Food Operations Manager 2

Lead with purpose. Elevate the patient experience. Grow your healthcare leadership career.

Sodexo is seeking a Food Operations Manager 2 to join our healthcare team at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey. Mountainside is a 325-bed acute care facility and part of the Hackensack Meridian Health and Ardent Health Services joint venture, delivering high-quality care to patients throughout northern New Jersey.

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated healthcare food service leader who is passionate about patient satisfaction, food quality, and employee engagement. The Food Operations Manager 2 will play a key role in overseeing retail and catering operations while partnering closely with patient dining and clinical teams to deliver an exceptional dining experience.

The successful candidate will lead and develop a team of approximately 45 union frontline employees and will be an integral member of a collaborative leadership team consisting of a General Manager, Clinical Nutrition Manager, Executive Chef, Retail Manager, and Patient Services Operations Manager.

If you're a hands-on healthcare leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about creating outstanding patient experiences, we'd love to hear from you. 

• Lead daily retail dining, catering, and floor stock operations while supporting patient meal service initiatives
• Coordinate frontline staffing, scheduling, and payroll activities to ensure efficient operations and labor management
• Motivate, coach, and develop a team of approximately 45 union frontline employees
• Deliver high-quality food services that exceed client and patient expectations
• Collaborate with fellow managers, clinical teams, and hospital leadership to drive patient satisfaction and service excellence
• Monitor food quality and presentation to ensure consistency and exceptional patient experiences
• Support Press Ganey patient satisfaction initiatives and implement action plans for continuous improvement
• Achieve company and client financial goals, including labor and operational targets
• Ensure compliance with HACCP guidelines, regulatory requirements, and Sodexo standards
• Assist with opening and closing responsibilities as needed and participate in rotating weekend coverage

Compensation is fair and equitable, partially determined by a candidate's education level or years of relevant experience. Salary offers are based on a candidate's specific criteria, like experience, skills, education, and training. Sodexo offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Care and Wellness Programs
• 401(k) Plan with Matching Contributions
• Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
• Career Growth Opportunities and Tuition Reimbursement

More extensive information is provided to new employees upon hire.

• Healthcare food service leadership experience strongly preferred, particularly within acute care settings
• Experience managing unionized frontline teams preferred
• Passion for patient satisfaction, food quality, and customer service excellence
• Experience with patient dining operations and familiarity with Press Ganey or similar patient satisfaction programs
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, motivate, and develop employees
• Experience with scheduling, payroll, labor management, and operational reporting
• Knowledge of HACCP, food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build strong relationships across interdisciplinary teams
• Flexibility to support opening and closing shifts as needed; typical schedule is 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM with rotating weekends

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone and build a better life for all. We believe in improving the quality of life for those we serve and contributing to the economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Sodexo partners with clients to provide a truly memorable experience for both customers and employees alike. We do this by providing food service, catering, facilities management, and other integrated solutions worldwide.

Our company values you for you; you will be treated fairly and with respect, and you can be yourself. You will have your ideas count and your opinions heard because we can be a stronger team when you’re happy at work. This is why we embrace diversity and inclusion as core values, fostering an environment where all employees are valued and respected. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need assistance with the application process, please complete this form.

Minimum Education Requirement - Associate's Degree or equivalent experience
Minimum Management Experience - 2 years
Minimum Functional Experience - 2 years work experience in food or culinary services including restaurants, fast food, vending, catering services, institutional services, mall food courts, etc.