Program Lead, School Food

Competition #: 013C3-Oct2925A
Position: Program Lead, School Food
Location: Central Office
Department: System Services
Assignment: Program Lead, School Food
Status: Term

Percentage: 100%
Start Date: Monday, December 15 2025
End Date: Wednesday, March 31 2027
Posted: Wednesday, October 29 2025 12:00 PM
Deadline: Monday, November 17 2025 12:00 PM

Details:

The Program Lead, School Food collaborates with the provincial project team and other standing provincial committees. They work in partnership with departmental officials and are responsible to plan, coordinate and implement the School Lunch Program for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education. The position cultivates partnerships and relationships with provincial colleagues and collaborates on provincial evaluation criteria and policy frameworks, processes, and standards. The position oversees a multi-phased implementation to ensure it is aligned with provincial policy and standards. The position develops partnerships with external service providers and supports school staff responsible for food ensuring programs are aligned and meet required standards. The position provides a single point of contact for third party food service managers, cafeteria staff and school administrators for cafeteria related inquiries, and works closely with key Health Promoting Schools (HPS) partners (i.e. School Health Promoter, Public Health Nutritionist). The Program Lead, School Food reports directly to the Coordinator, System Services.

Qualifications

a) Bachelor's degree in a relevant area such as food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, or the equivalent obtained through training and experience;

b) Minimum three (3) years' recent experience in a leadership role in the area of food management, school nutrition, etc.

c) Recent experience developing and coordinating food/nutrition programs in a multi-site model;

d) Experience with contract management considered an asset;

e) Experience working in an educational setting considered an asset.

Successful candidate must have valid driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle to visit schools as required.

Salary

This is a 12-month Professional Employees Group (PEG) position classified on the Education Entities Non-Union Compensation Framework at Band 7 with an annual range between $66,844 to $83,556.

HRCE offers:

• Attractive schedules offering work/life balance

• Competitive compensation and time off

• Comprehensive health and dental benefits cost-shared with the employer

• Defined benefit pension plan with contributions matched by the employer

• Excellent career opportunities and potential for professional growth and development

• Employee and Family Assistant Programs

The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) is the largest Centre for Education in Atlantic Canada with over 10,000 full-time, part-time and casual employees. Serving more than 60,000 students in 136 schools, our geographic region spans a 350 km radius. Add yourself to a world of learning today!

Please refer to job description for further details.

Current employees - please update your employee ID on the Job Posting page before applying to positions to ensure your contract/employment status shows correctly.

Nova Scotia's Regional Centres for Education and the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) are committed to an inclusive education system that supports the well-being and achievement of every student and is high-quality, culturally and linguistically responsive.

The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) is actively working to hire individuals from under-represented groups, particularly people of African Nova Scotian, African Canadian and African ancestry and Mi'kmaw/Indigenous ancestry, to work toward equitable representation within all employee groups. Equitable hiring strengthens the knowledge and expertise in our schools, and supports our public education system in establishing schools as safe, caring, and accessible learning spaces that support all students. This will provide opportunities for students to see themselves reflected throughout their schools, learning resources, and within their learning experiences.

HRCE has a Recruitment, Selection and Hiring of Staff Policy and we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups, particularly people of African Nova Scotian, African Canadian and African ancestry and Mi'kmaw/Indigenous ancestry, in compliance with the applicable collective agreements or terms and conditions of employment.

Applicants are encouraged to complete the Diversity Management section under the Questionnaire heading in the online resume. Applicants invited to participate in the hiring process (such as an interview or testing) and who require accommodation, should discuss their request for accommodation when invited to the assessment process.

Thank you for your interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Employment with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education is contingent upon providing a satisfactory Criminal Records Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search and Child Abuse Registry Search.