Culinary Manager in West Orange, New Jersey at RWJBarnabas Health

Job Title: Culinary Manager

Location: SBC Corporation

Department Name: RWJBH Community Health Project

Req #: 0000247480

Status: Salaried

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $75,600.00 - $106,780.00 per year

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated annual salary range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

Job Overview:
The Culinary Manager will lead all culinary operations at the HARVEST Food Hub, managing the industrial kitchen incubator facility that serves food entrepreneurs, community partners, and the Urban Agriculture Cooperative's processing operations. This position oversees kitchen operations, food safety compliance, equipment management, and provides technical assistance to kitchen incubator members. The Culinary Manager will ensure the facility maintains the highest standards of food safety while fostering culinary entrepreneurship and supporting local food system development. This role requires balancing operational excellence with community support, managing a shared-use commercial kitchen that advances both economic development and food security objectives.

Qualifications:
Required:

• Culinary degree from accredited institution or equivalent professional experience in commercial food service operations
• Current ServSafe Manager certification and comprehensive knowledge of HACCP principles
• Experience with food manufacturing, co-packing operations, and small-scale food processing
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and support food entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds
• Strong knowledge of commercial kitchen equipment, including specification, procurement, and maintenance
• Experience with regulatory compliance including health department requirements, FDA regulations, and third-party certifications
• Proficiency in kitchen management software, scheduling systems, and inventory control
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders including entrepreneurs, farmers, healthcare professionals, and community members
• Understanding of local food systems, sustainable agriculture practices, and food security initiatives
• Bilingual capabilities, Spanish/English, strongly preferred given Newark's diverse population
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed to support entrepreneur schedules and community programs

Preferred:

• Minimum 5 years of management experience in commercial kitchen operations, preferably in shared-use or incubator facilities
• Knowledge and experience working in the Greater Newark community

Essential Functions:

• Manage daily operations of the industrial kitchen incubator, including scheduling, equipment maintenance, and facility compliance with all health department regulations and HACCP requirements
• Oversee food processing operations in partnership with Urban Agriculture Cooperative, ensuring quality control and food safety standards for products from 30 regional farms
• Provide technical assistance and mentorship to kitchen entrepreneurs, including recipe scaling, production planning, food safety protocols, and business development support
• Develop and implement kitchen policies, standard operating procedures, and training programs for all facility users
• Manage equipment procurement, preventive maintenance schedules, and vendor relationships for kitchen operations
• Coordinate with registered dietitians to develop nutrition-focused programming and medically tailored food production initiatives
• Oversee food safety certification programs, ensuring all users maintain required certifications and the facility meets FDA Food Safety Modernization Act requirements
• Develop revenue-generating culinary programs, including workforce development initiatives, cooking classes, and catering services
• Collaborate with Operations Manager on facility scheduling, user onboarding, and space utilization optimization
• Maintain inventory management systems for shared equipment, supplies, and food products
• Lead culinary workforce development programs in partnership with community organizations and educational institutions

Other Duties:
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits and Perks:

• At RWJBarnabas Health, our employees are at the heart of everything we do. Driven by our Total Wellbeing promise, our market-competitive offerings include comprehensive benefits and resources to support our employees’ physical, emotional, financial, personal, career, and community wellbeing. These benefits and resources include, but are not limited to:
• Paid Time Off including Vacation, Holidays, and Sick Time
• Retirement Plans
• Medical and Prescription Drug Insurance
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Disability and Life Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Student Loan Planning Support
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Wellness Programs
• Voluntary Benefits (e.g., Pet Insurance)
• Community and Volunteer Opportunities
• Discounts Through our Partners such as NJ Devils, NJ PAC, and Verizon
• ….and more!

Choosing RWJBarnabas Health!
RWJBarnabas Health is the premier health care destination providing patient-centered, high-quality academic medicine in a compassionate and equitable manner, while delivering a best-in-class work experience to every member of the team. We honor and appreciate the privilege of creating and sustaining healthier communities, one person and one community at a time. As the leading academic health system in New Jersey, we advance innovative strategies in high-quality patient care, education, and research to address both the clinical and social determinants of health.

RWJBarnabas Health aims to truly make a unique impact in local communities throughout New Jersey. From vastly improving the health of local residents to creating educational and career opportunities, this combination greatly benefits the state. We understand the growing and evolving needs of residents in New Jersey—whether that be enhancing the coordination for treating complex health conditions or improving community health through local programs and education.