Food Service Manager

Job Description

Food Service Manager 

DEPARTMENT: 30 Prepared Foods

REPORTS TO: General Manager

PAY CLASSIFICATION: Hourly non-exempt

LAST UPDATED: May 3rd, 2025

Job Summary

The Food Service Manager is responsible for all the daily operations of our food services departments - bakery, deli, café, meat and catering services - as well as oversight of all food service staff.

About Prairie Food Co-op

Prairie Food Co-op is a community-owned and democratically operated grocery store dedicated to strengthening our economy and creating a marketplace for transparently labeled, local, organic and sustainable food.

Essential Job Duties

• Plan and produce all menus of food items offered for sale as well as items for special order, catering, and events
• Approve menu plans submitted by others, and support the planning, preparation, production, service, and sale of all Co-op food items
• Maintain all kitchen equipment and services to ensure safe and efficient daily operations
• Plan, prepare, and serve a variety of specialty menu items including gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and organic/natural
• Ensure compliance with all state, local, and federal food service regulations, and all applicable safety regulations
• Staffing and scheduling of the prepared food department
• Create a cohesive food service experience between the Prepared Foods Department and other store departments that cross utilizes food items to mitigate food waste and improve overall food production and department efficiency. 
• Model impeccable and admirable leadership qualities, identify and develop leadership qualities in others, support succession planning and provide ongoing staff training/development
• Help establish and achieve strategic plan goals
• Understand and promote our cooperative identity 
• Achieve and maintain Prepared Foods departmental KPI goals including for sales, margin, and superior customer service
• Business development in the area of catering, special orders, and holiday orders
• Ensure kitchen and bakery food/serving items are ordered, receiving, prices, and stocked
• Achieve and maintain Prepared Foods departmental goals for sales, margin, and superior customer service
• Administrative duties, including ordering, inventory, recruitment, training, performance management, discipline, departmental sales, and other duties as assigned

Essential Skills

• Excellent customer service skills for both internal and external customers
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and work under pressure
• Ability to effectively delegate tasks, train, and motivate staff
• Excellent communication, organizational, and time management skills
• Ability to effectively monitor, maintain, and improve staff performance by respectfully and constructively delivering coaching and counseling to staff

Essential Mental & Physical Requirements

• Works independently with limited guidance
• Performs a variety of tasks independently as dictated by organizational demands
• Relates information to diverse individuals both orally and in writing
• Must have good analytical ability and be proficient in math
• Standing for long periods, bending, walking, reaching, and sitting
• Ability to climb up and down stepladders and stairs daily
• Able to lift and carry up 50 lbs. as needed throughout the day

Experience and Educational Requirements

• Minimum five years’ experience managing a professional/commercial kitchen 
• Proven compliance with all applicable food safety protocols
• Must hold, or obtain, a current “Food Safety Certification” as required by the State of Illinois, prior to commencement of work
• Knowledge of, and desire to accommodate, diverse dietary restrictions
• High School Diploma or GED

Other Qualifications

• Ability to safely and successfully perform essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA & other federal, state & local standards - including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards 
• Ability to maintain reasonably regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA & other federal, state and local standards 
• Compliance with all personnel policies

Important Disclaimer Notice

The job duties, elements and responsibilities, skills, functions, experience, educational factors, requirements and conditions listed in this job description are representative only and not exhaustive of the tasks that the employee may be required to perform. The Co-op does reserve the right to revise this job description at any time and require employees to perform other job duties as assigned.