Director of Culinary Services

PURPOSE: The Mishkon Division provides support and services in a healthy and safe environment for individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities living in residential programs and in community settings. Our core values are to provide a healthy and safe environment that promotes person centered planning community integration and close collaboration with families and the community. This is all accomplished through an Orthodox Jewish lens and with an understanding that staff at all levels of the division is the determining factor in achieving positive outcomes for our OVERVIEW:The Culinary Service Director provides strategic leadership and hands-on management for culinary services across the Mishkon IDD Division. This role oversees safe high-quality compliant and person-centered meal services that meet kosher nutritional medical and regulatory requirements. The Director leads and supports the culinary service manager and culinary staff promotes accountability and a positive service culture and partners with residential clinical vendor and leadership teams to ensure efficient food service operations and continuous improvement. The Culinary Service Director reports to the Senior Director of Culinary Services. KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:Operations & Program Oversight: Oversee consistent compliant meal service across all programs ensuring 100% adherence to approved menus modified textures therapeutic diets individualized dietary needs and Kashrut high standards for food quality portioning presentation and service delivery through routine monitoring and documented site weekly dietician collaboration to support menu planning dietary compliance timely follow-up on identified concerns and continuous quality improvement. Develop and maintain culinary service protocols operating guides workflows and performance dashboards to monitor compliance service quality staffing inventory and department leadership updates on staffing compliance service quality budget trends and operational risks. Use data to identify gaps monitor corrective actions support budget compliance and drive improvement. Leadership & Staff Supervision:Provide direct supervision of the Culinary Services Assistant Manager scheduling oversight and operational support to culinary staff across the Division ensuring adequate staffing coverage and consistent service onboarding training and coaching of culinary personnel to promote 100% compliance with food safety sanitation dietary and program staff performance attendance and coverage needs through routine site presence and follow-up to address gaps in a timely manner. Maintain regular in-person presence in kitchen and food service areas to observe operations reinforce expectations and support quality with leadership to support recruitment onboarding and staff development efforts that align with program needs and service expectations. Supervise other culinary staff as needed. Compliance & Quality Assurance: Drive compliance with food safety sanitation NYSDOH NYC Food Protection Kashrut and organizational standards across all culinary operations. Lead routine audits of kitchens storage areas temperature logs sanitation practices and meal service to ensure consistent regulatory quality assurance by monitoring food handling labeling storage documentation and corrective action audit-ready programs through proactive staff coaching documentation review and timely resolution of compliance accurate audit-ready documentation for logs records corrective actions and reports. Menu & Dietary Management:Ensure 100% adherence to approved menus recipes measurements portions and substitutions across assigned accuracy and compliance of modified-texture therapeutic kosher and special with clinical and dietary teams support individualized needs and timely menu updates. Reinforce proper use of kitchen tools equipment and appliances to support safe consistent meal service. Inventory & Purchasing Support: Manage inventory ordering and supply utilization to support budget compliance reduce waste and prevent overstocking or shortages. Partner with approved vendors and Purchasing agent to ensure timely cost-effective purchasing and accurate food usage stock rotation and purchasing trends to identify savings opportunities and reduce unnecessary supplies are allocated appropriately across apartments and sites to maximize resources and maintain consistent service delivery. CORE COMPETENCIES for the position include:Demonstrated ability to lead multi-site culinary operations with consistency accountability and service excellence. Drive regulatory compliance food safety sanitation Kashrut standards and audit of cost control of therapeutic modified texture kosher and special capacity to build high-performing teams. EDUCAITONAL / TRAINING REQUIRED:Bachelors degree in Food Service Management Nutrition Hospitality or related field (or equivalent experience)NYSDOH NYC Food Handlers Certificate required. EXPERIENCE REQUIRED/LANGUAGE PREFERENCE:Minimum 3-5 years of experience in food service operations preferably in a multi-site or healthcare/residential setting. Strong knowledge of food safety regulations. Experience managing staff across multiple organizational communication and leadership SKILLS REQUIRED (List the computer skills needed):Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic systems for documentations scheduling timekeeping inventory and communication. VISUAL AND MANUAL DEXIERITY:Visual acuity to inspect food quality presentation portion sizes labels and dietary to read recipes diets menus measurements and food safety guidelines dexterity to safely handle kitchen tools equipment and to lift and carry up to 25 lbs. stock boxes bags equipment and to bend and climb as needed in a food service environment. WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL EFFORT:Standing for extended periods as required to complete the work. Work effectively in kitchen environments that may include exposure to heat food preparation equipment and active meal service travel between residential services. If you join us youll have these great benefits:Generous vacation time in addition to paid agency holidays and sick daysAffordable and high-quality medical/dental/vision plansTuition assistance and educational loan forgivenessFree continuing education opportunities403(b) retirement benefits and a pensionFlexible spending accounts for health and transportation24/7 Accessible Employee Assistance ProgramLife and disability insuranceWho we are:The Jewish Board delivers innovative high-quality and compassionate mental health and social services to over 45000 New Yorkers each year. We are unique in serving everyone from infants and their families to children teens and adults. We are proud to employ and serve people of all religions races cultural backgrounds gender expressions and sexual orientations. We are committed to building diverse equitable and inclusive teams to help support our mission and we strongly encourage candidates from historically marginalized backgrounds to apply to work with on Equal Opportunity: