Kitchen Program Director

Organization Overview

Working Food’s mission is to cultivate and sustain a resilient local food system in North Central Florida through collaboration, economic opportunity, education, and seed stewardship. We work collaboratively with local government and over 30 community organizations with a systems based approach from seed to plate; building a just and equitable food system. Together we provide: 

• facilities and business development support for 40+ food-based businesses;  
• gardens, science, culinary and youth empowerment programs for elementary, middle and high school age students;  
• community education on gardening, seed stewardship, nutrition, cooking and other food related issues;
• a regional seed bank and seed collective that partners with local growers and regional seed saving networks to steward, trial and breed locally adapted food crops and make them available to the public.

Job Overview

The Kitchen Program Director is responsible for the overall management and coordination of Working Food’s shared commercial kitchen and storage facilities. They oversee daily operations, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations, managing client relationships, and maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and organization. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader and excellent communicator, with outstanding organization skills and a passion for supporting culinary businesses.

Reports To 

Working Food’s Executive Director

Qualifications/Skills

• 3 - 5 years of experience in kitchen, restaurant, food business, or program management.
• Familiarity with commercial kitchens, ideally with experience in shared or commissary kitchen environments.
• Strong knowledge of health and safety regulations and food handling practices.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Proven leadership and team management experience.
• Comfortable speaking on camera or to groups of stakeholders. 
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Slack, Asana, and kitchen management software.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends as needed.
• Experience working in food systems is a plus.
• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• Any organized and dedicated leader that is passionate about local food and committed to the success of Gainesville’s food entrepreneurs is encouraged to apply, even if their skills and and qualifications do not directly match those above.

Other Requirements 

• Job is located in Gainesville, FL. 
• Remote work is available for up to 25% of scheduled hours. 
• Flexible scheduling, with occasional work on evenings or weekends