Director of Foodservice Programs -- Focus in NLSP and CACFP

Director of Foodservice Programs

Purpose for the Position:

The Director of Foodservice Programs role is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing the strategic, development, execution, and performance of foodservice operations for institutional food service-oriented programs. This multifaceted position also involves customer service and support along with menu development for institutional foodservice oriented programs.

A core function of the role is responsible for developing, maintaining, and reviewing nutritionally balanced and Federally compliant products and menus and recipes for a variety of nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program, the National School Breakfast Program, childcare nutrition programs (CACFP), senior nutrition programs, other compatible institutional meal programs, along with USDA-regulated food manufacturing operations. The role may also involve management of USDA commodities and use of USDA Foods.

This role also supports nutrition compliance, labeling accuracy, commodity processing, regulatory adherence, product development, and guidance on nutritional formulation and claims. The Director of Foodservice Programs works cross-functionally with Quality Assurance, Regulatory, Production, Culinary, Operations, and R&D teams to ensure food safety, compliance, customer satisfaction, and product integrity.

Essential Responsibilities:

Essential responsibilities are fundamental duties of the position. Reasonable accommodation may be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Nutrition & Product Development

• Conduct nutritional analysis of products using approved software and databases.
• Collaborate with R&D and production teams to develop or reformulate products to meet nutritional targets and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate ingredient changes for nutritional impact and labeling implications.
• Provide expert guidance on nutrient content claims (e.g., "low sodium," "high protein").
• Develop and review menus to ensure compliance with applicable meal pattern requirements and nutrition standards.
• Conduct nutrient analysis and recipe reviews for school nutrition, childcare nutrition, retail, and senior nutrition programs.
• Support menu planning activities for school districts, childcare centers, senior meal providers, and other institutional foodservice clients.
• Coordinate menu cycles, recipes, product selections, and substitutions to support operational, procurement, and nutritional objectives.
• Provide guidance on special dietary accommodations, allergen management, and medically necessary meal modifications.

Business Development & Customer Service

• Manage customer service activities to ensure customer feedback is responded to timely with any needed corrective actions and properly logged.
• Manage emergency menu changes and communicate to internal and external customers.
• Schedule visits with existing customers to gauge our product performance and update the customers on new product developments.
• Provide support in onboarding new customers through visits and sharing leads with sales.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with USDA (FSIS) and FDA nutrition labeling regulations, including Nutrition Facts Panels, ingredient statements, and allergen declarations.
• Review and approve product labels, claims, and marketing materials for regulatory accuracy.
• Maintain current knowledge of USDA, FDA, USDA Child Nutrition Program, and senior nutrition program requirements, including school lunch and senior care menu types such as NSLP, SBP, CACFP, SFSP, SSO, OAA Senior Nutrition Programs, congregate meal programs, and home-delivered meal programs.
• Support internal and external audits, including USDA inspections and customer audits.
• Assist in maintaining documentation related to nutrition, labeling, menu compliance, and regulatory requirements.
• Verify meal pattern compliance and nutrient analysis for school nutrition, childcare nutrition, and senior nutrition programs.

Food Safety & Quality Collaboration

• Partner and support QA and food safety teams to ensure compliance with HACCP, GMP, and sanitation programs.
• Review product specifications for accuracy and completeness.
• Support allergen control programs and verify labeling accuracy.

Training & Communication

• Provide training to staff on nutrition labeling requirements, allergens, and regulatory expectations.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for nutrition and menu-planning inquiries internally.
• Communicate regulatory updates and nutrition-related changes to relevant department heads.

Other Duties

• Perform related duties as assigned, consistent with organizational objectives and compliance requirements.
• Attend industry specific conferences and training.

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Director of K12 Foodservice (CMP), School Nutrition Specialist (SNS), Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN), Certified Dietary Manager (CDM), or equivalent nutrition/menu-planning credential preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, Food Science, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in food manufacturing, regulatory compliance, nutrition labeling, or menu planning.
• Knowledge of USDA (FSIS), FDA, Child Nutrition Program, and senior nutrition program requirements.
• Familiarity with school lunch, childcare, and senior care menu types and related program requirements, such as NSLP, SBP, CACFP, SFSP, SSO, OAA Senior Nutrition Programs, congregate meal programs, home-delivered meal programs, and state or local senior nutrition initiatives.
• Strong attention to detail and analytical skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand and move throughout a production facility for extended periods.
• Ability to inspect labels, documents, and production processes.
• Comfortable working in temperature-controlled and refrigerated environments.
• Ability to navigate a fast-paced, production-focused setting.
• Some travel is occasionally required.

Environmental Conditions:

Work is performed in office, USDA-inspected food manufacturing, and foodservice environments. The role may include exposure to cold environments, production noise, commercial kitchen operations, and food allergens. Must adhere to all hygiene, sanitation, and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.

EEO/USDA Civil Rights/Background and Compliance:

This organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Program Provider. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

In accordance with USDA civil rights regulations and policies, this institution does not discriminate in employment or program participation. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Employment may be contingent upon completion of background checks or other compliance requirements consistent with federal and USDA regulations.