Director, Dining Services - Food Service Education - Marshall, MI

Director Of Dining Services

Chartwells K12's goal is to make sure students leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than they came in, by serving food kids love to eat and creating custom dining programs. With more than 16,000 associates in 4,500 schools, ranging from large public institutions to small charter and private schools, Chartwells K12 is built on decades of food, education and operational experience driven by top culinary, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability talent.

As the Director of Dining Services, you will play a key role in launching and managing our newest dining account within the Education sector. This position combines strategic vision with hands-on leadership to deliver exceptional dining experiences that consistently exceed client expectations. You will drive operational excellence, strengthen client relationships, and champion culinary innovation, ensuring every aspect of service reflects the highest standards of quality. Leading a large, collaborative team, you will foster a culture of creativity, accountability, and teamwork as you bring this new account to life. From menu development to service execution, your guidance will set the benchmark for excellence while driving performance and customer satisfaction across the district. Your leadership will empower the team to deliver outstanding results and create dining programs that truly make a difference.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and inspire our team of frontline associates.
• Drive strategic initiatives to enhance customer satisfaction and increase profitability.
• Recruit, train, and develop top talent within the organization.
• Own the annual budget and control costs optimally.
• Ensure adherence to quality, safety, and sanitation standards.
• Build strong relationships with clients, customers, and associates.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the efficient functioning of a dining service operation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Nutrition/Management/Hospitality/Culinary preferred or equivalent experience.
• Five plus years of foodservice management experience.
• Strong knowledge of high-volume food production and catering trends is preferred.
• Previous P&L accountability or contract-managed services experience.
• Exceptional leadership and communication skills.
• Proficiency in computer skills.

Chartwells Schools is a member of Compass Group USA. Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Chartwells K-12 maintains a drug-free workplace. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Associates at Chartwells K-12 are offered many fantastic benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, holiday time off, associate shopping program, health and wellness programs, discount marketplace, identity theft protection, pet insurance, commuter benefits, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, paid parental leave, and personal leave.