Director of Food Services

Salary: $182,733.00 - $203,932.00 Annually
Location : 050 - District Office, 501 Crescent Way, Anaheim, CA
Job Type: Full Time - (12mo/yr - 40hr/wk)
Job Number: 2026-D06-DM
Department: Business
Division: Food Services
Opening Date: 09/04/2026
Closing Date: 9/20/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


The Position


Health Benefits: 100% employer contribution towards employee and family premiums
District: Award-winning schools
Community: World-famous attractions

BASIC FUNCTION
Under the direction of the Assistant Superintendent, Business Services, plans, organizes, coordinates and directs the District and contract sites Nutrition Services Program, assuring cost effectiveness and compliance with District, state and federal requirements regarding nutrition, sanitation, safety, and purchasing and accounting functions; coordinates, directs and maintains wellness programs; and supervises and evaluates the performance of assigned personnel.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The Director of Food Services provides strategic leadership and assumes overall

administrative responsibility for the Food Services Department. This position serves as the School Food Authority (SFA)

director for two independent school districts (Anaheim Union High School District and Anaheim Elementary School

District), overseeing a combined enrollment of 36,000+ students and 35,000+ daily meals. Unlike single-district

management roles, the incumbent must manage dual-district compliance, inter-agency operational logistics, joint board

reporting, and complex USDA/CDE regulatory oversight.*

*Pending PC Approval

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of experience, education and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical combination would be the following:

EDUCATION:
Required: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college with a major in dietetics, foods and nutrition, or closely related field.
Preferred: Registered Dietitian (R.D.) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) status with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

EXPERIENCE*:
Required: Five years of administrative management experience in a large school food service operation, which serves at least 10,000 meals daily.
Preferred: Five years of administrative management experience in a large school food service operation, which serves at least 20,000 meals daily.

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Must have a valid, accredited, Food Safety Manager Certificate or equivalent (e.g. Serve Safe, etc.).
Access to reliable transportation for job-related travel.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
KNOWLEDGE OF:
Principles and practices relative to the management of a comprehensive food service program;
Nutrition, food values, food combinations, economical substitutions and menu planning;
Procedures, methods, techniques and equipment used in the preparation, cooking and serving of large quantities of food, including quality and portion control;
Banquet planning, preparation and service;
Principles and techniques of budget development and administration;
Principles of financial management, markets, food sources, merchandising principles;
Legal mandates and guidelines pertaining to a nutrition service program, including requirements of the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program;
Concept of collective bargaining and labor agreements;
Safe and sanitary working methods and HACCP procedures;
Oral and written communication skills;
Principles and practices of administration, supervision and training;
Concept of progressive discipline;
Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy;
Operation of a computer and assigned software;
Public speaking techniques.

ABILITY TO:
Plan, organize control, direct the operations and activities of District-wide nutrition service programs and school cafeterias;
Accept and carry out responsibility for direction, control and planning;
Analyze and develop efficient and effective nutrition service operational methods and procedures;
Demonstrate appropriate cooking, baking, serving and cleaning methods and techniques;
Prepare specifications and analyze bids for food, supply and equipment contracts;
Prepare budges and approve budget expenditures;
Evaluate food products, supplies and equipment;
Train and evaluate the performance of assigned staff;
Communicate effectively both orally and in writing;
Interpret, apply and explain rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others;
Operate a computer and assigned office equipment;
Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action;
Meet schedules and time lines;
Work independently with little direction;
Plan and organize work;
Prepare comprehensive narrative and statistical reports;
Direct the maintenance of a variety of reports and files related to assigned activities;
Prepare and present oral presentations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Employees in this classification stand, walk, sit, lift and carry up to 25 lbs., maintain balance, stoop, bend, use fingers repetitively, have rapid mental/muscular coordination, speak clearly, hear normal voice conversation, have depth perception, color vision, see small details, use a computer and a telephone.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Employees in this classification work inside and outside with varying temperature changes, in confined spaces with poor ventilation, dry atmospheric conditions, dangerous machinery, inadequate lighting, loud noise, sharp objects, dust (moderate to high concentrations of silica or allergenic dust), cleaning chemicals, odors, toxic materials, machinery with moving parts, moving vehicles, hands in water, over 40 hours per week, exposure to minor and severe contagious illnesses, direct contact with public, students, and other assigned staff, without guidance from supervisor, occasionally negative interpersonal situations, high volume and tight deadlines with continuous interruptions, protective equipment used/required gloves.

Examples of Duties


Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees in this classification, and are not to be interpreted as an exhaustive list of responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified. Reasonable accommodations will be made so that qualified employees can perform the essential duties of the job.


GENERAL ESSENTIAL DUTIES
FOOD SERVICES PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION:
Plans, organizes, controls, directs and supervises District-wide Food Services Programs to provide school lunches and breakfasts and other special nutrition services for District and contract sites, the central kitchen, and special functions in compliance with federal and State regulations; directs and manages the District's catering program, and summer food service program; plans and directs nutrition service programs in compliance with accepted accounting principles and District policies; establishes standards and administers the nutrition service program in accordance with nutritional, health and fiscal requirements; provides nutrition service for special feeding programs approved by the District; develops and implements standards for the operation of an efficient, sanitary and high quality nutrition service program for Anaheim Union High School District and Anaheim City Elementary School District according to local and State health codes; directs preparation of menus to insure proper nutritional standards; directs the establishment of recipes, portions and prices; plans, develops and prepares the annual preliminary budget for the Food Services Department; analyzes and reviews budgetary and financial data; controls and authorizes expenditures in accordance with established limitations; analyzes trends in school meal sales and costs; develops specifications for purchase of equipment, supplies and food products; communicates with vendors; develop contracts with other agencies and outside businesses; review and approve requisitions for supplies and equipment; travels to various sites to conduct site observations; monitors operations and services; evaluates organization and sanitation of facility, compliance to State, federal and local regulations, and equipment and supply needs; makes recommendations regarding improvements in safety and productivity; maintains department records, accounts, inventories and files in compliance with federal, State and local policy; oversees record-keeping of stores, equipment maintenance costs and inventory control of food, supplies and equipment; establishes and maintains a proactive preventative maintenance program for food service equipment and vehicles; and participates in the planning and implementation of cafeteria and cafeteria kitchen design, renovation and construction.

NUTRITION EDUCATION & WELLNESS INITIATIVES:
Establishes, directs, and maintains District wellness council comprised of District and school site administrators, health services staff, faculty, parents, students, community service organizations, and other interested parties to study and address needs to maintain and improve wellness in the school community; coordinates with OCDE, CDE, National Institute of Health and local universities to research, develop, implement and facilitate interventions designed to reduce childhood obesity and related diseases; provides direction regarding nutrition education and wellness initiatives ;prepares materials and makes presentations in classrooms to support nutrition education as required; attends and conducts a variety of meetings as assigned; operates a computer and assigned software programs; operates various kitchen equipment and utensils; operates standard office equipment as assigned; travels to various sites to conduct work; and performs related duties as assigned.

PERSONNEL SUPERVISION & TRAINING:
Trains and evaluates the performance of assigned staff; interview and select employees and recommend transfers, reassignment, termination and disciplinary actions; supervises warehousing and distribution of food and non-food supplies; supervises accounting and reporting systems; responsible for the administration of the collective bargaining agreement relating to Classified Food Service personnel; conducts staff in-service and training sessions to demonstrate appropriate cooking, baking, serving and cleaning methods and techniques.

COMMUNICATION:
Communicates with other administrators, personnel and outside organizations to coordinate activities and programs, resolve issues and conflicts and exchange information; works with principals, students, district administrators and parents to establish and maintain customer friendly environment dedicated to providing food service program that meets the needs of the District's students; develops and implements marketing programs to meet customer needs and improve financial performance; assists in the development of short and long-range goals for the department including program operations and facilities; provides technical expertise, information and assistance to the Assistant Superintendent regarding assigned functions; assists in the formulation and development of policies, procedures and programs; advises the Assistant Superintendent of unusual trends or problems and recommends appropriate corrective action; directs the preparation and maintenance of a variety of narrative and statistical reports, records and files related to assigned activities and personnel; interprets nutrition service program to management, staff and the community.

The classification specification does not describe all duties performed by all incumbents within the class. This summary provides examples of typical tasks performed in this classification.

Recruitment Information


APPLICATION PROCESS
All applications must be submitted online. Applications and requests for testing will not be accepted after the recruitment closing date and time. Applicants may be rejected on the basis of an incomplete application or failure to meet minimum qualifications. The application is part of the selection process and is part of an overall assessment of acceptability for employment. All information provided is subject to independent verification of its accuracy. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide correct contact information by which to be notified.
Note: You will eventually be disqualified in the recruitment process if you fail to disclose relevant information regarding your conviction history. It is the disclosure of the conviction that is most important in many cases.

SCREENING PROCESS
The screening process for this position, which may be subject to modification, will include some form of a(n): application screening, initial qualifications screening, documentation/certification screening, and supplemental application screening. The stated qualifications for the position represent only the minimum requirements and do not guarantee qualification for examination or placement on an eligibility list.


EXAMINATION PROCESS
The examination may consist of any combination of a(n): training and experience (T&E) evaluation, written knowledge test, hands on/performance test, structured panel interview, situational judgement interview, or other type of exam of fitness for duty. All parts of the examination process are job related. A passing score must be attained on each portion of the exam to advance to the next stage and ultimate placement on an eligibility list.


DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION
Requests for reasonable accommodations for the testing process must be made no less than two (2) days prior to the examination. Requests must be signed by your medical doctor, school psychologist, or learning consultant as appropriate and must be on provider letterhead and contain an actual signature.


EXAM PROTESTS
Protest of any part of the exam process must be in writing and submitted to the Personnel Director no later than five (5) working days from the date you participated in the exam. Any protest must include rationale to support the protest and shall include supporting documentation or references. Protests must be based on illegal discrimination, abuse of discretion, or procedure/process error. Protests should NOT be based on receiving unexpected results. We cannot be responsible for lost mail, misdirected mail, or failure of mail to be delivered after it has been entrusted to the U.S. Postal Service.

ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
Candidates who are successful in all screening and testing stages will be placed on an eligibility list. Typically, an eligibility list for a classification expires after six (6) months or one (1) year. Candidates on the expired eligibility list are no longer considered for positions within the class. Eligibility lists may be extended beyond one year or expire sooner than one year. Eligibility lists may be merged, in which case candidate ranks may change.

SELECTION PROCESS
Candidates on the eligibility list will be called in rank order to participate in final selection interviews with the hiring manager until three ranks of candidates have accepted the invitation to interview. Ranks may include ties so more than three candidates may be called to interview for one vacancy. Please note that candidates will be removed from the eligibility list for declining the invitation to interview more than three (3) times.

OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT
Official offers of employment are ONLY made by the Anaheim Union High School District Human Resources, Classified Office. Offers are subject to satisfactory completion of ALL the pre-employment processing including: successful completion of a physical examination, tuberculosis examination, fingerprint clearance by the California Department of Justice, and proof of eligibility to work in the United States.

ADVANCED STEP PLACEMENT
All new regular classified employees shall be paid in accordance with the salary range established for the class to which assigned. Initial placement will normally be the first step of the salary range. However, a new employee may receive advanced step placement with an approval from Human Resources. Requests for advanced step must be submitted in writing to the Human Resources office before the employee's first day of work. Approval will be based on the following criteria:
A) Additional qualifying experience beyond that required for entry into the class.
B) Additional education at the college level when related to the position, beyond the established educational requirements for entry into the class.
C) Evidence of currently receiving a salary greater than the first step of the salary for the classification.

BENEFITS
Benefits earned by all permanent classified employees:
-Leaves: Sick leave, holidays, bereavement and emergency leaves.
-Retirement: Classified employees are members of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). Employee contribution is 7% of gross earnings.
Benefits earned by all permanent classified employees working 20 hours or more per week:
-Insurance: The District provides medical, dental, vision care, behavioral health and life insurance for the employees and their dependents.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT
Anaheim Union High School District prohibits unlawful discrimination against, and/or harassment of, District employees and job applicants on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, gender, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation at a District site or activity.

The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provisions of this bulletin may be modified or revoked, and the job description may be changed at any time without notice.


FOR FURTHER JOB INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANAHEIM UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, PLEASE GO ONLINE TO
Anaheim Union High School District offers an extensive benefits package including 23 vacation days, 14 holidays, medical, dental, and vision insurance.
01



PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT : All statements made in your responses must be true and complete. Your responses to the following questions may be used as a selection tool to determine whether or not you possess the initial or best combination of qualifications required for this position. Referring to your application or resume will NOT qualify as a response to any question, so make sure to answer each question thoroughly.Any misstatements of material facts may subject you to disqualification from further competition at any time during the application/examination process or, if hired, immediate termination. All information provided is subject to verification of its accuracy.Note: Resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed online application. All experience, education, training, and certification must be included in your application in order to be considered.

• I have read, understand, and agree with this passage.

02


Which of the following best represents your education? Please check the highest level of education you have completed. Please Note: Applicants are required to provide valid proof. Attach your diplomas, transcripts, or degrees to your online application.

• I did not graduate from high school.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Completed college coursework in a related field.
• Associate's degree in a related field.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in a related field.

03


List the field of degree(s) and/or coursework.
04


Are you a Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics?

• Yes
• No

05


How many years of administrative management experience do you have in a large school food service operation?This experience must be listed on the work history section of your application.

• No experience
• Less than five (5) years of experience
• Five (5) or more years of experience

06


What was the average daily meals served where you gained your administrative management experience?

• 0 - 9,999 meals
• 10,000 - 19,999 meals
• 20,000+ meals

07


Please briefly describe your administrative management experience in a large school food service operation.List the organization(s), the number of staff you led, the volume of daily meals served, student enrollment, and your core responsibilities of the position.If no experience, list "N/A".Please do not reference your resume or application, (e.g. "see resume" or "see application").
08


Please summarize your experience developing and administering a food services budget, including the approximate annual budget size and your specific responsibilities in that process.If no experience, list "N/A".Please do not reference your resume or application, (e.g. "see resume" or "see application").
09


Please describe any experience you have leading wellness councils, nutrition education initiatives, or partnerships with public health agencies, universities, or community organizations.If no experience, list "N/A".Please do not reference your resume or application, (e.g. "see resume" or "see application").
10


Please briefly describe the extent of your food service-related supervisory experience.List the largest number of staff you supervised (direct and indirect), specify the type of leadership exercised (e.g. work direction, supervision, evaluation), and your role in disciplining process.If no experience, list "N/A".Please do not reference your resume or application, (e.g. "see resume" or "see application").
11


Do you currently hold a valid Food Safety Manager Certificate (e.g., ServSafe) or an equivalent accredited certification?

• Yes
• No

12


Do you have access to reliable transportation for job-related travel between multiple sites?

• Yes
• No

13



WRITTEN NARRATIVE This application may ultimately be used as a resource for screening/testing purposes to identify the most qualified candidates and later for the hiring manager when reviewing final candidates.With this in mind, please generally describe how your relevant education, training, and experience has prepared you to be a successful Director of Food Services for a large school district.
Required Question