Employment

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Job Title: Operations Manager

Reports To:  Chief Programs & Services Officer

FLSA Status:  Exempt 

Department:  Nutrition

Department Level:  M3

Location: San Diego

Who We Are

Established in 1970, Serving Seniors helps San Diego County’s low-income seniors overcome poverty through whole-person, wraparound support including meals, housing, health and social services, and enrichment activities. We work at numerous sites across the county and in the homes of hundreds of homebound seniors. Our flagship Gary & Mary West Senior Wellness Center in downtown San Diego is unlike any other senior center in the nation. Bringing together a range of supportive services under one roof, the Senior Wellness Center operates 365 days a year and offers two floors of integrated care, including health and social services, housing navigation, enrichment activities, lifelong learning, a Cyber Café and linkage to over 25 onsite direct service partners, including a senior dental center. Last fiscal year, we provided over 1.1 million meals and coordinated services to over 10,700 older adults.

Our Mission: Helping seniors in poverty live healthy and fulfilling lives.

Our Vision: All seniors, regardless of income, are able to thrive, engage in their communities, lead purposeful lives, and have a place they call home.

Our Core Values:

Advocacy - Acknowledging and supporting the needs of older adults at the individual, community, and policy-level.

Person-Centered - Seeing the whole person, providing coordinated support, and treating all with dignity and respect.

Integrity – Representing the values of honesty, trust, and transparency within our community.

Compassion & Empathy – Approaching our work with a heartfelt desire to better understand and serve.

Impact – Measuring and evaluating programs to ensure that for every dollar invested, there is a positive impact in the lives of those we serve.

Intentional Involvement – Promoting an environment that nurtures differences and allows individuals to be their entire, authentic selves.

Top Workplace Award Recipient

Serving Seniors has received the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Top Workplaces Award nine out of the ten years the awards program has taken place, and most recently for five years in a row from 2019-2025.

Job Purpose

The Operations Manager is a hands-on leader responsible for the daily oversight of congregate meal service at Serving Seniors’ flagship Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center.  This role supervises a team of about 15 food service workers, drivers, and volunteers while ensuring that meals are delivered with efficiency, dignity, and respect.

The Operations Manager will lead onsite operations, build team accountability, and support systems improvements in collaboration with senior leadership.  This new position is part of a long-term strategy to build internal leadership capacity and systems within the Nutrition department.

Requirements

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees daily operations of congregate meal service, ensuring a seamless, respectful, and timely dining experience for older adult participants.
•  Leads and manages a team of food service workers, drivers, and volunteers; builds a high-performing, customer-focused team culture.
• Develops and implements operational systems to optimize staff scheduling, inventory tracking, meal forecasting, and service workflow. 
• Creates and maintains standard operating procedures, staff training programs, and quality assurance systems for food service delivery.
• Provides direct supervision during meal service, including kitchen operations, participant check-in, and donation collection.
• Ensures accurate forecasting and reporting of meals ordered and served to maximize allowable claims, reduce waste, and meet funding requirements.
• Collaborates with the Senior Director of Nutrition Services to support departmental performance goals, budget monitoring, and operational benchmarks. 
• Prepares staff schedules and timecards; monitors attendance, approves time off, and conducts regular performance evaluations.
• Coordinates and monitors inventory, supply ordering, and vendor communication for the site; ensures equipment is maintained and used properly.
• Conducts site audits to ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and regulatory standards; addresses deficiencies promptly.
• Serves as the point person for staff and participant concerns at the site; de-escalates conflicts and supports team members in responding to challenging client behaviors, including individuals experiencing homelessness or mental health instability. 
• Works cross-functionally with Facilities, Volunteers & Activities, Health & Social Services, and vendor partners to ensure integrated service delivery.
• Participates in special event planning and execution, including catered meals, holiday meals, and donor site visits.
• Supports grant compliance, audit readiness, and data accuracy by ensuring timely and accurate submission of reports and records.
• Models the values of Serving Seniors and contributes to a strong organizational culture of accountability, innovation, empathy, and impact.

Qualifications

Education/Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Foodservice Management, Business Management, Nutrition, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience in food service, operations, or similar community-based program delivery. A combination of education and experience may be accepted.
• Certified Food Safety Manager certificate in the state of California.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong, confident leadership with the ability to guide and hold staff accountable while remaining approachable and supportive.
• Advanced professional writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and strategic communications for internal and external audiences.
• Excellent customer service and de-escalation skills in interactions with seniors, guests, and volunteers.
• Able to maintain professionalism and compassion in a dynamic, client-facing environment.
• Skilled at organizing workflows, scheduling, and managing time-sensitive service delivery.
• High attention to detail with ability to complete reports accurately and on time.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Must be reliable, adaptable, and committed to team success.
• Valid California Driver’s License required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with older adults is preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish/Mandarin) is a plus.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Onsite position – office provided. 
• Position is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 20 pounds.  
• Requires specific vision abilities to include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. 

Salary Description

$75,000 Yearly

To apply for this position, click here.