Senior Food Programs Manager

ABOUT BEZOS ACADEMY 

At Bezos Academy, we believe all children deserve the great start that excellent early education provides, including in under-resourced communities. Our mission is to nurture the potential in every child to become a creative leader, original thinker, and lifelong learner by inventing the solutions needed to scale early childhood education. We are a unique organization that realizes our mission in two ways. First, we operate a multi-state network of schools in under-resourced communities, offering quality Montessori-inspired preschool at no cost to families. Second, we create tools, products, technology, and other solutions designed to reach young children and their caregivers well beyond the walls of our schools. We aspire to have a profound, large-scale impact on children ages zero to five. 

 

ABOUT THE ROLE

As the Senior Food Programs Manager at Bezos Academy, you will own the design, execution, and ongoing improvement of our multi-state preschool network’s food programs spanning onsite food preparation, vendor-provided service, and funding through the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). In this role, you will ensure all students are nourished through a compliant, scalable, and financially optimized program that generates meaningful reimbursement revenue across the network whether the preschool is using vendor-supplied meals and snacks or cooking food from scratch on site. You will set up the metrics by which meal quality, food safety, and cost are measured and help develop training so school staff deliver strong results. You will lead improvements, from vendor procurement to new site launches, that keep food service standardized, compliant, and cost-effective as the network matures. You bring to this role the judgment to balance nutrition, compliance, and cost without compromising on any of them, and the operational rigor to ensure that every child in a Bezos Academy classroom eats nutritional high-quality food across states and sites.  

LOCATION 

• Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Texas, or Washington and within two hours’ drive to multiple Bezos Academy preschools (please see our website for school locations); Seattle, WA preferred.  
• Relocation support is available for those willing to relocate to Seattle, WA.  

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS  

• This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, exempt (salaried) position.  
• The full salary range for this position, across all applicable United States geographies, is $113,000 - $216,000 per year. The upper portion of the salary range is typically reserved for employees who have been in the role for multiple years and have demonstrated strong performance over time. Starting salary will vary by location, qualifications, and prior experience; during the interview process, candidates will learn the starting salary range applicable for their location. 
• This role includes 15 paid days of vacation, 4 days of paid personal time off, 9 paid days of sick (care) time, 9 paid holidays, 5 paid days off for an organization-wide winter break, and additional time off if required by applicable law. Benefits for this role include medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, a 401(k) plan with a 4% employer contribution match, paid parental leave, an employer-matched flexible spending account for dependent care, and more. Please see here for details.  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS  

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience 
• Eight or more years of relevant experience, including five or more years of experience in project or program management 
• Expertise in food programs for schools or other child-centered settings, including knowledge of early childhood nutritional requirements and regulations (USDA Child & Adult Care Food Program, National School Lunch Program, etc.) 
• Track record of delivering results through end-to-end program management (e.g., building, executing, monitoring, and continuously improving programs and initiatives)  
• Demonstrated success in project management and related data collection, including the ability to utilize project management software to handle multiple complex projects, track progress, and communicate updates to key stakeholders 
• Valid state driver’s license, clean motor vehicle records, personal auto insurance (at least minimum coverage under applicable law), and access to a reliable vehicle 
• Ability to travel to schools or attend team meetings up to 40% of the time depending on business needs 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS  

• Experience with managing food program operations across multiple states, relevant solution development and implementation, and end-to-end product delivery  
• Experience evaluating operational feasibility and implementation impact, including assessing burden, workflow implications, and trade-offs  
• Proven ability to translate complex requirements into clear, concise, and usable expectations  
• Proficiency in one or more project management methodologies (such as Six Sigma, Agile, etc.) or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification 
• National food safety certification (issued by the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, ServSafe, or the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation, etc.) 

 

Please click here for a full job description. 

Bezos Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Bezos Academy participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employee Form I-9 Information to confirm authorization to work in the U.S. Bezos Academy only uses E-Verify once a candidate has accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. If E-Verify cannot confirm that an employee is authorized to work, Bezos Academy will give the employee written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so the employee can begin to resolve the issue before any adverse employment action is taken. For more information about your right to work, please see the Notice of Right to Work.