General Manager

General Manager in K-12 Food Service

Lead with Purpose - Become a General Manager in K-12 Food Service! Are you ready to take the reins and drive impact in a school district's food service program? As a General Manager, you'll lead a dedicated team, oversee daily operations, and build strong relationships with district leaders all while ensuring students receive high-quality, nutritious meals. This is your opportunity to combine leadership, strategy, and service to make a real difference every day.

Position Summary

Southwest Foodservice Excellence is seeking an experienced and motivated General Manager to lead the school nutrition program at Osakis Public School. This position is responsible for overseeing daily food-service operations, leading and developing the kitchen team, maintaining regulatory compliance, managing financial performance, and building a strong partnership with district leadership.

The ideal candidate is an organized, hands-on leader who is passionate about serving students, maintaining high food-quality standards, and creating a positive environment for employees and guests.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee daily breakfast and lunch operations.
• Lead, train, schedule, and support food-service employees.
• Ensure meals meet menu, recipe, quality, portion, and presentation standards.
• Maintain compliance with USDA, Minnesota Department of Education, HACCP, food-safety, sanitation, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Ensure production records, temperature logs, inventory records, and other required documentation are completed accurately and on time.
• Manage food and supply ordering, receiving, inventory, and cost controls.
• Monitor labor, food costs, participation, revenue, and overall financial performance.
• Complete month-end reporting and other required administrative responsibilities.
• Work closely with district leadership, school staff, students, vendors, and SFE leadership.
• Support special dietary accommodations and ensure proper procedures are followed.
• Develop strategies to increase student participation and satisfaction.
• Promote a professional, safe, positive, and team-focused work environment.
• Attend required meetings, training sessions, and district events.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Previous food-service management or supervisory experience required.
• School nutrition or high-volume food-service experience preferred.
• Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage employees, schedules, deadlines, and multiple operational priorities.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, inventory control, and financial accountability.
• Comfortable using computers and completing electronic reports.
• Ability to build positive relationships with employees, students, families, and district partners.
• ServSafe certification preferred or ability to obtain certification within the required timeframe.
• Must meet all background-check and employment requirements.
• High school diploma, GED, or relevant vocational training (Bachelor's degree preferred)
• Minimum 5 years of experience in food service
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Adobe Acrobat
• Experience with POS systems and online reporting tools preferred
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills
• P&L accountability experience and strong cost control skills

What We're Looking For

We are seeking a leader who:

• Leads by example and is willing to assist the team during meal service.
• Holds employees accountable while providing coaching and support.
• Pays close attention to compliance, documentation, and financial performance.
• Communicates professionally and follows through on commitments.
• Takes pride in providing nutritious, high-quality meals with excellent customer service.

Schedule and Compensation

• Full-time position
• Primarily Monday through Friday during school operating hours
• Some additional hours may be required for meetings, training, catering, or special events
• Compensation: $60,000
• Benefits: Health, Dental, vision, and 401K plan

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

Ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally

Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands

Moderate noise level in the work environment

Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including occasional extended weeks

Requires driving and attendance at meetings or company events

We ask that all candidates complete a Predictive Index (PI) Assessment to learn more about your work/management style and should take about 5-10 minutes to complete.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (Gender/Minority/Veterans/Disabled) and participate with the federal E-Verify Employment Eligibility Program.