Area Director​/District Manager - K12 Food Service, Northern AZ

Salary: $130,000-$140,000

Other Forms of Compensation:
Annual bonus incentive up to 30%, Medical, Dental & Vision insurance, 401K, PTO, Company car

Chartwells K12's goal is to make sure students leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than they came in, by serving food kids love to eat and creating custom dining programs. With more than 16,000 associates in 4,500 schools, ranging from large public institutions to small charter and private schools, Chartwells K12 is built on decades of food, education and operational experience driven by top culinary, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability talent.

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Chartwells K12, a division of Compass Group USA, is seeking an experienced and results-oriented Area Director / District Manager to lead K-12 food service operations across Northern Arizona. This multi-unit leadership role oversees approximately six school districts with a combined managed volume of $15 million and is responsible for driving operational excellence, financial performance, client satisfaction, and team development across the region.

Reporting to the Regional Vice President, the Area Director serves as a strategic partner to school district leadership while providing hands‑on support to onsite teams. The successful candidate will foster strong client relationships, coach and develop leaders, ensure consistent execution of company standards, and identify opportunities for growth and innovation. This role requires a highly visible leader who can effectively balance strategy, operations, and people leadership in a fast‑paced environment.

• This position requires extensive field presence and collaboration across the territory, with approximately 75% overnight travel, primarily Monday through Thursday. Candidates must be comfortable traveling regularly throughout Northern Arizona and working remotely from a home office when not visiting accounts.

• Monitors the overall financial performance of the accounts to ensure profitability
• Ensures consistent and fair administration of personnel policies
• Manages planning, budget analysis and reporting for the region
• Participates in the sales process to grow the region

• BS Degree preferred
• Five plus years of contract food service management experience, K12 Food Service experience highly preferred!
• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Strong in financial acumen
• Multi-unit experience a MUST!!

Chartwells Schools is a member of Compass Group USA

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity.

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los…