Hope Served Position Description

Title: Program Manager
Reports To: Executive Director                                      Location: Hope Served Offices
FLSA Status: Salaried (Full-time)                                    Start Date: August 2026

General Summary
Serves as the strategic point person for Hope Served’s food service enterprises with a key focus on planning for and launching the Hope Served Teaching Kitchen and Bistro: a mission-driven, nonprofit social-enterprise restaurant that will provide meaningful employment, culinary training, and life-skills education for people with disabilities. The overall goal is developing financially sustainable enterprises while fostering an inclusive, supportive, and person-centered environment for employees and trainees with disabilities. This role blends traditional restaurant management responsibilities with culinary education and staff development. The ideal candidate is passionate about hospitality, committed to disability inclusion, and skilled in building a positive culture that emphasizes growth, dignity, and teamwork.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

1. Restaurant Launch Planning
   1. Lead project planning, timelines, budgeting, and coordination for pre-launch and launch phases.
   2. Collaborate with Hope Served leadership, consultants, contractors, community partners, and vendors to ensure all operational components are in place (menu, facility, equipment, permits, staffing, policies, marketing, etc.).
   3. Identify daily sales, catering sales, and marketing plans to ensure operational sustainability. Assist in reviewing funding sources unique to operating workforce development and culinary education programs.
   4. Develop organizational systems and operating procedures needed for a smooth opening and ongoing operations.
2. Café/Restaurant Operations

1. Oversee day-to-day front- and back-of-house operations of Hope Served Café and, when open, Hope Served Kitchen, to ensure high standards of service, food quality, cleanliness, and safety.
2. Recruit, hire, schedule, and evaluate staff—including individuals with disabilities and job trainers. Provide mentoring and training with a focus on developing the skills and abilities of individuals with disabilities by identifying and building upon their capabilities.
3. Foster an inclusive, supportive workplace culture rooted in teamwork, respect, empowerment, and patience.
4. Model positive communication, problem-solving, and customer service skills.
5. Manage inventory, ordering, and vendor relationships.
6. Ensure compliance with health, safety, and food-handling regulations.
7. Implement systems and processes that promote efficiency while accommodating varying abilities.
8. Monitor financial performance to ensure sustainability and assist with budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.

1. Program Development (Culinary & Life Skills Training)

1. Work with volunteers, consultants and partners to:
   1. Design, refine, and implement a comprehensive training program for people with disabilities including vocational, culinary, life-skills, and workplace readiness components.
   2. Identify accessibility needs and ensure training and employment pathways are inclusive, adaptive, and evidence-based.
   3. Create documentation, curriculum materials, and assessment tools, including onboarding, coaching, and support processes for workers and trainees with disabilities.
2. Collaborate with disability-service partners, schools, agencies, and community organizations to recruit program participants and employees.
3. Ensure ADA compliance and foster a culture of respect, empowerment, and belonging.
4. Build strong relationships with funders, service providers, culinary partners, volunteers, and community supporters.
5. Prior to Restaurant opening: May assist with leadership of Hope Served Coffee and Hope Served Greeting Cards microenterprises.

1. General Duties

1. Build relationships with current individuals and families connected to Hope Served. Identify ways to engage these people in the work of Hope Served.
2. Maintain adherence to Hope Served’s Vision, Mission, Core Values and faith-based founding and nature.
3. Attend Hope Served staff meetings and IFAC meetings.
4. Assist with general Hope