Food Services Operations Manager

Mary’s Place provides safe and inclusive shelter and services for women, children and families on their journey out of homelessness. We operate several 24x7 family centers/shelters in King County. We serve hundreds of families–moms, dads, and children–providing a safe place for them to be inside and together at night, along with food, showers, clothing, and access to housing and employment resources. We believe that no one’s child should sleep outside.

The Food Service Manager provides leadership and actively engages in Mary’s Place racial equity work – striving for equitable outcomes and taking responsibility for creating, maintaining, and affirming communities for people of color, immigrants, and refugees, trans and gender-non-conforming people, and other populations who routinely encounter systemic oppressions.

The position oversees all food service functions including kitchen operations, menu planning, food preparation, inventory management, purchasing, donor and vendor relationships, and food safety compliance. The Food Services Manager ensures food services are delivered in a manner that is guest-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and aligned with Mary's Place mission of serving families with dignity and respect. The Food Services Manager reports to the Director of Shelter Operations.

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt management position with the flexibility to work some weekends, evenings, and holidays and respond to emergency situations as needed to meet the demands of the job.

The standard schedule is 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The annual salary is $88K - $93K DOE.

Key Responsibilities

Food Service Production Management (40%)

• Execute and maintain a guest-centered, trauma-informed, nutritious, and cost-effective food service program that supports the dignity, wellness, and stability of families experiencing homelessness.

• Ensure food service operations reflect trauma-informed principles by promoting choice, dignity, consistency, and a welcoming dining experience for shelter guests.

• Develop and implement culturally responsive menus that provide nutritious, appealing, and family-friendly meals for approximately 450-500 shelter guests, including children of all ages.

• Partner with Program and Shelter Operations teams to address guest food preferences, dietary accommodations, cultural traditions, religious practices, celebrations, and special events while maintaining a welcoming and inclusive dining experience.

• Regularly gather and evaluate resident feedback regarding meal quality, variety, and dining experience, incorporating feedback into menu and service improvements when feasible.

• Support, promote, and adhere to vision, mission, and values of Mary’s Place

• Participate effectively as an operations management team member through communication, cooperation, information sharing, and creative problem solving

• Communicate and coordinate with vendors and other in-kind donation partners on regular basis to share information on food donations, ordering and delivery logistics

• Supervise Food Services drivers

Food Production Team Supervision (35%)

• Supervise and develop kitchen staff through coaching, training, and performance management while fostering a culture rooted in hospitality, guest service, cultural humility, and trauma-informed care.

• Foster open communication and collaboration among team members while promoting respectful, culturally responsive interactions with guests and colleagues

• Manage team performance, providing direction and guidance, maintaining acceptable levels of team and individual performance. Take corrective action to improve performance as appropriate

• Lead by example with regular and consistent attendance

• Participate in staff training and programs as required

• Assign training to staff and follow up to ensure training completion

Food Production Planning and Safety Program Management (25%)

• Oversee and maintain food and supplies budget and work with vendors and donors to manage meal costs.

• Take inventory and place orders for food, ingredients, and supplies

• Ensure that Mary's Place kitchens are compliant with all health and safety regulations

• Manage cleanup and maintenance routines for the kitchens

• Oversee proper documentation of all food related safety regulations and protocols

• Work with the Facilities Manager to schedule and oversee necessary maintenance and

repairs of kitchen equipment

• Partner closely with Program Managers to understand resident demographics, emerging needs, and opportunities to enhance food service support for families.

• Collaborate with program staff to support resident wellness, community-building activities, and shelter events through thoughtful meal planning and food service participation.

• Participate in cross-functional planning efforts to ensure food services contribute to positive resident experiences and successful shelter operations.

• Other tasks or duties as assigned