Dining Services Manager
Dining Service Manager Job Description
Position: Dining Service Manager
Department: Operations
Reports to: Operations Director
FLSA Classification: Nonexempt
Summary
The Dining Services manager leads all aspects of the shelter’s food service operation with a commitment to operational excellence, hospitality, and stewardship. This role goes beyond meal preparation to serve as a key part of the shelter’s ministry, building relationships, engaging community partners, and supporting the job skills training program in partnership with the Genesis program.
Through leadership of kitchen staff, volunteers, and program participants, the Dining Services Manager creates an environment where meals are served with dignity and where the kitchen becomes a place of growth, purpose, and transformation. This position reflects the love of Christ by combining excellent food service, relational ministry, and life-skill development.
At New Life Center, our work is rooted in our Christian faith and driven by our mission to guide people experiencing homelessness or addiction toward holistic transformation through the love of Jesus. Every role contributes to this ministry and advances our shared vision. Our team members are followers of Jesus Christ, affirm our Statement of Faith, and demonstrate our BEACON values—Bring Your Best, Engage with Empathy, Act in Unity, Choose Humility, Offer Hope, and Never Stop Growing—in the way they serve guests, support one another, and represent New Life Center each day.
Essential Functions
Essential Function 1: Team Leadership
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Lead: Provide clear vision, direction, and alignment for the Dining Services Team, modeling New Life Center’s core values, fostering a healthy, high-performing culture, and demonstrating a willingness and ability to lead teams in prayer.
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Manage: Ensure the right people are in the right roles, set clear expectations, and consistently monitor performance through effective communication, coaching, and problem-solving.
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Hold Accountable: Further our mission by holding self and others accountable to goals, priorities, and measurable outcomes, ensuring follow-through and continuous improvement.
Essential Function 2: Food Service Operations and Excellence
- Oversee daily meal preparation and service, ensuring meals are nutritious and prepared with excellence.
- Maintain high standards in food quality, cleanliness, and presentation.
- Ensure compliance with all health department regulations and food safety standards.
- Develop menus that maximize available resources while maintaining variety and nutritional value.
- Oversee kitchen organization, workflow, and efficiency.
- Monitor meal counts and adjust production accordingly.
- Submit monthly meal counts.
- Create schedules and ensure shift coverage.
- Perform necessary payroll functions as required.
- Ensure that New Life Center policies and procedures are followed.
Essential Function 3: Community Engagement and Food Donations
- Build and maintain relationships with community partners, donors, and organizations.
- Coordinate food donations, pickups, and deliveries.
- Ensure proper food rotation (FIFO) and minimize food waste.
- Ensure proper handling, inspection of food, storage, and utilization of donated food with excellent stewardship.
- Track donations and usage to ensure accountability and efficiency.
- Represent New Life Center with professionalism and excellence.
Essential Function 4: Recovery and Job Skills Training Program
- Lead and support kitchen-based job skills training program for guests in recovery.
- Teach basic culinary skills, food safety, teamwork, and responsibility.
- Provide structure, accountability, and encouragement to program participants.
- Model a strong work ethic and excellence in all tasks and interactions.
- Support long-term recovery efforts by fostering purpose, dignity, and confidence through meaningful work.
- Track attendance, participation, and progress in coordination with Job Training Program Liaison.
Essential Function 5: Hospitality and Guest Experience
- Ensure every meal is served in a way that communicates dignity, care, and respect.
- Maintain a clean, welcoming dining environment.
- Engage with guests in a relational and Christ-like manner.
- Recognize that excellent food service contributes to overall healing and restoration.
- Optimize use of shelter guest details while they are in the kitchen.
Essential Function 6: Volunteer Management
- Communicate with Volunteer Manager on any needs or concerns.
- Train and lead kitchen volunteers fostering a culture of excellence, hospitality, and teamwork.
- Provide clean direction and supervision during meal preparation and service.
- Create a welcoming and organized environment for community groups serving meals.
- Equip volunteers to serve with dignity, respect, and Christ-like compassion.
Essential Function 7: Inventory, Ordering, Budgeting, and Stewardship
- Manage food inventory, kitchen supplies, and ordering processes.
- Oversee budget-related responsibilities with careful stewardship.
- Minimize food waste while maintaining high standards of excellence.
Essential Function 8: Food Safety and Compliance
- Ensure compliance with local health department.
- Maintain proper food handling, storage, and temperature control practices.
- Train staff, volunteers, and guests on food safety practices including proper safety equipment and lifting techniques.
- Maintain required logs.
- Ensure kitchen meets cleanliness and proper sanitation standards
ADA & Reasonable Accommodation
New Life Center complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Qualified individuals are considered for positions based on their ability to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable law unless doing so would cause undue hardship or pose a direct threat to safety.
Position Reports to Kevin Carpenter, Operations Director
This job description identifies the major responsibilities of this job. It does not include all aspects of the position such as the potential additional duties assigned by the Executive Director, the requirement for flexibility in helping others, or the highly valued team-oriented approach used for the overall benefit and success of New Life Center.