District Manager - FLA New Business - Whitsons Culinary Group : Job Details

SUMMARY: This position is responsible for the FLA region. Provide the operational knowledge, knowhow, leadership, and the management necessary to ensure that your territory has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures in place, as well as the people in place to effectively grow the organization and to ensure financial strength and operating efficiency. The position accomplishes this by the strategic and tactical direction of the team through a respectful, constructive style, guided by the Strategic Objectives of the Company. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES: * Provide day-to-day leadership and management for your FSD's that mirrors the mission and core values of the company. Ensure adherence to company marketing and purchasing programs as well as serving concepts. Bottom line: Enhance Life One Meal at a Time by executing high quality and dynamic programs. * Primary focus is on financial performance and program execution. Develop with the FSW realistic and accurate financial forecasts. When required, meet with clients to agree on program returns then ensure districts meet those forecasts. * Spend as much time as possible in the operations of your assigned accounts as your primary responsibility is driving the region to achieve sales, profitability, business goals and objectives. * Responsible for tracking and measuring the effectiveness of all operational processes within assigned territory. Provide timely, accurate and complete information on the operating condition of your region to your VP/SVP weekly. * Be involved in the communication and implementation of organizational growth strategies within territory. Fully implement all operating systems, software, process and procedures so the organization can grow through client recommendation. * Collaborate with the VP/SVP to develop and implement new annual operational plans, processes, and personnel designed to accommodate the growth and financial objectives of the company. * Motivate and lead a high performance FSD's; attract, recruit and retain required members of the management team not currently in place including building leads; provide mentoring as a cornerstone to the management career development program for FSD's. * Build strong client relationships through frequent client interaction within your territory. Identify client needs; communicate programs progress, operational challenges, and solutions to maintain effective client relationships. * Listen attentively, do not become defensive, be helpful and facilitate positive dialogue. Attend client meetings monthly in the frequency to meet each client at minimum 4x per cycle. Review program performance from a qualitative and financial perspective. Be proactive regarding communication of field related issues or client decisions that will influence stated returns. * Hold territory wide FSD meetings 3X per cycle. These can be strategically combined with VP/SVP meetings for efficiency purposes. Discuss field issues and solutions, opening and close down procedures, offer new ideas, directions and products to the team. Require the FSD, to submit monthly Dining report each client every month. * Assist sales team, as required on bid tours, identifying operational plans and build outs, existing labor compliments that will assist the Company to meet sales growth targets. When required attend sales presentations. * Ensure a consistent and equitable administration of human resources policies, procedures and guidelines to facilitate employee relations. Require the same of your FSW's. * Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment within your territory for FSD's. Become the acknowledged expert on all software and other tools the company goes to market with. Require same of your team. * Visit and inspect 4 accounts per week at minimum with the focus being on underperforming accounts. Visit no more than one account per day. Tour each building within the district during a visitation and go deep on each tour to assess compliance relating to marketing, concepts initiatives as well as HHFKA and training levels of leads and FSW's. Leave written action lists after each visit. Require same of the FSD. * Ensure FSD is strong and motivated. * Ensure marketing and merchandising programs are in place at each site within a district when visiting. * Ensuring menuing is appropriate for level as the POR's and forecasting is complete for each site visited. * Establish positive relationships with all FSD's and FSW's. Be available and approachable at all times. * Build team morale by focusing program around the students. * Read bid responses, nutritional requirements and investments upon award for all new accounts within your territory. Work with VP/SVP to craft and manage transition plans including construction from an equipment perspective if required. * Annually, Budget with FSD's and renegotiate client returns or seek price increases as necessary. * Work with your FSD's to develop an operation plan for every account, annually. The plan should include but not be limited to sales improvement plan, marketing plan, labor management, food cost management, training plan. At a minimum, you should have a plan for the first year of every account (to manage expectations) and in the last year of a contract (to prepare for a successful client retention). * Review and identify Location Manager pay scale. Ensure the pay is sufficient to attract the person we need to run the business. If not, advise VP/SVP as necessary. * Identify and replace continually underperforming managers with 3 months of identification. * Facilitate regular communication and site visitation with troubled accounts -- communicate progress on improvement plan and meet with client after every visit but no less than weekly. * Champion Dine Central with the onsite operational team. * Work with FSD's to reduce days outstanding (DO) for all receivables. * Develop plan in conjunction with Safety Team and implement safety plan to reduce claims especially in accounts with high loss experience. * Ensure fixed assets are maintained and preserved. Initiate recommendations on purchase of new equipment to drive sales and client retention annually. STRATEGIC OBVECTIVES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Financial -- Take responsibility for and ensure that financial objectives for your territory are properly developed and achieved. Communicate early and often if unable to remain on track and develop additional ways to accomplish the financial goal if necessary. Team -- Use your professional knowledge, logistical and operational skills to build a highly functioning management team at each account within your territory. Take the lead responsibility and a proactive role for your team's performance, train or replace as necessary. Technology -- Take an active role in learning Whitsons software and any other technology necessary for the successful management of your territory. Use your knowledge/experience and work with the appropriate teams to foster continuous improvement in the functionality of the systems companywide. Product -- Gain a better understanding of customer expectations. Ensure menus are centered on participation drivers and not simply compliance driven. Ensure menu offerings are within the budget tolerances set with the team. Quickly identify and communicate issues or concerns centering around real or perceived product shortcomings. Develop ways to quickly identify and correct issues/concerns for continuous product handling improvement. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Education: * Bachelor's degree or equivalent with concentration in food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business or a related field. OR * Bachelor's degree or equivalent with any academic major AND a state recognized certificate in food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, or business. At least one year of management experience, preferably in school nutrition strongly recommended. OR * Master's degree or willingness to work toward master's degree preferred. Certifications: * ServSafe Mandatory-- Local food safety certification if required in jurisdiction of employment. Must be knowledgeable of all local ordinances. Computer Skills: * Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications is required. * Must be able to communicate electronically through use of email and other similar computer platforms. * Able to learn new programs easily and quickly. Competencies: * Communication * Effectively write, present and transfer ideas and information. * Customer Focus * Act in the best interest of the customer, both internal and external * Innovation * Create new ideas, processes or products which, when implemented, lead to positive, effective change. * Organizational Leadership * Apply strategic thinking, prioritization and decision-making to drive results. * People Leadership * Effectively assess, select, develop and empower individuals and teams. Other Qualifications, Experience: * 10 years' experience in Food Service Management required, preferably in healthcare settings * Minimum 5 year experience in high volume healthcare and school nutrition programs required. * Culinary background is required - Must have a passion and an interest in food * Working knowledge of cooking procedures and recipe adherence and scaling. * Must possess excellent time management and organizational skills * Bilingual Spanish is highly desirable. As an exempt position, it is expected that Team Member will devote whatever time necessary to accomplish the goals and responsibilities. This will often require extended work hours, evening and/or weekend work. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: This position will oversee the Operations of a predefined territory within the company, currently either NJ/PA, or NY or CT, MA and NH. This position requires constant travel, more than 90% of the time. Most traveling will be confined to day trips within the territory but may also include overnight stays as well. Travel will be required as necessary for proper management and development of the FSD's, client meetings, company meetings and sales presentations. PERSONAL BEHAVIOR: As an executive, it is expected that you will follow company policy and exhibit personal behavior consistent with our organizational culture and necessary for us to accomplish our Strategic Objectives. All activities and interactions you have on behalf of the company shall be guided by the following principles: * Integrity -- Do what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it or be responsible for the consequences. * Authenticity -- Keep it real. Be open with what is working and what isn't. * Teamwork -- Create an environment where teamwork can enhance performance and create opportunity. * Safety - Create a safe working environment. Be receptive to performance assessments to improve your effectiveness. Take direction as required to stay in alignment with individual and company goals. You must lead by example, your personal behavior should be a model for other Team Members to follow. The items identified above are essential but are not intended to be a complete list. You will proactively seek out and receive training in the areas above as necessary and where your competencies' and your role's requirements do not match. Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Protected Veterans/Disabled