What does a child nutrition manager do?
Child nutrition manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real child nutrition manager resumes:
- Handle USDA reimbursement; attend USDA grant meetings along with monthly monitoring at every site, and manage budgets.
- Uphold health and HACCP standards to promote food safety.
- Utilize CNP labele products, commodities and USDA recipes to the highest efficiency.
- Follow and maintain the HACCP and district standard of food safety and sanitation.
- Follow establish procedures to meet high standards of cleanliness, health/safety and report any conditions that are not correctable to supervisor.
- Assist the nutrition in identifying and encouraging the residents to maintain specific dietary needs/restrictions for residents at an inpatient rehabilitation facility.
- Maintain participant confidentiality through HIPPA compliance.
Child nutrition manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 32% of Child Nutrition Managers are proficient in Meal Service, Child Nutrition, and Kitchen Equipment. They’re also known for soft skills such as Business skills, Customer-service skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Child Nutrition Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Meal Service, 32%
Operate cash register during meal service.
- Child Nutrition, 13%
Reported directly to child nutrition supervisor regarding all cafeteria and staff needs.
- Kitchen Equipment, 8%
Conducted daily inspections and maintained food sanitation and kitchen equipment safety reports.
- Cleanliness, 6%
Follow established procedures to meet high standards of cleanliness, health/safety and report any conditions that are not correctable to supervisor.
- Culinary, 5%
Develop schedules and maintain sanitation compliance in culinary department.
- Food Handling, 5%
Certified to oversee federal/state HAACP safe food handling program.
Common skills that a child nutrition manager uses to do their job include "meal service," "child nutrition," and "kitchen equipment." You can find details on the most important child nutrition manager responsibilities below.
Business skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a child nutrition manager to have is business skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "food service managers must understand all aspects of the restaurant business, including how to budget for supplies, comply with regulations, and manage workers." Child nutrition managers often use business skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "directed the daily business operations of the cafeteria including administering accounts payable/receivable and payroll. "
Customer-service skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling child nutrition manager duties is customer-service skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "food service managers must be courteous and attentive when dealing with patrons." According to a child nutrition manager resume, here's how child nutrition managers can utilize customer-service skills in their job responsibilities: "resolve customer complaints regarding food service. "
Organizational skills. child nutrition managers are also known for organizational skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to child nutrition manager responsibilities, because "managers have many different responsibilities, including scheduling and overseeing staff, budgeting, and maintaining financial records." A child nutrition manager resume example shows how organizational skills is used in the workplace: "delivered high quality customer service accomplishments leadership independence skills used communication detail oriented organizational"
Physical stamina. child nutrition manager responsibilities often require "physical stamina." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "managers often work long shifts and sometimes spend entire evenings actively helping to serve customers." This resume example shows what child nutrition managers do with physical stamina on a typical day: "provided sound regulations, policy/procedures, food safety and physical safety. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a child nutrition manager to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what child nutrition managers relies on this skill, since "managers need to be able to resolve personnel issues and customer-related problems." How this skill relates to child nutrition manager duties can be seen in an example from a child nutrition manager resume snippet: "resolved any complaints concerning food quality and service. "
Communication skills. While "communication skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to child nutrition manager responsibilities. Much of what a child nutrition manager does relies on this skill, seeing as "food service managers must give clear orders to staff and be able to convey information effectively to employees and customers." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of child nutrition managers: "interact with numerous employees and clientele on a daily basis; excellent communication and customer service skills. "
The three companies that hire the most child nutrition managers are:
- Sodexo Management, Inc.9 child nutrition managers jobs
- Compass Group USA8 child nutrition managers jobs
- Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado6 child nutrition managers jobs
Compare different child nutrition managers
Child nutrition manager vs. Food service supervisor
A Food Service Supervisor oversees employees engaged in serving food. They establish quality standards for foods and keep facilities clean in accordance with state and local regulations.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a child nutrition manager are more likely to require skills like "evaluates," "child nutrition," "quality food," and "nutrition programs." On the other hand, a job as a food service supervisor requires skills like "good judgment," "safety practices," "food production," and "customer service." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Food service supervisors tend to make the most money working in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $32,395. In contrast, child nutrition managers make the biggest average salary, $30,389, in the education industry.food service supervisors tend to reach similar levels of education than child nutrition managers. In fact, food service supervisors are 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Child nutrition manager vs. Food service director
A food service director is responsible for managing the foodservice operations, achieving the customers' highest satisfaction by supervising the kitchen personnel, monitoring the food distribution, and responding to the guests' inquiries and concerns. Foodservice directors manage the food inventories, ensuring the adequacy of all the ingredients and materials, and keeping the storage safe and clean all the time by enforcing strict sanitary and hygienic procedures. A food service director must be updated with the current food industry trends to update the menu regularly and meet the guests' demands.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that child nutrition manager responsibilities requires skills like "evaluates," "child nutrition," "quality food," and "nutrition programs." But a food service director might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "servsafe," "food preparation," and "good judgment."
Food service directors may earn a higher salary than child nutrition managers, but food service directors earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $59,629. On the other hand, child nutrition managers receive higher pay in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $30,389.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Food service directors tend to reach similar levels of education than child nutrition managers. In fact, they're 2.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Child nutrition manager vs. Frozen food manager
A food and beverage manager is an individual responsible for ensuring that quality food and drinks are being served at a restaurant or hotel. Food and beverage managers are required to be excellent with customers and should have great management skills to meet the organization's labor and financial goals. They create food and drink menus and guarantee customers that they comply with their food and safety regulations. They are also required to negotiate with suppliers to arrange the delivery of food and beverage products.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, child nutrition managers are more likely to have skills like "meal service," "evaluates," "child nutrition," and "kitchen equipment." But a frozen food manager is more likely to have skills like "pallets," "food safety," "basic math," and "sales floor."
When it comes to education, frozen food managers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to child nutrition managers. In fact, they're 1.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Child nutrition manager vs. Food and beverage manager
Even though a few skill sets overlap between child nutrition managers and food and beverage managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a child nutrition manager might have more use for skills like "meal service," "evaluates," "child nutrition," and "kitchen equipment." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of food and beverage managers require skills like "customer service," "wine," "guest satisfaction," and "guest service. "
In general, food and beverage managers earn the most working in the government industry, with an average salary of $56,929. The highest-paying industry for a child nutrition manager is the education industry.food and beverage managers reach similar levels of education compared to child nutrition managers, in general. The difference is that they're 0.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of child nutrition manager
Updated January 8, 2025
