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Be the one who makes a difference!

At Vertex Education we are a team of high achievers, courageous leaders, and passionate believers in changing lives through education. As a purpose-led education services provider, our mission is destined to benefit many and yet it starts with just one person inspired to work together with us to make a memorable and meaningful difference for our clients, schools, students, and communities. Be the one who makes a difference-with us.

Vertex Education is seeking a Regional Food Service Specialist to act as a trusted advisor for our partner schools, helping them change lives by running excellent and compliant food service programs. In this role, you will build deep client partnerships, navigating complex regulations with flexible, practical solutions tailored to each school's unique needs. Success requires prioritizing long-term client enablement and relationship health over rigid, one-size-fits-all enforcement. Through a blend of on-site audits, responsive operational support, and collaborative vendor management, you will be the dedicated regional expert who ensures our clients feel capable and confident in serving their students every day, ultimately driving high satisfaction and strong, lasting partnerships. The Specialist will work a hybrid schedule, splitting their time between the office, working remotely from home, and traveling to client sites. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator and problemsolver who is passionate about improving school food service operations.

ESSENTAIL FUNCTIONS:

1. Site Audits and Compliance Monitoring:

• Conduct comprehensive on-site audits of child nutrition programs at partner schools in their specified region, and possibly other regions as needed.

• Provide practical guidance to school staff, helping them develop and implement corrective action plans that fit their operational reality.

• Ensure clients understand their obligations and have a clear, manageable path to adherence.

• Participate in state-level meetings and industry calls, gathering and disseminating relevant compliance updates and insights to clients.

2. Vendor Relations Management:

• Lead the Request for Proposal (RFP) and Invitation for Bid (IFB) with client schools, from creating the documents to advising on vendor selection.

• Serve as the primary liaison between schools and food service vendors, facilitating communication and issue resolution.

• Hold regular meetings with vendor representatives to review performance, address concerns, and ensure alignment with contract terms and service expectations.

• Monitor vendor service quality and delivery consistency, escalating issues as necessary to internal stakeholders.

• Review and analyze vendor contracts and performance data, providing clients with insights and data-backed recommendations for contract renewals or changes.

3. Client Support and Communication:

• Serve as the operational point of contact for assigned schools, building trusted relationships through regular communication and responsive, solutions-oriented support.

• Develop and share targeted resources, such as templates and process guides, to help clients strengthen their internal food service management capabilities.

• Train client personnel on how to prepare for audits and maintain ongoing compliance documentation.

• Maintain detailed and organized records of all client interactions, audit findings, and vendor communications.

4. Cross-Department Collaboration:

• Coordinate with internal teams to support client needs, including compliance, training, and documentation.

• Contribute to ongoing improvements in service delivery by identifying operational gaps and recommending solutions.

The ideal candidate will also:

• Drive operational excellence: Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of vendor partnerships and school practices, recommending improvements that support compliant, efficient, and high-quality meal service.

• Deliver exceptional service: Respond quickly to client inquiries and challenges with clarity, care, and a solutions-oriented mindset, ensuring schools feel supported and informed at all times.

• Have a strategic mindset: Identify compliance risks and proactively support client schools in aligning their food service operations with federal and state regulations, particularly during audit preparation and follow-up.

• Manage ambiguity: Navigate varied site conditions, vendor processes, and client expectations with professionalism and confidence, using data and observations to guide decision-making in the field.

• Be courageous: Demonstrate initiative in addressing complex or sensitive issues with vendors or clients, advocating for program integrity and high service standards.

• Exhibit an engaging spirit: Build trust and rapport with school teams, vendor partners, and internal staff, fostering a collaborative culture centered on accountability and shared success.

• Have an innovative mind: Leverage audit findings and field experience to propose enhancements to auditing tools, vendor tracking methods, and client support processes.

• Display a hungry heart: Take ownership of school success by going above and beyond to ensure smooth day-to-day operations, compliance readiness, and positive experiences for students and staff.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Education, Certifications, and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in nutrition, public health, business, or a related field, or 3+ years of experience in school nutrition programs, compliance auditing, or food service operations.

• ServSafe Manager Certification required.

• Working knowledge of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and related USDA child nutrition program regulations.

• Proven experience in a client-facing or consultative role, with a strong ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders without direct authority.

• Experience managing third-party vendor relationships or supporting public procurement processes (RFPs/IFBs)

• Previous experience conducting compliance audits or assessments in an educational or food service setting is highly desirable.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to travel, manage schedules, and meet deadlines across multiple locations.

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to build relationships and explain regulatory requirements to diverse stakeholders.

• High attention to detail and accuracy when evaluating documentation and operational practices.

• Problem-solving mindset and ability to make informed decisions independently while exercising sound judgment.

• Comfortable working in a hybrid role, balancing office-based responsibilities with travel and remote work.

Technical Proficiency:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Outlook, Excel and Word.

• Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Asana) and compliance platforms (e.g., LINQ) is a plus.

• Ability to learn and adapt to new systems and tools that support audit tracking and documentation.

Language:

• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is highly desirable.

Be excited to be a part of our team and grow your career with us!

Be the one who enables us to positively impact over 258,000 students across multiple states while driving our growth forward so we can enrich even more lives. Be the one who helps us achieve excellence for over 226 schools that we support with academics, finance, technology, human resources, communications, marketing, facilities, construction, and food services. Be the one who is a diverse thinker, a team player, a smart risk taker, an innovator, and a difference maker by encouraging others to climb higher and reach farther to further education.

• Be yourself surrounded by wonderful people who care about you, value your unique skills, and lift you up.

• Be supported in your work by caring leaders and team members who want you to succeed.

• Be empowered to make a difference and climb higher and reach farther to change lives through education.

• Be well in all aspects of your life from your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing to your finances.

• Enjoy industry-leading pay, rewards, referral bonuses, with unlimited flexible paid time-off for performance.

• Be able to care for your health and your family with comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits and invest in your future with 401(k) plans with a 6% employer match on your contributions.

• Enhance your growth and development with mentoring and money to take training classes.

• Thrive in a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment where we treat others with fairness and respect, celebrate diversity, and elevate equality and inclusion as an equal opportunity employer.

Be the one who makes a difference!

With an innovative mind, a hungry heart, and engaging spirit you can change lives through education. Be a part of Vertex Education and let's make a difference together. Apply Today!