Food Strategy & Innovation PartnerJob DescriptionKey PurposeThe Food Strategy & Innovation Partner leads strategic initiatives designed to continuously evolve the food program, strengthen the employee experience, and deliver measurable long-term value for the client.
Building upon deep expertise in food, nutrition, wellness, and program management, this role expands across
food strategy, innovation, technology, sustainability, menu strategy, consumer engagement, and program development.
The Food Strategy & Innovation Partner identifies emerging opportunities and translates consumer insights, operational data, industry trends, and business needs into actionable strategies. The role leads cross-functional initiatives from concept and pilot through implementation and measurement, partnering closely with Culinary, Operations, Technology, Procurement, R&D, Marketing, Sustainability, and client stakeholders.
Serving as a strategic advisor and subject-matter expert, this position helps define how the food program should evolve to meet changing employee expectations and organizational priorities while maintaining excellence in nutrition, food quality, safety, sustainability, and operational execution.
Key AccountabilitiesFood Strategy & Innovation- Lead the development and execution of strategic initiatives that enhance the overall food program, employee experience, and long-term program value.
- Identify opportunities for innovation across foodservice operations, technology, nutrition and wellness, sustainability, menu strategy, and customer engagement.
- Translate emerging food trends, consumer insights, program data, and business needs into actionable strategies and recommendations.
- Partner with culinary leadership and R&D to evolve menu strategy, food concepts, specialized offerings, and wellness-focused programming.
- Maintain awareness of emerging foodservice technologies, industry innovations, and changing consumer behaviors.
Innovation Pilots & Program Development- Develop and oversee pilot programs to evaluate new concepts, technologies, tools, service models, and program enhancements.
- Establish objectives, success metrics, and measurement methodologies for innovation pilots.
- Analyze pilot performance and provide recommendations regarding refinement, implementation, or broader scalability.
- Develop scalable frameworks, standards, and best practices that enable successful initiatives to be replicated across locations and programs.
Strategic Project Leadership- Lead cross-functional food program initiatives from concept through implementation.
- Partner across Culinary, Operations, Technology, Procurement, R&D, Marketing, Sustainability, and other business functions.
- Establish project objectives, timelines, responsibilities, success measures, and implementation strategies.
- Identify barriers, dependencies, and opportunities while driving projects toward successful execution.
Nutrition, Wellness & Menu Strategy- Provide strategic leadership and subject-matter expertise in nutrition, wellness, menu development, and allergen safety.
- Lead continuous improvement of wellness programs and healthy onsite dining strategies.
- Oversee nutrition analysis and menu-management processes to ensure nutritional accuracy and program integrity.
- Collaborate with culinary and R&D teams to expand healthier and specialized food options.
- Develop nutrition and wellness strategies that respond to evolving employee needs and preferences.
Data, Insights & Performance- Analyze program performance, participation, customer feedback, menu data, nutritional information, and other relevant metrics.
- Translate quantitative and qualitative data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
- Develop and maintain appropriate dashboards and reporting tools.
- Establish KPIs for strategic initiatives and evaluate program effectiveness and long-term value.
- Conduct food and nutrition audits and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
Sustainability- Support and advance food-related sustainability strategies, including waste reduction, responsible sourcing, recycling, and sustainable menu development.
- Utilize program data to identify opportunities to improve environmental performance.
- Partner with culinary, procurement, operations, and client stakeholders to translate sustainability objectives into practical food-program initiatives.
Client & Leadership Partnership- Serve as a strategic advisor and food-program subject-matter expert to client and internal leadership.
- Identify opportunities to evolve the food program based on consumer feedback, operational performance, industry trends, innovation, and business needs.
- Develop and present strategic recommendations, innovation proposals, pilot results, program performance, and future opportunities to client and senior leadership.
- Maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders and provide clear visibility into strategic initiatives and program progress.
Standards & Continuous Improvement- Develop and implement SOPs, standards, frameworks, and governance processes supporting food-program excellence.
- Drive continuous improvement across menu development, food safety, allergen management, nutrition, technology, and program execution.
- Partner with corporate teams to improve processes, systems, and transparency.
- Support training and knowledge-sharing to ensure successful implementation and adoption of program standards.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, Food Science, Hospitality, Business, or related discipline.
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential.
- ServSafe Manager Certification.
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects and strategic initiatives.
- Strong analytical skills with demonstrated ability to translate data into actionable business recommendations.
- Experience developing, implementing, and measuring food or wellness programs.
- Strong executive communication, presentation, relationship-building, and stakeholder-management capabilities.
- Ability to operate effectively within complex, fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environments.
Preferred Qualifications- Master's degree in Nutrition or related discipline.
- Experience within workplace dining, corporate hospitality, technology, healthcare, or large-scale foodservice.
- Experience developing or testing new food concepts, technologies, programs, or service models.
- Experience working directly with senior client stakeholders.
- Experience developing scalable programs across multiple locations.
Success CriteriaSuccess in this role will be measured by the individual's ability to:- Translate insights and emerging opportunities into meaningful food strategies.
- Deliver measurable improvements to the employee food experience.
- Successfully move innovative concepts from idea through pilot and implementation.
- Demonstrate measurable value through data and clearly defined KPIs.
- Build strong cross-functional and client partnerships.
- Advance nutrition, wellness, sustainability, and food innovation objectives.
- Create scalable solutions that strengthen the long-term food program.
Physical Demands & Work Environment- Must be able to lift a minimum of 25lbs.
- Come to work properly dressed according to the dress code
- Employee must be able to work under pressure and time deadlines during peak periods
ISS offers full-time employees a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, life, and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program based on employment status. The annual salary range for this position is $115000.00 - $119325.00 . Final compensation will be determined based on experience and skills and may vary from the above range.
To Executive Search Firms and Staffing Agencies: ISS Facility Services / Guckenheimer does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered ISS Facility Services / Guckenheimer property, and ISS Facility Services / Guckenheimer will not be obligated to pay a referral fee. This includes resumes submitted directly to Hiring Managers without contacting the ISS Facility Services / Guckenheimer Human Resources Talent Acquisition Department.
