12 hours of training annually as required by the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, to stay current on nutrition trends, scratch cooking practices, best practices, and regulatory updates.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities Required)

• Associate's degree in Food and Nutrition, Institutional Management or related field preferred or a combination of education and experience equivalent to either of the above. A comparable amount of training and experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications.
• Must possess Serve Safe certification or equivalent. Considerable supervisory experience in school food services or other food service operation. Extensive experience in catering banquets.
• Knowledge of the use of various types of kitchen equipment required.
• Ability to communicate effectively and tactfully with employees, school administrators, students, and staff, and must be able to handle frequent interruptions and deadlines. Ability to read recipes, and complete tasks efficiently. Ability to understand and follow detailed written and oral instructions.
• Ability to use good judgment and be dependable.
• Must possess a valid driver's license.
• Ability to organize, delegate, instruct, supervise and evaluate people.
• Must possess leadership qualities and personal characteristics necessary for working with Child Nutrition managers, administrators and staff.
• Ability to operate a computer with knowledge of Microsoft Windows, MS-Word and MS-Excel.
• Ability to complete written forms and records and submit to appropriate office by designated due dates.
• Must possess skills and ability to modify existing recipes to meet WJCC Wellness Policy Nutrition Standards and to create healthy recipes for quantity food production.

Supervision Exercised

Supervises all Child Nutrition Services managers.

Supervision Received

Performs duties under the general supervision of the Supervisor of Child Nutrition Services.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

Specific instructions for specific situations is provided as needed. Receives guidance and direction on matters pertaining to lunch schedules, dining area, or school building policies and procedures from school principal. Receives guidance and direction on matters pertaining to meal production, presentation, marketing, and nutrition from Supervisor of Child Nutrition Services. Receives annual performance review from the Supervisor of Child Nutrition Services. Frequent interruptions, changing priorities, attention to detail. Must work closely with city, county health departments, and state Department of Education School Nutrition Programs. Good attendance and punctuality required. Must have the ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time. Ability to reach, bend, and stoop. Exhibits manual dexterity to dial a telephone, to enter data into a computer terminal; to see and read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids; hear and understand speech at normal classroom levels and on the telephone; speak in audible tones so that others may understand clearly in normal classrooms and on the telephone. Physical agility to lift up to 30 pounds. Reports to Supervisor of Child Nutrition Services.