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Food Operations Manager Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Rita's Italian Ice

Operations Manager

Annapolis, MD · On-site

$40K - $58K/yr

Proven experience in retail management or operations management, preferably in the food and beverage industry. * Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop and motivate a team. * Excellent ...

Rita's Italian Ice

Operations Manager

Annapolis, MD · On-site

$40K - $58K/yr

Proven experience in retail management or operations management, preferably in the food and beverage industry. * Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop and motivate a team. * Excellent ...

Misfits Market

Operations Manager

Hanover, MD · On-site

As the Operations Manager in our food-based warehouse, you will be a driving force behind the overall performance and success of daily operations in the facility. You will manage scheduling, oversee ...

Misfits Market

Operations Manager

Hanover, MD

As the Operations Manager in our food-based warehouse, you will be a driving force behind the overall performance and success of daily operations in the facility. You will manage scheduling, oversee ...

Arc XP

Executive Operations Manager, Arc XP

Washington, DC · On-site

$130K - $242K/yr

The Executive Operations Manager helps ensure Arc XP operates with clarity, consistency, and strong execution. Partnering closely with the President, this role supports day-to-day business operations ...

Arc XP

Executive Operations Manager, Arc XP

Washington, DC · On-site

$130K - $242K/yr

The Executive Operations Manager helps ensure Arc XP operates with clarity, consistency, and strong execution. Partnering closely with the President, this role supports day-to-day business operations ...

OTO Development

Operations Manager

Washington, DC · On-site

Manage costs within the hotel, including supplies, utilities, food and beverage and labor expenses ... Pulls together resources to resolve guest and operational issues and impact results * Is highly ...

Tempo by Hilton

Operations Manager

Washington, DC · On-site

Manage costs within the hotel, including supplies, utilities, food and beverage and labor expenses ... Pulls together resources to resolve guest and operational issues and impact results * Is highly ...

Street Pizza - D.C.

Operations Manager

Washington, DC · On-site

Responsible for the overall compliance of Health & Safety, and Food Safety to both statutory, and ... Effective management of targets set * Effectively coordinate, control and manage all resources and ...

Hell's Kitchen - DC

Operations Manager

Washington, DC · On-site

Responsible for the overall compliance of Health & Safety, and Food Safety to both statutory, and ... Effective management of targets set * Effectively coordinate, control and manage all resources and ...

Raising Cane's

Operations Manager

Manassas, VA · On-site

$24.75/hr

The Operations Manager (OM) is responsible for supporting the Restaurant Leader in leading ... Maintain a clean, safe Restaurant while following all food safety and company procedures

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All JobsFood Operations JobsFood Operations Manager JobsFood Operations Manager Jobs in Washington

Food Operations Manager information

See Washington salary details

$36.2K

$67.6K

$127.4K

How much do food operations manager jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for food operations manager in Washington is $67,612.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $52,700.00 and $69,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges Food Operations Managers face when overseeing multiple locations?

Food Operations Managers who oversee multiple locations often encounter challenges such as maintaining consistent quality standards, ensuring effective communication across teams, and adapting to the unique needs of each site. Balancing inventory, staffing, and compliance with health and safety regulations can also be demanding. Successful managers develop strong organizational systems and foster a culture of accountability to overcome these hurdles and ensure smooth operations.

What does a Food Operations Manager do?

A Food Operations Manager oversees the daily operations of food service establishments, such as restaurants, cafeterias, or catering companies. Their responsibilities include managing staff, ensuring food safety and quality, handling budgets, and optimizing operational efficiency. They also coordinate with suppliers, monitor inventory, and ensure compliance with health regulations. Ultimately, they work to deliver excellent customer service while maintaining profitability.

What is the highest paid job in the food industry?

In the food industry, executive roles such as Food Service Directors, Corporate Chefs, and Food Operations Managers with extensive experience and advanced certifications tend to be among the highest paid positions. Top executives like Food Industry CEOs also earn significant salaries, often exceeding other roles in the sector. Compensation varies based on company size, location, and level of responsibility.

How much should an operations manager get paid?

The salary for a Food Operations Manager typically ranges from $50,000 to $80,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and the size of the operation. In larger organizations or high-cost areas, salaries can exceed $90,000, and additional benefits or bonuses may be included.

What is a food operations manager?

A food operations manager oversees the daily activities of food service establishments, such as restaurants or cafeterias. They manage staff, ensure quality standards, control costs, and maintain health and safety regulations, often using management tools and requiring relevant certifications. Strong leadership, organizational skills, and knowledge of food safety are essential for this role.

What is the role of a manager in a food operation?

A Food Operations Manager oversees daily restaurant or food service activities, ensuring quality, safety, and efficiency. They manage staff, control inventory, maintain compliance with health regulations, and implement operational procedures to meet business goals.

What is the difference between Food Operations Manager vs Food Service Supervisor?

AspectFood Operations ManagerFood Service Supervisor
CredentialsRelevant certifications (e.g., ServSafe, food safety management)Food safety certifications often required, but less comprehensive
Work EnvironmentOversees multiple locations or departments, strategic planningManages daily operations at a specific location or shift
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in restaurants, catering, hospitality, institutional food servicesCommon in restaurants, cafeterias, catering services
Search & Comparison IntentFocuses on managerial responsibilities, strategic oversightFocuses on operational, staff supervision

The Food Operations Manager typically handles broader strategic planning and oversees multiple units, requiring relevant certifications and experience. The Food Service Supervisor focuses on daily operational management and staff supervision at a specific location. Both roles are essential in the food service industry but differ mainly in scope and responsibilities.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Food Operations Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Food Operations Manager, you need expertise in food safety, inventory management, budgeting, and staff supervision, often supported by a degree in hospitality or business management. Familiarity with point-of-sale (POS) systems, food safety certifications (such as ServSafe), and scheduling software is typically required. Strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills help you motivate teams and resolve operational challenges. These skills ensure efficient operations, regulatory compliance, and high customer satisfaction in a fast-paced food service environment.
What are popular job titles related to Food Operations Manager jobs in Washington? For Food Operations Manager jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Food Operations Manager jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Food Operations Manager jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Food Operations Manager jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Food Operations Manager job openings:
Food Operations Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Food Operations Manager job openings in Washington as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 1% Temporary. Highlights an 86% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $67,612 per year, or $32.5 per hour.

Food Operations Director

Gategroup

Chantilly, VA • On-site

$110K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

We're looking for motivated, engaged people to help make everyone's journeys better.
This role is to provide overall leadership and tactical (strategic) direction for the Make & Pack processes/department within the Gate Gourmet Hub operations. The Individual is a strong leader with strong People management skills.
This role is predominantly concentrated around 4 focal areas. 1) Making sure all Assembly processes are structured and optimized in accordance with corporate standards (Gate OPEX) and Local opportunities (General LEAN, CI thinking); 2) Making sure Productivity and Efficiency is optimized by ensuring optimal Rosters/Schedules and proactive short/medium term Labour Planning on the basis of proposals received (by the OPC/Local Supply Chain Process) and daily use of the OPRS tool.3) Making sure all assembly processes comply with HACCP, Customer Specs/requirements and other relevant safety and security regulations and policies. 4) Making sure the Assembly leadership team is continuously developed via proactive coaching, involvement, feedback and a strong performance management approach.
As a key member of the Unit Senior Leadership team, this role is also expected to actively engage in the overall development and improvement of the entire Unit - Especially in respect to production/labour planning and People Management.
Given the responsibilities and general nature of this role the individual will have multiple cross functional touch points - Assembly interlinks with all other processes and hence good coordination and collaborations is essential. Especially the individual is expected to work closely together with the Supply Chain Process Director and HR.
Annual Hiring Range/Hourly Rate:
  • $110K - $120kPer Year

Benefits
  • Paid time off
  • 401k, with company match
  • Company sponsored life insurance
  • Medical, dental, vision plans
  • Voluntary short-term/long-term disability insurance
  • Voluntary life, accident, and hospital plans
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Commuter benefits
  • Employee Discounts
  • Weekly pay for union employees
  • Free hot healthy meals for unit operations roles

Main Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Overall leadership and coordination of the Make & Pack department.
    • Structure and process optimization (Work stations, floor map, work processes)
    • Proactive and fact-based Labour planning (Short, Medium and longer term) in close cooperation with the Supply Chain Process:
      • For hiring needs (Longer term)
      • For Optimal Rosters/Schedules (Medium term)
      • For short term labour planning to adjust hours needed (Daily/Weekly)
    • QA compliance
      • HACCP
      • Customer Specs and requirements
  • Drives engagement by providing and keeping a strong focus in development of the Assembly leadership team, especially in respect to:
    • Coaching
    • Involvement
    • Feedback
    • Consistent and persistent Performance Management
  • Drives Cross training of staff to increase flexibility within the Assembly process; establishes and maintains skills matrix for optimization of rosters and ongoing labour planning.
  • Coordinates with other operational areas of the unit to ensure optimal service for both internal and external customers.
  • Ensures all activities and output are in compliance with customer specs (Volume and Quality)
  • Promotes, develops and supports continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives (like for ex. GateOpex, Central and Local CI programs etc.).
  • Aligns, implements and continues to facilitate improvements to the agreed US/Group standard process' (Whether forecasting, Planning, IDS interfaces etc.). Including best practice sharing with Assembly Process peers and the Supply Chain Function/OP&C.
  • Aligns material and labour targets together with the Supply Chain Process - I.e. serves as a strong sparring partner in respect to the forecasting and planning process (including the alignment of the MPS of the Unit).
  • Responsible for setting up (including delegation and communication) KPIs within the area and be a strong facilitator/driver of the use of OPRS/active Labour Planning within all the Assembly processes.
  • Accountable for departmental financial indicators (Hours, waste, Spec compliance).
  • Manages productivity and efficiency - I.e. responsible for labour adjustments to increase productivity (on the basis of proposals and departmental insights) and meet/beat targets.
  • Captures, tracks, analyses and ensures correction of incidences (I.F.B.L. throughout own Department).
  • Resource optimisation in the Department through process improvement, lean and continuous improvement principles - Drives and performs continuous improvement in the area and in collaboration with other departments, both operational and support functions, especially with the Forecasting/Planning and IDS departments.
  • Participation in customer and authority audits
  • Ensures compliance of procedures for Hygiene and Food Safety
  • Actively recognizes good performance in the team and promote the company reward and recognition scheme - People First behavior and actions.
  • Continuously improves quality and efficiency of the team.
  • Resolves conflicts and provides solutions by exercising high levels of influencing, negotiation and communication skills. Be proactive and address issues when they appear.
  • Serves as an operational and management source of expertise, and contributes to the success of the unit/senior management team as a whole - By supporting associated and unit wide initiatives.
  • Organizes and leads operational meetings (Leadership team meetings and Assembly staff meetings)
  • Supervises and supports lower level managers/supervisors on daily operations including:
    • Conducts performance evaluations for employees providing specific and detailed feedback on their management and leadership skills and the attainment of their respective goals and objectives
    • Ensures compliance with company Wage & Hour policy, including ensuring employees get the rest & meal breaks and ensuring company processes are followed.
    • Trains and monitors employees on proper work procedures to ensure maximum productivity with minimum labor and food expenses.
    • Monitors daily manpower planning and schedules employees.
    • Responsible for employee retention and reducing employee turnover.
    • Responsible for coaching, counseling and preparing corrective actions for employees in compliance with the applicable union/collective bargaining agreement(s).
    • Reviews and ensures employees in chain of command are in correct cost centers and correct job titles.
    • Reviews and ensures union represented employees' pay rates are correct based on wage scales and seniority.
    • Compliance with all company required policies, procedures and processes including but not limited to required training

Education:
  • Bachelors' degree in a relevant subject or business management is preferable
  • Desirable specialization in Operational and People Management

Work Experience:
  • At least 5 years' experience working within Operations in a "manufacturing environment"
  • Experience providing leadership through a middle management layer
  • Experience of managing a team of more than 100 people
  • Experience in change management projects
  • Experience of process improvement is a plus.
  • Experience of working in a Food Hygiene/Health & Safety/High Security environment preferred.
  • Previous knowledge of Airline Catering operations is preferred, but not essential.

Technical Skills: (Certification, Licenses and Registration)
  • Strong People Manager
  • Empathetic and Open minded - hence determined and persistent
  • Resilient and well-rounded individual
  • Team player who believes in structured Performance and Talent Management
  • Planning and coordination - Ability to oversee multiple activities at the same time
  • Continuous improvement mindset - Flexible and embracing change
  • Self-motivated & Proactive
  • IT literate, basic level of MS Office and general SAP understanding.

Language / Communication Skills:
  • Excellent communicator - Whether "one to one" or "on the beer case"
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Job Dimensions
Geographic Responsibility: Hub Unit (gross revenues of $50M+ and direct and indirect headcount of 500+ employees.)
Type of Employment: Full-time
Travel %: Limited but some to be expected
Exemption Classification: United States only: Exempt
Internal Relationships: Process Director Peers, HR, Commercial, Finance
External Relationships: To some extend customers and external auditors
Work Environment / Requirements of the Job:
  • Regularly, stands, bends, lifts, and moves intermittently during shifts of 10+ hours.
  • In a normal production facility there may be physical discomfort due to temperature and noise.
  • Must be able to lift, push, pull and move product, equipment, supplies, etc., in excess of twenty-five (25) pounds.
  • A rotating schedule of over 55 hours per week is typical.
  • Able to work in deadline driven environment

Budget / Revenue Responsibility: (Local Currency) N/A
Organization Structure
Direct Line Manager (Title): GM, Ops, Hub or BU Leader
Dotted Line Manager (Title, if applicable): N/A
Number of Direct Reports: 3-12
Number of Dotted Line Reports: N/A
Estimated Total Size of Team: Various a lot from station to station 50 to 500
gategroup Competencies Required to be Successful in the Job:
  • Thinking - Information Search and analysis & problem resolution skills
  • Engaging - Understanding others, Team Leadership and Developing People
  • Inspiring - Influencing and building relationships, Motivating and Inspiring, Communicating effectively
  • Achieving - Delivering business results under pressure, Championing Performance Improvement and Customer Focus

Demonstrated Values to be Successful in the Position
Employees at gategroup are expected to live our Values of Excellence, Integrity, Passion and Accountability. To demonstrate these Values, we expect to observe the following from everyone:
  • We treat each other with respect and we act with integrity
  • We communicate and keep each other informed
  • We put our heads together to problem solve and deliver excellence as a team
  • We have passion for our work and we pay attention to the little details
  • We foster an environment of accountability, take responsibility for our actions and learn from our mistakes
  • We do what we say we will do, when we say we are going to do it
  • We care about our coworkers, always taking an opportunity to make someone's day better

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
gategroup is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status or other category under applicable law.
For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
We anticipate that this job will close on:
06/30/2026
For California Residents, please click here to view our California privacy notice.
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