Executive Chef

Starting Pay: $92,412-115,515

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Executive Chef provides leadership and oversight for all of the culinary operations of the organization.  The department’s scope includes federal nutrition programs, Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.  Additional responsibilities include the organization’s social enterprise 535 Catering and Café and the Catering & Conference Center.  The Executive Chef is responsible for creating and executing a profitable social enterprise and efficient cost control of all administrative and kitchen operations including labor, food, and non-food supplies, and through appropriate inventory, purchasing, production management, and scheduling.  This position will also provide guidance and leadership to managers to hire, train, and develop food service staff. This role prioritizes employee success and utilizes equitable and inclusive approaches to department governance and proactively looks for ways to keep costs and overhead down to improve performance, efficiency, and overall program effectiveness. 

Adhere to PACT values. (Purpose: Using our strengths passionately to contribute to our mission. Accountability: Choosing to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrating ownership to achieve results. See It. Own It. Solve It. Do It. Courage: Standing up for what’s right and acting. Transparency: Doing things openly and honestly). 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Oversees the management teams that run the operations in the kitchen, café, and conference ensuring high-quality food preparation is done within food safety guidelines for the City of Houston and within the state and federal guidelines.
2. Assures the timeliness and accuracy of reporting to external and internal requests for data throughout the culinary operations.
3. Designs work plans and budgets for all aspects of the culinary operations associated with federal nutrition programs and ensures the social enterprise 535 Catering, café, and conference center are profitable.
4. Oversees forecasting, planning, and purchasing of products for all areas and ensures that all procurement regulations and adhered to and compliant.
5. Works closely with key areas like educational services, community health, procurement, and transportation departments to ensure that meals are high quality and delivered in a timely manner.
6. Directs quality assurance policies and procedures are in place for federal programs, and social enterprise and ensures they are in line with local, state, and federal governing bodies.
7. Establishes vendor relationships within procurement guidelines and federal guidance.
8. Represents employee interest in leadership forums.
9. Ensures procedures and in place with internal customers to thorough sound communication with internal customers within departments, but not limited to volunteers and donors.
10. Ensures that documentation is kept of all related costs associated with culinary operations and federal nutrition programs.
11. Serves as primary contact for internal and external audits. 
12. Ensures the policies and procedures for culinary programs and focus areas are reflective of local, state, and federal guidelines and maintain them.
13. Leads the disaster response for prepared food on behalf of the organization and keeps executive leadership informed.
14. Participates in outside training activities as a participant or trainer.
15. Attends relevant conferences as participant, trainer, monitor, and/or presenter.
16. Maintains accurate records of expenditures and ensures budget compliance.
17. Performs administrative duties such as completing necessary forms, templates, reports, evaluations, studies, etc.
18. Maintains required job, knowledge and skills, and core professional competencies. 
19. Attends and participates in required educational programs and meetings (internally and externally).
20. Participates in the annual budgeting process and strategic planning as appropriate.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Manages two (2) or more direct reports by providing guidance and/or oversight to employees and/or contractors. Develops and maintains roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Practices performance management in support of employee development, and perform administrative duties associated with being a people manager. Responsibilities include interviewing, planning, assigning, directing work, and resolving problems. Responsibilities also include sponsoring and participating in and/or supporting project teams sponsored by other management team members.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in or equivalent of 10 years of management experience in large-scale foodservice management operations
• 10 or more years of experience in food service management
• Working knowledge of HACCP

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:

• Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license, and insurance
• Managers ServSafe Certification or equivalent

Special Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (For best performance, the job holder in this position would be expected to show the right knowledge, skills, and abilities in the listed areas.)

• Strong management and customer service skills and willingness to assist others.
• Ability to accurately prepare and manage budgets for multiple aspects of culinary operations.
• Ability to establish objectives and program goals that support the strategic plan.
• Organizational skills in managing projects simultaneously while maintaining a satisfactory work product.
• Ability to implement new systems and procedures and evaluate their effectiveness.
• Ability to develop, interpret, and evaluate policies and procedures.
• Ability to advocate and manage change and to adjust to dynamic situations productively and proactively.
• Ability to think strategically, negotiate skillfully, digest complex details, and use sound judgment and initiative in making decisions.
• Ability to build and facilitate relationships at all levels of the organization, both internally and externally.
• Must work effectively with situations that require tack and diplomacy.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously on a variable schedule based on project demand.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with direct reports, co-workers, and staff of other departments.
• Ability to work with diverse populations

COMPLIANCE:

Carries out responsibilities in accordance with HFB policies.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (For best performance, the jobholder in this position would be expected to show the right knowledge, skills, and abilities in the listed areas.)

COMPETENCIES: 

Cultivates Innovation / Instill Trust / Drives Engagement / Situational Adaptability / Balance Stakeholders / Strategic Agility / Strategic Mindset / Builds Networks / Builds Effective Teams / Financial Acumen / Drives Vision & Purpose / Demonstrates Self Awareness 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of the job, the employee is required daily to analyze and interpret data, communicate, and remain in a standing or stationary position for a significant amount of the workday; and often access, input, and retrieve information from the computer and other office productivity devices. The employee must regularly move about the office and around the facility, use hands, wrists, and fingers to grip, type, and write. The employee must frequently lift 50 pounds. The employee will need to have the average ability to hear horns, warnings, and alerts associated with a warehouse.  The associate is occasionally required to travel to other sites for business.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While the job is generally performed in an enclosed office environment, the employee is occasionally exposed to freezers, enclosed and/or tight spaces, wet and/or humid conditions, areas in which moving mechanical parts, fumes, toxic or caustic chemicals are present, strong food-related smells, and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the office environment is typically quiet, but the employee will be exposed to loud/elevated noises throughout the workday.

TRAVEL REQUIRED: 

Travel is required for this position (up to 15% of the time and on a domestic basis within our 18-county service area). This role supports hours of operations at the Houston Food Bank facilities, as necessary, and may require flexibility (e.g., times of disaster, community events, company events).

*Is legally able to work in the United States.

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and essential job functions needed for this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, working conditions, qualifications, and skills that may be needed. 

Houston Food Bank (HFB) is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities, and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the Company's overall commitment to attract, hire and develop a strong, talented, and diverse workforce. 

HFB is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and medical conditions related to pregnancy), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.

Salary : $92,412 - $115,515