Operations Manager - Hiring on behalf of a client

Operations Manager – Youth & School Programs

Sticky Fingers Cooking – Northern Virginia and Washington, DC Remote with occasional local school visits

Salary: $52,000 per year + performance bonus

Healthcare Stipend: $200/month

Job Type: Full-time, Exempt (Salaried)

Paid time off

Flexible work schedule

Primarily remote work environment with occasional local school visits

Opportunity to grow with a growing education business

Meaningful work supporting children's learning and creativity

About Sticky Fingers Cooking

Sticky Fingers Cooking brings hands-on cooking adventures to children through after-school programs, camps, and special events. Our chefs teach kids to explore global cuisines while building confidence, creativity, and life skills in the kitchen.

We partner with schools across Northern Virginia and Washington DC to deliver engaging cooking programs that inspire young chefs.

We are seeking a highly organized Operations Manager with strong team management experience
to oversee the daily operations of our youth programs and support our growing instructor team and report to the franchise owner.

Position Overview

The Operations Manager is responsible for managing the operational side of our school programs, including supervising chef instructors, coordinating schedules, and ensuring programs run smoothly across partner schools.

This role requires someone who is comfortable leading a team, managing logistics, and solving operational problems quickly and effectively.

You will supervise a team of 20-30 part-time chef instructors and ensure that programs are properly staffed, supplied, and delivered at a high level of quality.

This is a full-time salaried exempt position, focused on leadership, operations management, and program coordination.

Ideal Background

Candidates with experience in the following roles are strongly encouraged to apply:

Camp Directors or Assistant Camp Directors

After-School Program Managers

School Enrichment Program Coordinators

Youth Program Managers

Education Program Administrators

If you have experience managing instructors, counselors, teachers, or youth program staff, we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership

Manage and support a team of 20–30 part-time chef instructors

Recruit, interview, and onboard new instructors

Build and maintain instructor schedules for before/after-school programs and camps

Coordinate substitute instructors when needed

Provide guidance and support to instructors to ensure program quality

Maintain a positive and professional team culture

Program Operations

Oversee scheduling for after-school programs and camps

Ensure all programs are fully staffed and confirmed

Communicate weekly schedules and logistics with instructors

Troubleshoot time-sensitive, last-minute staffing or operational issues

Inventory & Supply Management

Maintain inventory of cooking kits and classroom supplies

Coordinate supply purchasing and distribution

Track equipment issued to instructors

Help control and reduce unnecessary supply purchases

Program Quality

Ensure instructors follow program guidelines and recipes

Maintain consistent program standards across schools

Support safe food handling and allergy protocols

Address operational issues reported by schools or instructors

Camp & Event Support

Assist with operational planning for seasonal camps

Help coordinate logistics for special events and birthday parties

Job Expectations

The person in this role will:

Manage and support a team of 20-30 instructors

Coordinate schedules and logistics across multiple school programs

Respond to operational issues quickly and professionally

Maintain strong communication with instructors and leadership

Ensure programs consistently run smoothly and professionally

This role requires someone who is comfortable managing people, making decisions, and handling operational challenges.

Required Qualifications

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

Minimum 2-3 years of experience managing a team

Experience supervising employees or contractors

Strong organizational and scheduling skills

Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities

Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

Professional and reliable work ethic

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in the following areas is strongly preferred:

School enrichment programs

Camps or youth programs

Event coordination

Program operations or logistics management

Work Schedule & Operational Coverage

This position typically works Monday–Friday daytime hours (approximately 10 AM – 6 PM). Because our programs run in the afternoons at partner schools, the Operations Manager is responsible for monitoring our operations hotline during program hours and responding to instructor questions or scheduling issues if they arise.

Operational hotline coverage is primarily needed between 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM on weekdays, when after-school programs are running.

A brief system check on Sundays is also expected to review any instructor messages or operational requests that may have come in over the weekend and ensure the upcoming week is properly prepared.

We look forward to hearing from candidates who are passionate about leadership, organization, and creating meaningful experiences for children.