Job Listing
Food Services Manager
Company:
No More Empty Pots
Industry:
Non-profit
Job title:
Food Services Manager
Job level:
Manager
Job description:
FOOD SERVICE MANAGER
JOB DESCRIPTION
Department: Services
Team: Food Service
Position Level: Manager
Position Status: Full time exempt
ABOUT NO MORE EMPTY POTS
No More Empty Pots (NMEP) is a grassroots non-profit corporation that connects individuals and groups to improve self-sufficiency, regional food security and economic resilience of urban and rural communities through advocacy and action. No More Empty Pots’ vision is to support communities in becoming self-sufficient and food secure through collaboration and adhering to core values of education, stewardship, and sustainability.
NMEP CORE VALUES
Dedicated
People-Centered/Trustworthy
Solution Focused
Arable-Adaptable
Forward Thinking
Innovative
No More Empty Pots follows an accountability model where all candidates for NMEP positions are evaluated on “get it,” “want it,”“capacity to do it,” and alignment with organizational core values. All candidates must have the ability to:
Engage in effective communication
Accept challenges
Prioritize tasks
Use critical thinking skills to solve problems
Be rooted in their “Why”
Work independently and in team settings
Work with a growth mindset
Be detail oriented and deadline driven
Display commitment to NMEP’ mission
Be dedicated to reducing structural inequities
Prioritize people and relationships
Maintain high standards of program delivery and customer service
Be self-starting with confidence to ask questions or ask for help
Have ownership of job accountabilities
POSITION DESCRIPTION
NMEP is seeking a Food Service Manager to oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of catering services, meal and menu planning while also being responsible for creating and developing value added food products. This role blends culinary expertise with strong management skills to ensure exceptional food offerings, excellent customer service, and efficient business operations. The role is responsible for working closely with all teams to execute engaging experiences of NMEP food and spaces that highlight the mission and reflect the diversity in the people we serve. This position will leverage and prioritize local food preparation.
REPORTS TO
Services Director
SEAT TYPE: IMPLEMENTER
This seat puts the strategies, decisions, plans and/or agreements as set forth by the Director of Services into effect.
TOP 5 ACCOUNTABILITIES
Leadership + Management = Accountability: Ensure team members have clear roles, expectations, and tools to do the job. Provide feedback and development opportunities to hold each person accountable while supporting their growth.
Research, design, test and implement standardized menus and recipes for meals, value-added product and catering that meets profitability goals while supporting grant deliverables for subsidized customers.
Develop, document and implement standard operating procedures in alignment with city/state regulations for food production, retail and wholesale operations.
Oversee day-to-day operations of key NMEP food preparation services to include prepared meals programming, value added products, internal and external catering, light scaled processing and packaging.
Cross-collaborate with Services Department managers and team members to support the execution of bigger picture initiatives set forth by the Director of Services.
70% FOOD SERVICE OPERATIONS
The following responsibilities apply to all areas of food service and production:
Prioritize the use of local ingredients.
Create, test and implement standardized recipes for a rotating, seasonal menu leveraging local foods. This is including but not limited to; Community Harvest prepared meals, external catering requests, Cafe menu support, internal event catering.
Design and update menus for Community Harvest prepared meals, catering events, and café offerings while leveraging local foods to meet diverse customer needs, dietary preferences, and nutritional standards.
Develop and standardize recipes to ensure consistency in flavor, quality, and presentation across all services.
Establish portion sizes, ingredient specifications, and preparation methods for all menu items.
Create and maintain detailed recipe documentation, including cost breakdowns, nutritional analysis, and production steps.
Collaborate with chefs, dietitians, and healthcare partners to create specialized menus for healthcare programs, including those aligned with Medicare/Medicaid guidelines.
Execute full costing of recipes and menu items to include direct and indirect costs. Costing should also account for scaling and growth. Costing must also meet the needs of appropriate pricing and affordability within direct areas of service.
Train kitchen and production staff on standardized recipes and techniques to ensure adherence to quality and efficiency standards.
Conduct regular quality checks and provide feedback to maintain consistency across all food production.
Monitor production workflows, ensuring efficiency and minimizing waste during preparation, cooking, and packaging.
Implement and maintain quality control measures at all stages of production, from ingredient preparation to final packaging.
Ensure compliance with food safety standards such as HACCP, FDA, and local health regulations.
Ensure packaging designs align with branding and comply with regulatory requirements for labeling (e.g., ingredient lists, nutrition facts).
Community Harvest Prepared Meals & Cups Cafe Menu Support
Lead the cooking, packaging and quality control checking of prepared meals and Cafe menu items. This may include providing instruction to Culinary Certificate Program students to support their learning of batch cooking techniques.
Obtain customer feedback to ensure meals and Cafe food items are accessible, culturally diverse and meeting quality standards.
Support the Retail Team with any educational material to enhance the user experience around the meals and Cafe food items they are receiving.
Catering
Develop and maintain a local foods-forward catering menu that can be shared publicly at all times.
Work with the Hospitality Coordinator to understand client requests and needs including event goals and dietary restrictions.
Ensure all food is prepared, presented, and served according to client specifications and event requirements.
Monitor portion control, food presentation, and adherence to dietary needs during events.
Ensure compliance with food safety regulations during food preparation, transportation, and service.
Implement and monitor health and safety protocols for catering operations, including handling and storage guidelines.
Train and manage food service staff, including servers, bartenders, chefs, and coordinators.
Create staffing schedules for food service staff for events and manage on-site personnel to maintain high service standards.
Value Added Products
Conduct pilot tests for new products, documenting processes, and making necessary adjustments before full-scale production.
Submit products to the food testing lab as required for retail sellability.
Conduct regular audits, inspections, and product testing to verify quality and shelf stability.
Oversee the operation, maintenance, and calibration of production equipment, such as mixers, sealers, and labeling machines.
Identify opportunities to upgrade or optimize equipment to improve production capacity or efficiency.
Monitor inventory levels of raw ingredients, packaging materials, and finished goods to ensure uninterrupted production.
Collaborate with the Value Chain and Horticulture teams to maintain cost-effective supply chains and establish reliable vendor relationships.
Processing & Packing
Plan, schedule, and oversee daily food processing operations, ensuring timely completion of client orders.
Supervise processes such as washing, slicing, freezing, and packaging of food products (e.g., apples) to maintain consistent quality.
Develop and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all processing activities.
Work closely with school districts or institutional clients to understand their specifications, such as portion sizes and packaging preferences.
Ensure products are delivered on time and meet agreed-upon quality standards.
Address client feedback and implement adjustments to processes as necessary.
Implement quality control measures to ensure products meet client specifications, including texture, flavor, and packaging.
Monitor critical control points (CCPs) during processing, such as temperature checks during freezing. Manage storage conditions, ensuring products are stored at proper temperatures for optimal shelf life.
Product & Inventory Management
Work with the Value Chain Manager to secure ingredients for Food Service Team products and services.
Track inventory levels of ingredients and processed goods, minimizing waste while meeting production goals.
Guide teams in maintaining and reporting inventory, ensuring purchasing, distribution and redistribution of product is documented and happens in a timely manner.
Waste Management
Ensure all team members are following organizational zero-waste procedures and policies.
Maintain a waste log and work with the Value Chain Manager and Director of Services to identify solutions to reduce waste.
Communicate with the Value Chain Manager when there is excess product that could be re-allocated for donation.
Convert excess product or product that has lost quality into other value added products.
Space Management
Ensure all spaces are well maintained, cleaned on a daily basis and meet all requirements by the Health Department. Spaces include all commercial kitchen, food production, food distribution and food storage spaces within the scope of Food Service Team use.
Make sure team members have resources needed to keep spaces cleaned and organized.
Do regular walk-throughs of spaces to ensure cleanliness and address any issues with equipment and supplies as they come up.
Processes & Standard Operating Procedures
Work with the Director of Services to develop and implement processes and standard operating procedures for all Food Service spaces and programs.
Ensure all processes and procedures are documented, trained on and accessible to all staff.
Work with the Director of Services and the Director of Operations to make sure retail programming adheres to all code and regulatory requirements.
Marketing & Promotions
Develop and implement discounts, promotions and specials within budget to move inventory where needed and increase customer acquisition and retention.
Incorporate cross-promotion of NMEP programs and services to maximize customer touch points.
Coordinate with the Communications and Engagement Manager to create promotional materials, social media and other marketing collateral in a timely manner to ensure maximum exposure.
Alongside team members, take photos and videos of products, people, spaces and events to contribute to the overall marketing strategy of retail programs.
15% PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
Leadership + Management = Accountability: Ensure team members have clear roles, expectations, and tools to do the job. Provide feedback and development opportunities to hold each person accountable while supporting their growth.
Develop, document and communicate schedules for all Food Service Team staff. This includes day-to-day scheduling as well as events.
Lead weekly meetings including the Food Service Team meeting and 1:1’s with individual staff.
Seek out development and training opportunities for team members.
Conduct quarterly and annual reviews with team members to include goal setting (rocks).
Conduct performance conversations with staff to ensure goals are being met. Leverage the Director of Services, HR and President/CEO as needed with escalated issues.
Support connection to community by engaging volunteers, interns, and participants whenever possible.
15% DATA, FINANCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE
Analyze food trends, customer feedback, and seasonal ingredient availability to inform menu updates.
Monitor budgets, control costs, and meet revenue targets across services.
Analyze financial reports and make data-driven decisions to improve profitability
Track expenses, including food costs, labor, transportation, and rentals, to ensure alignment with budget targets.
Handle invoicing, payment processing, and financial reporting for catering services.
Gather feedback from clients to evaluate service quality and identify areas for improvement. Implement changes based on client feedback to enhance future services.
Prepare production reports detailing output, waste, costs, and opportunities for efficiency improvements.
Review sales data monthly to make operational decisions about events, bookings and catering operations and programming
Work with the Director of Services to determine financial priorities and goals. Create processes and programming that support the defined priorities and goals.
Support on-time payment of vendors and partners.
Ensure product and service price points are mission aligned to serve all populations.
Coordinate submission of financial reporting for funded programs.
Manage and submit financial documents in compliance with company policy including receipts, requisitions, invoices, and other sensitive documents.
Attend supervision, team and all staff meetings as directed by the Director of Services.
Respond to email and all communications in a timely manner in accordance with NMEP communications policies.
Support data reporting as assigned.
Attend professional development training/workshops.
OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED
Other duties as assigned
REQUIRED SKILLS, QUALITIES, AND EXPERIENCE
5+ years experience working in food/beverage, catering operations, food processing, food product development, food service management, hospitality industry/event planning or similar
2 years management experience including training staff, leading team meetings, planning programming, managing a budget, and making data-driven decisions
Strong understanding of food safety standards, quality assurance practices, and regulatory compliance.
Expertise in scaling recipes from small-batch to large-scale production.
Experience with production planning, equipment operation, and team supervision.
Familiarity with cost management, inventory systems, and supply chain coordination.
Experience in menu design, recipe development, and standardization within a high-volume food service environment.
Proficiency in menu costing, ingredient sourcing, and food production efficiency.
Familiarity with tools for recipe management, nutritional analysis, and menu planning software
Strong interpersonal skills and customer service experience including communicating with a wide variety of people and problem solving customer service and product quality issues
Superior attention to detail
Proficient math skills
Proficiency in Google Suite and Microsoft Office including Excel
Experience and skill with cash handling and using a Point of Sale (POS) system
Experience and skill to design programming and/or build businesses
Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
Must be able to proactively think, plan, and execute resourcefully
Must be able to solve problems and be solution oriented.
Strong customer satisfaction focus, interpersonal skills, and ability to engage across teams
Proficient in project management and project management platforms
Experience managing sensitive financial and HR documents
Complete ServSafe certification within 30 days of hire and Food Manager within 6 months of hire
PREFERRED SKILLS, QUALITIES, AND EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s degree in food science, culinary arts, business administration, or a related field.
Strong understanding of dietary restrictions, nutritional needs, and healthcare-related menu planning.
Social media content and management skills including Instagram, Facebook, and food photography and content writing
Experience in process improvement practices
Experience and skill to provide orientation or professional development-type training
Experience researching and following trends to make recommendations and informed decisions
Conversational Spanish fluency
WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Constantly operates a computer and other office equipment and supplies
Able to stand or remain in a stationary position behind a counter for up to 8 hours at a time
Constantly move about venues and other off-site locations
Able to lift up to 50 pounds utilizing appropriate support equipment like carts, dollies and pallet jacks
Frequently positions self to reach products stored on high shelves or under a counter
Frequently works in indoor conditions
This person frequently communicates with staff, students, volunteers, vendors, guests to the cafe, and others about cafe and organizational operations, policies, and products. Must be able to communicate and exchange accurate and relevant information in these situations.
Must be able to discern between acceptable and unacceptable product and cleanliness standards in a food service setting
ADDITIONAL JOB DETAILS
Compensation: Commensurate with experience, $50,000 – $60,000 annual salary, eligible for benefits
Hours per week: Full time, Exempt, 40 hours per week
Reports to: Director of Services
TO APPLY
To be considered for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter HERE. Be sure to include why this position with No More Empty Pots is a good fit for you.
Black, Indigenous, Latinx and any people of color, LGBTQ+ identities and anyone with marginalized identities are strongly encouraged to apply.
No More Empty Pots does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment.
Positions available:
1
Posted on:
February 24, 2025