Food Service Operations and Inventory Manager

Job Description: FOOD SERVICE OPERATIONS & INVENTORY MANAGER 

PRIMARY FUNCTION: 

The Food Service Operations & Inventory Manager is responsible for overseeing district-wide inventory management, warehousing, distribution, and operational logistics for a large, multi-site public school food service program, supporting dozens of school and program locations throughout the district. This role manages central warehouse operations and oversees food and supply inventory for all school sites, coordinates and supervises all incoming deliveries and the timely distribution of food, supplies, and equipment throughout the district, and provides direct supervision of truck drivers and distribution staff. 

The position ensures efficient operations, accurate inventory control, regulatory compliance, and timely delivery of food and supplies to support uninterrupted daily meal service across the district. This is a salary position and will follow the schedule of cafeteria managers unless needed in an emergency capacity outside of the regularly scheduled hours.

REPORTS TO: Executive Food Service Director, Deputy Director, Administrative Bureau Supervisor, or designee.

SUPERVISES: Truck drivers and distribution staff. 

TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Operations & Logistics Management

• Oversee district wide daily food service logistics, including receiving, storage, distribution, and transportation of food, supplies, and equipment.
• Plan, schedule, and coordinate all incoming deliveries from vendors and outgoing deliveries to school sites.
• Manages Central Warehouse operations, including the receiving, inspection, storage, rotation, and issuance of food, supplies, and equipment.
• Coordinates daily distribution activities to support timely and uninterrupted meal service throughout the district.
• Ensure safe operation, cleanliness, and routine maintenance of fleet delivery vehicles and warehouse equipment.
• Serve as the primary operational contact for school site administrators regarding delivery schedules, shortages, substitutions, and service disruptions.
• Collaborate with food service leadership and school site managers to support operational needs and resolve issues.
• Assist in the development, implementing, and monitoring of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for warehouse operations, transportation, and site level inventory practices.

Inventory Management & Control

• Manage all inventory activities at the central warehouse, including receiving, inspection, storage, rotation, and issuance of food, supplies, and equipment.
• Maintain accurate inventory control for the central warehouse and oversees inventory of all school locations.
• Establish and enforce inventory procedures, including receiving, rotation (FIFO), storage, tracking, and reconciliation.
• Develop and enforce standardized inventory procedures for all school kitchens and satellite sites.
• Monitor inventory levels to prevent shortages, overstocking, spoilage, and waste.
• Conduct regular inventory counts and audits at the central location and school sites; investigate and resolve discrepancies, shrinkage, or losses throughout the school district.
• Analyze inventory usage and trends to support forecasting, purchasing, and cost control.
• Work closely with purchasing staff and vendors to ensure product availability and quality.
• Oversee inventory tracking systems to ensure real time accuracy of stock levels and usage data.
• Collaborate with site staff and caf� managers to address shortages, over ordering, storage constraints, or product quality issues.
• Assist with forecasting, purchasing decisions, and bid specifications by providing accurate inventory and usage data.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs through improved inventory turnover, vendor coordination, and operational efficiencies.

Staff Supervision & Development

• Supervises truck drivers and warehouse/distribution staff, including scheduling, work assignments, and daily oversight.
• Provides training, coaching, direction, and performance feedback to assigned staff.
• Ensures assigned employees follow established warehouse, transportation, inventory, food safety, and workplace safety procedures.
• Addresses operational or performance concerns and communicates personnel matters to appropriate management as necessary.

Compliance, Safety & Quality Assurance

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, including USDA, school nutrition program requirements, food safety standards, and district policies.
• Enforce proper food safety, sanitation, and HACCP procedures throughout warehouse, transportation, and school site operations.
• Ensure all warehouse staff follow safety protocols, including vehicle safety and workplace safety standards.
• Maintain accurate records related to inventory, deliveries, temperatures, inspections, and compliance documentation

Operational Coordination & Program Support

• Serve as a liaison between the central warehouse, transportation staff, school Cook Leads, cafeteria managers, vendors, and district administration.
• Assist with development and implementation of operational policies, procedures, and best practices for warehousing, transportation, distribution, and site-level inventory management.
• Communicates operational issues, product shortages, delivery disruptions, or other concerns to appropriate staff and leadership.
• Support emergency preparedness and contingency planning related to food distribution and inventory.
• Participate in planning, budgeting, cost control initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts intended to improve the efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of operations.

Performs related work as required.

NOTE:  The above description covers the principal duties and responsibilities of the job and shall not be construed as a complete listing of all duties or as a contract. 

EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Nutrition, or a related field.
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in operations management, inventory management, warehouse management, or food service logistics, including supervising employees engaged in transportation, warehousing, distribution, inventory, or similar operational functions.
• Experience working in a large-scale food service, institutional, warehouse, distribution, or comparable multi-site operational environment preferred.
• Experience in a K-12 school district or school nutrition environment strongly preferred.
• In lieu of college degree, an additional four years of directly related experience may be substituted.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:

• Considerable knowledge of inventory control systems, warehousing operations, receiving, storage, distribution and transportation logistics.
• Knowledge of inventory rotation, reconciliation, stock control, loss prevention, and methods for minimizing shortages, overstocking, spoilage, and waste.
• Knowledge of safe warehouse, loading dock, material-handling, vehicle, procedures and workplace safety standards.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, temperature-control, and HACCP practices applicable to the storage and distribution of food products.
• Knowledge of large-scale food service operations and the operational requirements associated with supporting multiple service locations.
• Familiarity with USDA Child Nutrition Programs and applicable school nutrition requirements.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate warehouse, transportation, delivery, and inventory activities across multiple locations.
• Ability to analyze inventory levels, usage patterns, delivery activity, and other operational data to support forecasting, purchasing, cost control, and operational planning.
• Ability to identify and resolve inventory discrepancies, delivery problems, product shortages, storage limitations, and other operational issues.
• Ability to establish priorities and manage multiple operational demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to develop, implement, and consistently apply standard operating procedures and inventory-control practices.
• Ability to supervise, schedule, train, direct, and evaluate assigned employees.
• Ability to maintain accurate inventory, delivery, inspection, temperature, and other operational records.
• Ability to use inventory management systems and other applicable administrative and operational technology.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, school personnel, vendors, purchasing staff, management, and other stakeholders.
• Strong organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Ability to identify operational problems, establish priorities, and make timely adjustments to maintain continuity of food service operations.
• Ability to use applicable food service, inventory, ordering, forecasting, and administrative software and technology, including Microsoft Office.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must possess and maintain a valid Connecticut driver's license.
• Must be able to safely operate departmental vehicles, including delivery vehicles, as required.
• Must be able to safely operate pallet jacks and material handling equipment.
• Ability to life and move food and supply items as needed (with or without accommodation).
• May require early mornings, occasional evenings, occasional weekends or flexible hours to meet operational needs.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is performed in warehouse, office, and school site environments.

SALARY, BARGAINING UNIT & APPLICABLE TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Local 3144 Salary Scale- Range 9: $70,596 - $111,670

This is a Special Fund position. Continued employment contingent upon availability of future funding. The grant funding supporting this position may be terminated at any time.

Hires are not covered by Social Security and will not pay Social Security taxes. They instead participate in the City Pension.

This position is included in a collective bargaining agreement with Local 3144, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Bargaining agreements available to review HERE.

Benefit Information

Employees become eligible to participate in the Medical & Dental benefit plan provided for members of Local 3144. Employees may elect a medical plan including prescription drug and dental coverage, for which employees must contribute a portion of the premium cost. Benefit information can be found online HERE, under the Local 3144 Management & Professional banner.

Eligible employees receive paid vacation,paid sick days, paid personal days, and paid holidays. 

Term Life Insurance of $20,000 is provided at no cost to the employee. 

Short-Term Disability coverage is also provided at no cost to the employee.