POSITION TITLE (Oracle title)

DIRECTOR

WORKING TITLE

Director of Innovations and Program Development

SCHOOL/DEPARTMENT

Child Nutrition Services (CNS)

LOCATION

Rock Quarry Road Office Complex, Raleigh, NC

PAY GRADE

Director-Band 2

FLSA STATUS

Exempt

ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

Yes

WORK WEEK SCHEDULE

Monday-Friday (occasional evenings and weekends) Position is available for a hybrid telework workweek 

POSITION PURPOSE:

Provides strategic leadership and coordination for the planning, implementation, and assessment of the School Nutrition Program. Responsible for ensuring comprehensive compliance with all federal, state, and board regulations while simultaneously driving strategic innovation in service systems. Develops cost-effective, best-practice solutions to support program sustainability and improve customer satisfaction, ensuring service systems meet time-relevant expectations for internal and external stakeholders.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs)

• Comprehensive knowledge of USDA regulations including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), After School Snack Program (ASAP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP);

• Considerable knowledge of enterprise Point of Sale (POS) and back-of-house operations systems with emphasis on menu planning, nutritional analysis, and production records;

• Considerable knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Google Apps;

• Working knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) standards;

• Knowledge of food service standards including menu planning, food preparation, portion control, serving procedures, and sanitation practices required;

• Knowledge of federal, state and local school food and nutrition policies and procedures required; 

• Knowledge of purchasing and financial management procedures; 

• Excellent decision-making and problem solving skills;

• Excellent organizational and leadership skills;

• Ability to design and deliver training to adults and supervise diverse departmental personnel effectively;

• Ability to develop comprehensive marketing plans and collateral, manage social media sites, and use a variety of communication tools to ensure appropriate information flow and stakeholder feedback;

• Ability to develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate program goals and initiatives;

• Ability to work independently and complete tasks in the absence of clear direction;

• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form using a variety of communication techniques and tools to ensure the appropriate flow of information, collaborative efforts, and feedback;

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school system staff and students, external agencies, vendors, parents, and the community.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in hospitality management, culinary arts, business, nutrition, or related field;

• Seven years of related food service experience; 

• Five years of leadership experience with direct responsibility for multi-unit or high-volume food service operation(s), preferably with child nutrition programs;

• Five years of experience related to budget/profit and loss (P&L) management;

• Three years of leadership experience that includes the strategic oversight of a K12 school nutrition program or other large food service operation;

• Equivalent combination of applicable education, training, and experience which provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform effectively in the position may be considered in place of the above qualifications.

CERTIFICATION AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

• Must hold and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator’s license according to the State of NC requirements;

• Hold and maintain certification in food service sanitation or obtain certification within three months of hire;

• Must acquire professional development continuing education units (CEUs) to comply with federal and state regulations for child nutrition programs.

PREFERRED QUALIFIACTIONS 

• Experience in management of child nutrition programs;

• Professional designation as a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionist;

• Experience selecting and managing the utilization of United States Department of Agriculture Foods (commodities);

• Experience developing and leading teams with both culinary and non-culinary backgrounds to achieve results;

• Experience managing warehousing and distribution operations;

• Chef certification with successful concept creation and menu placement experience. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provides leadership for child nutrition program strategic initiatives. Oversees development, planning, testing, launch, and assessment of innovative strategies to deliver service programming that aligns with internal and external customer expectations. Supports the work of the CNS Senior Director and other CNS leadership.

2. Coordinates Child Nutrition Program operations by utilizing comprehensive knowledge of USDA, Federal, State, and Board regulations to ensure full compliance with all policies, guidelines, and established food service standards and practices.

3. Coordinates and manages all research-based projects including grant acquisition and all related reporting.

4. Manages staff recruitment, selection, placement, development, training, and performance to achieve goals.

5. In collaboration with other CNS Administrators, leads the ideation, design and implementation of services for food, packaging, and merchandising to meet diverse customer expectations while ensuring efficient/safe food production/storage and workflow, nutritional content/integrity, effective costing, and maximized utilization of United States Department of Agriculture Foods (commodities). Establishes programming that satisfies local, state, and federal laws and policies, and maintains supporting documentation in accordance with all rules related thereto.

6. Leads the development and execution of the annual marketing plan to include trend menus, monthly food promotions, special events, and community outreach initiatives. Designs and directs the preparation of marketing collateral (posters, guides, brochures, templates, menus, and web-based and social media contributions) in alignment with the WCPSS/CNS brand elements. Manages content updates to internet and intranet sites. Coordinates the preparations and execution of all media and community events. Ensures messaging is consistent with WCPSS/CNS philosophies and communication standards.

7. Coordinates the project work of the Menu/Supplemental Sales Team, Inventory Team, Supplier Team, Service Standards Team, and the Sustainability Team, to maintain effective operations and create continuous improvement gains through new objectives and action plans.

8. Sources new ingredients and products using existing suppliers and developing new channels. Oversees recipe ideation, the coordination of product testing and pilots, and the development of testing protocols/instruments that ensures compliance with the CNS Procurement Plan and produces decision enabling data. Leads the development of demonstrations and training related to culinary techniques and sustainability initiatives to enhance staff skills and awareness.

9. Orchestrates all operating activities involving foods and foodservice supply distributors, manufacturers, and brokers, as well as contractors for beverage and snack vending and sustainability related services. Acquires necessary information to prepare invitations for bids (IFBs), request for proposals (RFPs), request for quotes (RFQs), and requests for information (RFIs) incompliance with the CNS Procurement Plan and other Federal/State/Local policy. Coordinates supplier meetings and monitors and initiates resolution of matters related to contract compliance in consultation with WCPSS/CNS leadership and Purchasing Department. 

10. Directs Warehouse operations management, overseeing all food, supplies, and small equipment order processes, as well as centralized receiving, storage, and distribution, plus product recalls, and equipment/vehicle management. Conducts monthly reviews of utilized USDA foods and net operating income (NOI) credits received and reconciles discrepancies. Monitors and coordinates resolution of pricing discrepancies.

11. Directs Summer Feeding operations, overseeing all site applications, foods, supplies, and staffing for program operations

12. Oversees the development and distribution of all CNS menus, production records, nutrient analyses, and Order Guide; coordinates staff data entry in point-of-sale system

13. Researches alternatives that will help increase the utilization of locally grown and raised foods and manufactured supplies. Orders Farm to School products.

14. Uses appropriate financial management techniques and effective metrics to develop and achieve goals for revenue production and expenditures for labor, food, supplies, transportation, and equipment.

15. Attends local, regional, state, and national meetings and professional development to gain knowledge beneficial to the continued progress of the Child Nutrition Program.

16. Performs other related duties, as assigned.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

This job operates in a professional office environment and has a noise level of mostly low to moderate. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, scanners, and copiers, as well as equipment for children with special needs. The position, at times, must be able to come into direct contact school system staff, parents, students, external agencies, vendors, the public, and community groups. Work is considered medium physical work, requiring the exertion of up to 40 pounds of force. The work frequently requires driving automotive equipment as travel within Wake County is required. 

EFFECTIVE DATE:  3/2026

DISCLAIMER:  The above statements are intended to describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this position.  They are not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required by the employees assigned to this position.  This description may be revised by HR and approved at any time.