About this opportunity
Whitsons Culinary Group lists this General Manager opportunity in hartford, Connecticut. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Food Service General Manager - Lead with Purpose in School Nutrition!
Are you a food service leader who’s passionate about people, operations, and purpose? Join our school nutrition team as a Food Service General Manager and take the lead in a mission-driven kitchen that fuels young minds and futures.
What You'll Do:
Inspire and lead the food service team to deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to students and staff
Oversee all aspects of daily operations: scheduling, inventory, compliance, and food safety
Partner with school staff to ensure meals support student health, learning, and well-being
Ensure compliance with state and federal child nutrition program guidelines (NSLP, SBP, etc.)
Manage budgets, staffing, vendor relationships, and performance goals
Foster a positive, student-centered, and inclusive kitchen culture
3-5 years of experience in food service management (K-12 or institutional preferred)
Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills
Knowledge of USDA school meal guidelines and food safety regulations
A hands-on leader who builds strong teams and models accountability
ServSafe certification (or ability to obtain)
Why Join Us?
Competitive salary + performance bonus opportunities
Family-friendly schedule – no nights or weekends
Health, dental, and vision benefits
Paid holidays, time off, and retirement plans
A chance to shape a food program that supports learning, growth, and equity
About Us:
At Whitsons, we believe that every school meal is an opportunity to fuel success. As our General Manager, you’ll lead a team dedicated to serving nutritious, student-approved meals with care, efficiency, and pride. Your leadership will help create a kitchen that’s more than a workplace—it’s a hub of health, learning, and community.
$78,000 - $81,000
Requirements
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES :
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business, or s imilar OR
Bachelor’s degree in any field plus either a state-recognised school nutrition director certificate or at least 1 year of relevant food service experience OR
Associate’s degree in a related field plus at least 1 year of relevant food service experience OR
High school diploma/equivalency plus at least 3 years of relevant food service experience
Experience
Minimum 5-7 years of progressive experience in restaurant or food service operations
Minimum 3-5 years of general management experience with full P&L responsibility
3 years’ experience in Food Service Management as a Manager/Director required .
Minimum 1 year experience in K-12 programs required
Certifications and Training :
ServSafe Mandatory – Local food safety certification if required in jurisdiction of employment. Must be knowledgeable of all local health and food safety ordinances.
Additional management or hospitality certifications a plus
Yearly mandatory training in accordance with USDA Professional Standards require ments as well as mandatory Whitsons training requirements
Technical Proficiency
Strong business acumen including financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and P&L management
Proficiency in POS platforms, scheduling software, and reporting tools
Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) for business planning, analysis, and communication
Understanding of marketing strategies, and customer relationship management as they relate to school nutrition dining
Other Qualifications
Demonstrated success in driving sales growth, controlling costs, and achieving profitability targets
Proven track record of building and leading high-performant teams
Experience in multi-unit oversight or area management a plus
Working knowledge of cooking procedures and recipe adherence and scaling
Bi-langu al in Spanish highly desirable
Core Competencies
Financial Acumen & Cost Management: Manages location-level budgets, P&L, and cost controls — including food cost, labor, and operating expenses — to consistently achieve financial targets and sustain profitability.
Operational Leadership: Directs all daily operations including production, procurement, inventory, and quality control with a disciplined focus on efficiency, consistency, and brand standards.
People Leadership & Team Development: Recruits, develops, and retains high-performant teams by providing clear direction, consistent coaching, and a supportive work environment aligned with company values.
Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance: Ensures all location operations meet or exceed HACCP standards, health codes, sanitation requirements, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations at all times .
Guest & Client Experience: Builds and sustains strong client and guest relationships through consistent service quality, proactive communication, and a commitment to exceeding expectations.
Sales, Marketing & Community Engagement: Executes company marketing initiatives and develops local partnerships and community relationships to grow participation, increase revenue, and strengthen brand presence.
Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement: Maintains rigorous internal audit readiness, monitors quality metrics, and drives year-over-year operational improvements across food production, service, and compliance standards.
WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER DETAILS
Expected Hours of Work:
This is a full‑time exempt position. The role requires availability during all operational hours as needed, As an exempt position, it is expected that Team Member will devote whatever time necessary to accomplish the goals and responsibilities. This may require extended work hours and flexible scheduling to meet business demands.
This position is aligned with the assigned school district calendar; however, the General Manager is expected to schedule vacation and other planned time off during school closures whenever possible to minimize disruption to operations. Work schedules are determined by the operational needs of the account. At locations where summer feeding programs or other summer operations are offered, the General Manager will be expected to work during the summer months as required to support the needs of the business.
80% of the workday is expected to be in schools observing and supporting the team. Some travel may be required for corporate meetings, training, conferences, or multi- location support. The role requires daily onsite presence at the location to manage operations and staff effectively. Travel throughout school district will be required . All approved travel and related expenses will be covered by the Company. These expectations may evolve based on business needs.
Physical Demands of the Job:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the team member is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear throughout the facility. The role requires extended periods of standing and walking during operational oversight. The employee must occasionally be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee must be able to work in varying conditions throughout the facility including office areas and operational spaces. Work is primarily hands on during mealtimes with office work occurring before and after mealtimes.
The work is performed in a restaurant/food service environment including both office and operational areas. The work environment includes varying noise levels from moderate in offices to loud during peak operational periods, exposure to varying temperatures, and frequent interaction with staff, customers, and vendors. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work and duties that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duty does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, or a logical assignment to the position, and the Company reserves the right to add additional duties or modify existing duties.
Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 6:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Salary Target
$78,000 - $81,000
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Worksite address
hartford, CT, 06112, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.