Job Description

Job Location: Omaha Zoo - Omaha, NE 68107
Position Type: Full TimeJob Title: Animal Commissary Supervisor
FLSA Status: Exempt
Classification: Full-time
Hours: Generally 5:00 AM - 2:00 PM from Monday - Friday
Pay Rate: Range starts at $62,135/year

Summary:
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (OHDZA), consistently ranked among the premier zoological institutions in the world, is a global leader in animal care, conservation, education, and scientific discovery. Guided by our mission to bring people closer to animals, nature, and each other so that together we can shape a better future for all life, we are committed to advancing excellence through our core values of Care, Joy, Impact, and Innovation.
The Animal Commissary Supervisor is a key position within our team by overseeing operations for food acquisition, feed supply chain management and safe diet preparation at both Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and the Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park. The position reports directly to the Director of Nutrition.
This position is based in Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium’s commissary that includes a highly efficient diet preparation team with commercial-grade appliances and centralized digitalized diet management software. The Animal Commissary Supervisor oversees daily operations of animal diet preparation, inventory management, and diet delivery for over 40,000 animals representing more than 1,000 species. The supervisor serves as the operational leader responsible for ensuring the uninterrupted acquisition, preparation, and distribution of animal diets across both campuses. This position works closely with the Director of Nutrition to secure competitive vendor pricing, support annual budget planning, monitor purchasing trends, identify cost-saving opportunities, and assist with long-term capital planning for commissary equipment and facility needs.
The Supervisor helps facilitate partnerships with key external stakeholders to strengthen supply chain resiliency and ensure continuity of operations. The supervisor serves as a subject matter expert in maintaining a safe work environment for team members and animals under the Zoo’s care while leading a team that meets the highest standards of diet preparation, food safety, and operational excellence. The position plays a critical role in supporting exceptional animal care through strategic supply chain management, process improvement, operational planning, and workforce development.
Working collaboratively with the Director of Nutrition, Browse Supervisor, Nutrition Laboratory Manager, Animal Care leadership, Animal Health, Maintenance/Facilities, Animal Behavior & Wellbeing, and other internal partners, the Animal Commissary Supervisor fosters a culture of operational excellence, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. This role combines expertise in animal nutrition logistics, food safety, procurement, inventory management, and people leadership to ensure exceptional dietary support for the Zoo's diverse animal collection while advancing institutional goals and strategic priorities.
Duties and Responsibilities (include but not limited to):
Commissary Operations and Supply Chain Leadership
- Provide strategic and operational oversight of all commissary operations serving Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and the Wildlife Safari Park.
- Establish and maintain operational standards, workflows, and performance expectations for commissary staff.
- Oversee animal diet preparation, inventory management, procurement, receiving, storage, and delivery operations.
- Ensure uninterrupted availability of animal diets through proactive supply chain management and contingency planning.
- Develop and monitor key performance indicators related to inventory accuracy, waste reduction, service quality, and operational efficiency.
- Ensure commissary facilities, equipment, and food preparation areas meet the highest standards of sanitation, organization, and food safety.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve customer service to animal care teams.
Nutrition Operations and Food Safety
- Partner closely with the Director of Nutrition and Nutrition Laboratory Manager to ensure diets are accurately prepared and delivered according to established nutritional standards.
- Maintain compliance with food safety regulations, institutional policies, and industry best practices.
- Oversee equipment maintenance programs and facility readiness.
- Support nutrition-related research projects and specialized dietary initiatives.
- Monitor inventory quality, product rotation, and ingredient availability.
Leadership and Team Development
- Directly supervise Commissary Technicians, Senior Commissary Technicians, and Lead Commissary Technician.
- Provide coaching, mentoring, performance management, and professional development opportunities.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, and continuous improvement.
- Support succession planning through cross-training and workforce development.
- Lead onboarding and ongoing training for employees, interns, volunteers, and students.
Financial and Resource Management
- Assist the Director of Nutrition with annual operating budgets, capital planning, and long-term resource allocation.
- Develop and maintain strong vendor partnerships while securing competitive pricing.
- Monitor purchasing trends and identify cost-saving opportunities.
- Utilize operational data to support budget management and informed decision-making.
- Maintain inventory systems that ensure appropriate stock levels while minimizing waste.
Strategic Planning and Institutional Leadership
- Contribute to departmental and institutional strategic planning initiatives.
- Participate in Zoo-wide committees, emergency planning, and organizational improvement efforts.
- Support capital projects related to commissary operations and nutrition services.
- Utilize operational metrics to evaluate performance and guide continuous improvement.
Collaboration and Cross-Functional Leadership
- Build collaborative partnerships with Animal Care, Animal Health, Maintenance, Animal Behavior & Wellbeing, Education, Safety, and other institutional departments.
- Coordinate closely with Browse and Nutrition Laboratory leadership to ensure efficient diet preparation and delivery.
- Professionally communicate operational priorities and departmental initiatives across the organization.
- Foster strong relationships with animal care teams through responsiveness, collaboration, and continuous improvement of service.
Emergency Preparedness and Regulatory Compliance
- Ensure commissary operations meet or exceed standards established by AZA, USDA, OSHA, and other regulatory agencies.
- Maintain documentation supporting accreditation, inspections, and food safety programs.
- Conduct departmental emergency preparedness training and safety drills.
- Participate in institutional emergency response efforts as assigned.
- Develop contingency plans for supply chain disruptions, emergency feeding situations, and facility outages.
Education, Outreach, and Professional Engagement
- Partner with Education to support interpretation of commissary operations and animal nutrition.
- Encourage staff participation in professional development and industry organizations.
- Represent the Zoo professionally with vendors, industry partners, and external stakeholders as appropriate.
Knowledge, Skills, and

Experience:
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Food Service Management, Supply Chain Management, Animal Science, Nutrition, Agriculture, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
- Minimum of three to five years of progressively responsible leadership experience overseeing food production, logistics, commissary operations, supply chain management, or related operations preferred.
- Experience managing budgets, procurement, vendor relationships, inventory systems, and operational planning.
- Knowledge of food safety regulations, sanitation standards, and commercial food preparation equipment.
- Experience leading process improvement initiatives and operational efficiency projects.
- Understanding of AZA accreditation standards and applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
- Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and computerized diet or inventory management systems.
- ServSafe certification or ability to obtain within six months.
- Commitment to a culture of trust, inclusivity, transparency, and open communication.
- Commitment to continuous leadership development and personal growth.
- Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal effectiveness.
- Ability to build collaborative relationships across departments and external partners.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to lead through influence, collaboration, and accountability.
- Ability to balance strategic planning with daily operational oversight.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to employee safety, food safety, operational excellence, and animal wellbeing.
Candidates will be required to pass a pre-employment background check, drug test, and possess a valid drivers license with a good history.

Work Environment/Physical Demands:
- Work is performed primarily in a commercial food preparation and warehouse environment, with occasional outdoor work in varying weather conditions.
- Requires frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, twisting, and repetitive upper-body movements throughout the workday.
- Must be able to safely lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds on a regular basis and occasionally up to 75 pounds using appropriate lifting techniques or equipment.
- Regularly works in refrigerated coolers, freezers, and other temperature-controlled environments.
- Routinely operates and trains staff on commercial food preparation equipment, pallet jacks, forklifts, skid loaders, and other material-handling equipment as required.
- Frequently exposed to cleaning chemicals, water, loud equipment, and a wide variety of animal feed products, including produce, meat, seafood, rodents, insects, browse, and other dietary items.
- May be required to work weekends, holidays, evenings, or extended hours during emergencies or special operational needs.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
- While this position provides strategic leadership for commissary operations, the Animal Commissary Supervisor is expected to remain actively engaged in day-to-day operations, providing hands-on support, coaching, and operational oversight as needed to ensure uninterrupted service.
Travel Required:
- This position will periodically travel to the Wildlife Safari Park in Ashland, Nebraska, to support commissary operations and departmental initiatives.
- Some local, regional, national, and international travel may be required depending on departmental projects, professional development opportunities, and institutional initiatives.
Remote Work:
- Limited. While the primary responsibilities of this position require an on-site presence, occasional remote work opportunities may be available for administrative tasks, planning activities, professional development, meetings, and other duties as approved by the Director of Nutrition and consistent with departmental operational needs.
DISCLAIMER
The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, nor is it to be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications and objectives required of employees assigned to this job.
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer as defined by the EEOC.