Deputy Director Food & Nutrition Services (SY26-27) @ Boston Public Schools

Boston Public Schools seeks a Deputy Director.

REPORTS TO

Executive Director of Food and Nutrition Services

OVERVIEW

The Deputy Director FNS ensures that school kitchens, satellite sites, and the central kitchen provide safe, nutritious, appealing meals that reflect the diverse cultures and needs of BPS students. The Deputy Director translates departmental priorities into effective operating practices, dependable staffing coverage, consistent menu execution, and timely resolution of service concerns. The role oversees assigned operational leaders and coordinates with human resources, logistics, culinary and nutrition staff, finance, procurement, facilities, and health services to support reliable meal service.

RESPONSIBILITIES

School and Central Kitchen Operations

• Lead and coordinate daily food service operations across school kitchens, satellite sites, and the central kitchen.
• Establish clear expectations for food production, meal service, quality, sanitation, and operational performance.
• Ensure staff follow approved menus, standardized recipes, portion sizes, and production procedures.
• Work with culinary and nutrition leaders to support meals that meet program requirements, appeal to students, and reflect the diversity of school communities.
• Conduct regular site visits and review operational data to identify service gaps and opportunities for improvement.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and ongoing review of standard operating procedures, including emergency meals, substitutions, service disruptions, and escalation of concerns.
• Establish a consistent process to document operational concerns, assign responsibility, track corrective action, and confirm resolution.
• Coordinate operational readiness for new programs, changes in service models, and school openings or transitions.

Logistics and Central Kitchen Operations

• Oversee operational planning for food production, transportation, delivery schedules, and distribution between the central kitchen and service sites.
• Coordinate with logistics staff, procurement, vendors, and site leaders to ensure timely availability of food, supplies, and equipment.
• Monitor receiving, storage, inventory, and distribution practices to support food safety, accurate orders, and reduced waste.
• Establish procedures for responding to shortages, delivery failures, product quality concerns, and other disruptions.
• Ensure appropriate food handling and temperature controls throughout production, transport, and service.
• Partner with Facilities to identify, prioritize, and track kitchen equipment and infrastructure needs.

Program Compliance and Food Safety

• Oversee operational implementation of NSLP, SBP, CACFP, and SFSP, including applicable service models and program requirements.
• Ensure consistent implementation of meal patterns, meal counting and claiming procedures, production records, and required supporting documentation.
• Coordinate required site monitoring, internal reviews, corrective action plans, and follow-up.
• Lead operational preparation for state and federal reviews and audits in partnership with responsible FNS staff.
• Ensure implementation of food safety and sanitation procedures, including HACCP- based practices and required staff training.
• Coordinate dietary accommodation procedures with nutrition staff, Health Services, school nurses, families, and school teams.
• Work with procurement, finance, and HR leaders to ensure operational practices align with applicable requirements and district policies.
• Communicate program changes and translate requirements into clear instructions for staff.
• Represent FNS with DESE, USDA, public health authorities, and other oversight agencies as assigned.

Operational Resources and Financial Coordination

• Partner with the finance team to develop operational budget needs and monitor spending within approved allocations.
• Use labor, food cost, inventory, waste, and participation data to recommend operational improvements.
• Provide staffing, equipment, production, and service projections to support budget planning.
• Coordinate with procurement on product specifications, evaluations, vendor performance, and purchasing needs.
• Ensure resource decisions support safe, consistent service and departmental priorities.
• Recommend investments that improve operational reliability and staff effectiveness.

Human Resources, Staffing, and Training

• Partner with the FNS Human Resources team and BPS Human Resources to plan recruitment, hiring, onboarding, retention, and succession.
• Oversee staffing models and assignments that reflect each site's workload, production needs, and meal service responsibilities.
• Establish and monitor systems for daily staffing coverage, including substitute availability, assignment, and readiness.
• Ensure staff receive training and site-specific orientation appropriate to their responsibilities before working independently.
• Supervise, coach, and evaluate assigned leaders, holding them accountable for staff support and operational performance.
• Coordinate practical professional development based on observed needs, staff feedback, program requirements, and corrective actions.
• Support consistent implementation of collective bargaining agreements and district personnel policies in collaboration with HR.
• Participate in labor discussions and negotiations as assigned, providing operational information and recommendations.
• Promote respectful communication, employee engagement, and a solution-oriented

workplace.

Leadership, Collaboration and Accountability

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Executive Director and lead implementation of assigned departmental priorities.
• Supervise assigned assistant directors, operational managers, and other staff according to the approved organizational structure.
• Establish clear responsibilities, decision-making authority, and handoffs across operational teams.
• Set operational performance expectations and regularly review progress with assigned leaders.
• Build effective relationships with school leaders, central office departments, families, and community partners.
• Maintain clear communication between central office, the central kitchen, and school teams.
• Seek and use feedback from students and staff to improve meal service and the cafeteria experience.
• Lead special projects and cross-departmental initiatives as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned

Education: Required or for Preferred.

• Masters
• Doctorate
• License(s): RD/RDN SNS
• High School Diploma or GED
• Associate's degree
• Certification(s): ServSafe
• Bachelor's degree
• License(s): RD/RDN SNS

City of Boston Resident

• City of Boston Resident not applicable

Prior Relevant Work Experience

• 7 to 10 years Required or Preferred

Required Skills & Other Minimum Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in K-12 nutrition, 3+ years of supervisory or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience administering NSLP, SBP, CACFP, and SFSP, including program implementation, monitoring, documentation, reviews and corrective actions.
• Experience overseeing school kitchen operations and centralized food production or meal distribution.
• Working knowledge of school nutrition requirements, food safety, meal patterns, production records, and meal counting and claiming procedures. Demonstrated success in staffing planning, coverage coordination, staff supervision, training, and performance management
• Experience with unionized workforce and implementing collective bargaining agreements in partnership with HR.
• Experience developing operating procedures and resolving service problems across multiple locations.
• Ability to interpret operational and financial data and use findings to improve service and manage resources.
• Experience with school nutrition technology, including point-of-sale, inventory, production, or menu management systems.
• Current food protection manager certification, such as SERVSAFE Manager or equivalent recognized certification.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Current authorization to work in the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in food and nutrition, dietetics, food service management, business administration or related field
• Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN) or School Nutrition Specialist (SNS)
• Experience improving scratch cooking, culturally responsive menus, and student meal participation
• Experience leading operational improvements across centralized production, school kitchens and satellite service models
• Familiarity with Massachusetts school nutrition requirements, municipal procurement practices and public sector labor relations
• Familiarity with Boston Public School system

Essential Functions

Essential job functions are the fundamental duties of a position.

• Regular and predictable attendance
• Employee will be required to travel when needed
• Employee will be required to host and facilitate calls using standard MS Office applications

Physical Requirements

• Remain in a seated or stationary position for extended periods
• Ability to work for extended periods of time leveraging office tools such as computers
• Ability to work remotely in a quiet environment
• Ability to host multi-hour conference calls
• Ability to travel via car, plane, train, bus

TERMS

Managerial, 12 months, Tier E.

Disclaimer:?This job description should not be construed to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position. ? Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as may be required.? The employer has the right to revise this job description at any time.? The job description is not to be construed as a contract for employment.

Your employment with BPS is at will. This means your employment is for an indefinite period of time and it is subject to termination by you or BPS with or without cause, with or without notice, and at any time. Nothing in this policy or any other policy of BPS shall be interpreted to be in conflict with or to eliminate or modify in any way, the at-will employment status of BPS employees.

BPS is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.

BPS will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)