Dining Services Manager

About Us

Brookdale is recognized by Newsweek in 2024 and 2025 as one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity. We offer a supportive environment where you can grow professionally and personally through career development programs and health and wellness initiatives. With 589 communities nationwide as of November 30, 2025, Brookdale provides opportunities for growth in a home-like setting focused on gracious hospitality, comfort, and meaningful connections for residents and families. We are an industry leader in clinical care with extensive corporate support, including robust training programs.

Responsibilities

• Plans, manages, and coordinates activities of the dining services department at one or more locations, providing food services for residents and employees.
• Develops standards for organization and supervision of dining services.
• Maintains quality dining services within the prescribed budget.
• Determines quality and quantity of food required; plans menus and controls food costs; may be scheduled to prepare meals.
• Oversees food preparation and cooking to ensure meals are prepared per company procedures.
• Makes frequent inspections of all work, storage, and serving areas to ensure compliance with food safety and sanitation regulations.
• Prepares cleaning schedule, production worksheet, and staff schedules.
• Maintains inventory of food and nonfood items.
• Selects, orients, and trains new employees in the department; effectively delegates authority to ensure efficient flow of materials and services.
• Develops and directs cost control systems; prepares and submits the department budget to the director.
• Provides nutrition education and counseling for residents; presents dining services education programs to staff as needed.
• Ensures safe work procedures are developed and followed, including those related to employee injuries, prevention, and infection control.
• Ensures a continuous quality improvement program is in place with appropriate follow-up.

Requirements

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required.
• Two to four years of experience in commercial kitchen operations, line cooking, and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Current ServSafe Certification required.
• State food service certification required, if applicable.
• ACF Certified Sous Chef (CSC) preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of food safety and sanitation, culinary nutrition, and supervisory management.
• Familiarity with Microsoft software and basic typing skills.

Skills

• Applies existing guidelines and procedures to make varied decisions within a department.
• Uses sound judgment and experience to solve moderately complex problems based on precedent, example, or reasonableness.
• Possesses thorough knowledge of a distinct skill or function and a working understanding of the organization and work environment.

Benefits

Brookdale offers a full suite of benefits that vary by employment status (part-time, full-time, or temporary).

Part- and Full-Time Benefits Eligibility

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Associate assistance program
• Employee discounts
• Referral program
• Early access to earned wages for hourly associates (outside of CA)
• Optional voluntary benefits including ID theft protection and pet insurance

Full-Time Only Benefits Eligibility

• Paid Time Off
• Paid holidays
• Company-provided life insurance
• Adoption benefit
• Short- and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Account
• Optional life and dependent life insurance
• Optional voluntary benefits including accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance, and legal plan
• Tuition reimbursement

To support associates in their journey to become a U.S. citizen, Brookdale offers to advance fees for naturalization (Form N-400) application costs, up to $725 (less applicable taxes and withholding), for qualified associates who have been with the company for at least a year.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Standing and walking
• Sitting and use of hands/fingers to handle or feel
• On-call as needed
• Reaching with hands and arms
• Possible exposure to communicable diseases and infections
• Stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling
• Talking or hearing
• Exposure to latex
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds
• Possible exposure to blood-borne pathogens, various drugs, chemicals, infectious, or biological hazards
• Occasional travel required
• Vision requirements