Food Service Director Jobs in Iowa
Food Service Director jobs in Iowa are concentrated in healthcare systems, K-12 and higher education, and contract food management, with demand at both the single-unit director and multi-site regional levels. Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City are the busiest hiring markets, anchored by employers like UnityPoint Health, the University of Iowa, and Aramark, which maintains long-standing contracts with Iowa institutions. The most in-demand specialties are clinical nutrition management, large-volume institutional dining, and food safety compliance. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Additional Considerations (if any):
At Hy-Vee our people are our strength. We promise “a helpful smile in every aisle” and those smiles can only come from a workforce that is fully engaged and committed to supporting our customers and each other.
Job Description:
Job Title: Food Service Manager
Department: Market Grille
FLSA : Non-Exempt
General Function :
Provides prompt, efficient and friendly customer service. Assists food service department managers to present the freshest most innovative and best quality products at a competitive retail price to customers.
Core Competencies
- Partnerships
- Growth mindset
- Results oriented
- Customer focused
- Professionalism
Reporting Relations:
Accountable and Reports to: District Store Director; Store Manager; Assistant Managers of Store Operations, Perishables, and Health Wellness Home
Positions that Report to you: Market Grille Department Manager; Mia Italian Department Manager; Hy-Chi Department Manager; Service Managers; Chefs; Market Grille Service Staff; Night food service employees
Primary Duties and Responsibilities :
- Provides prompt, efficient and friendly customer service by exhibiting caring, concern and patience in all customer interactions and treating customers as the most important people in the store.
- Smiles and greets customers in a friendly manner, whether the encounter takes place in the employee’s designated department or elsewhere in the store.
- Makes an effort to learn customers’ names and to address them by name whenever possible.
- Assists customers by: (examples include)
- escorting them to the products they’re looking for
- securing products that are out of reach
- loading or unloading heavy items
- making note of and passing along customer suggestions or requests
- Performing other tasks in every way possible to enhance the shopping experience.
- Answers the telephone promptly and provides friendly, helpful service to customers who call including taking product orders.
- Works with co-workers as a team to ensure customer satisfaction and a pleasant work environment.
- Reviews daily production list with department employees and assigns tasks for completion.
- Ensures food display case product is rotated and replenished.
- Scans the kitchen area for items and areas that need to be addressed (e.g. Coffee, salad case, cleanliness, kitchen repairs, and safety issues) and assigns tasks to kitchen staff.
- Ensures the proper amount of staff in the kitchen department to handle customer needs.
- Oversees food quality and presentation for all Chinese, Italian, Restaurant and Kitchen Departments.
- Oversees inventory within all Chinese, Italian, Restaurant and Kitchen Departments.
- Work with chefs and other personnel to plan menus that are flavorful and popular with customers.
- Work with chefs for efficient provisioning and purchasing of supplies.
- Estimate food and beverage costs.
- Supervise portion control and quantities of preparation to minimize waste.
- Perform frequent checks to ensure consistent high quality of preparation and service.
- Sets the department standards for customer service, employee relations, cleanliness, sanitation, professional appearance and overall profitability.
- Analyzes weekly and monthly sales and trends and compares to actuals, prepares ad projections, and writes ads.
- Work with other management personnel to plan marketing, advertising, and any special restaurant functions.
- Monitors actions of staff and customers to ensure that health and safety standards and liquor regulations are obeyed.
- Investigate and resolve complaints concerning food quality and service.
- Arrange for maintenance and repair of equipment and other services.
- Select or create successful menu items based on many considerations, and assign prices based on cost analysis.
- Figures retail pricing and ensure correct pricing.
- Direct hiring, training, and scheduling of food service personnel.
- Enforce sanitary practices for food handling, general cleanliness, and maintenance of kitchen and dining areas.
- Follows all food safety guidelines and ensures department employees comply.
- Handles and satisfies customer issues.
- Understands and practices proper sanitation procedures and ensures the work area is always clean and neat, and maintains strict adherence to department and company guidelines related to personal hygiene and dress.
- Adheres to company policies and individual store guidelines.
- Reports to work when scheduled and on time.
Secondary Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assumes supervisory duties of food service employees in absence of Department Manager or Assistant Department Manager.
- Assists in other areas of store as needed.
- Ensures pricing is competitive in the market area.
- Performs other job related duties and special projects as required.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Instructs, and assigns the work of others.
- Maintains standards, coordinates activities, and allocates personnel.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Worker Characteristics:
- Must possess excellent Hospitality skills.
- Must have the ability to solve practical problems; variety of variables with limited standardization; interpret instructions.
- Ability to do arithmetic calculations involving fractions, decimals, and percentages.
- Must have the ability to file, post, and mail materials; copy data from one record to another; interview to obtain basic information; guide people and provide basic direction.
Education and Experience:
High school o r equivalent experience. Sanitation (Food Safety) courses encouraged. One year of similar or related experience.
Physical Requirements:
- Must be able to physically perform medium work; exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, 20 pounds of force frequently, and 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
- Visual requirements include vision from less than 20 inches to more than 20 feet with or without correction, depth perception, color vision, and field of vision.
- Must be able to perform the following physical activities: Climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, standing, walking, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
Working Conditions :
This position is frequently exposed to a cool environment, dampness, noise from equipment, and vibrations from some equipment. There are possible equipment movement hazards from slicers and choppers. There is daily exposure to cleaning chemicals and solvents. This is a fast paced work environment.
Equipment Used to Perform Job:
Cash register, Slicer, C.A.R.S. system, Fryers (breakfast grill), Ovens, Steamer, Computers (Microsoft, N.T.), Fax machine, Telephone, Copier, Calculator, Utensils, delivery van Hobart machine, stoves, grills, toasters, chicken roaster, can opener, griddle, chargrill, refrigerated food case, hot case, cold case, thermometers, knives, dishwasher, ice machine, coffee maker, scales, and pop machine. Equipment for Bar operations: tags, Napa Technology and Aloha POS System, etc.
Contacts:
Has daily contact with customers, suppliers/vendors, and the general public. Occasional contact with federal or state regulatory agencies regarding inspections.
Are you ready to smile, apply today.
Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre employment drug screen.
See All 63 Food Service Director Jobs in Iowa
Find roles in Iowa that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Food Service Director JobsFood Service Director Jobs by City in Iowa
Where Iowa roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Food Service Director Job Market in Iowa
A snapshot from current Iowa openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Target13

- Kwik Trip12

- Hy-Vee9

- Sodexo3

- Dennis2

Top Industries Hiring
- Food & Beverage
- Retail
- Education
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
What Iowa Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in food service director jobs across Iowa.
- Registered Dietitian credential or Certified Dietary Manager certification recognized in Iowa
- Bachelor's degree in nutrition, food service management, dietetics, or a related field
- Five or more years of progressive food service or institutional dining management experience
- Demonstrated budget management experience including food cost control and labor scheduling
- Working knowledge of Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing food safety standards
- Proficiency with food service management software and large-volume menu planning systems
Food Service Director Jobs in Iowa: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a food service director in Iowa?
Most Iowa employers require at minimum a bachelor's degree in food service management, dietetics, or nutrition, combined with several years of supervisory experience in institutional or commercial settings. Healthcare employers frequently require the Certified Dietary Manager credential through the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals or a Registered Dietitian license issued through the Iowa Department of Public Health. Education-sector employers, such as school districts, often follow Iowa Department of Education nutrition director guidelines for their credentialing expectations.
Which companies hire food service directors in Iowa?
Companies currently hiring food service directors in Iowa include Target, Kwik Trip, and Hy-Vee, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Iowa's strong concentration of hospital networks, university dining programs, and contract management companies keeps demand for qualified directors consistently active across the state.
Which Iowa cities have the most food service director jobs?
Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Cedar Falls are the Iowa cities with the most food service director openings. Des Moines leads because of its density of regional hospital campuses, corporate dining accounts, and growing higher education presence, while Cedar Rapids and Iowa City are driven by large healthcare systems and the University of Iowa's substantial dining and clinical nutrition operations.
Are there remote food service director jobs in Iowa?
Yes, but they're rare. Food service directors are primarily on-site roles requiring daily presence in kitchens, dining facilities, and institutional settings, so fully remote work is uncommon. About 0% of food service director openings tied to Iowa are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, and those positions tend to be regional or district-level roles where administrative and compliance oversight can be handled off-site.
How can I get hired as a food service director in Iowa with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a food service supervisor or assistant director role within a hospital system, university dining program, or contract management operation in Iowa, then building toward director-level responsibilities. UnityPoint Health and the University of Iowa Health Care both post supervisory and coordinator-level food service roles that serve as direct pipelines into director positions. Earning the Certified Dietary Manager credential through an accredited program while working in a support role gives candidates a measurable edge over those without formal credentialing.
Where can I find and apply to food service director jobs in Iowa?
You can find and apply to food service director jobs in Iowa on Migrate Mate, which lists current Iowa openings. Search the listings, find the roles that fit your background, and apply directly to the ones that match your experience level and target sector.
See All 63 Food Service Director Jobs in Iowa
Find roles in Iowa that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Food Service Director Jobs