Food Service Specialist

Description

Job Title: Food Service Specialist (ML)  

Division: Food Service Department: Programs 

Reports to: Director of Nutrition & Wellness Date Created: 6/26/2023  

FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt Date Revised: 08/21/2024 

Company Purpose/Mission: 

Roy Maas Youth Alternatives (RMYA) creates brighter futures for children in crisis by promoting individual success and healthy relationships in a safe, healing environment, giving children and families the tools to end the cycle of abuse. RMYA provides treatment programs for traumatized children who most often are victims of sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse. RMYA supports using trauma-informed techniques and relationship-based approaches to create a safe environment that provides consistency, structure, and caring for the children we serve. 

Job Summary: 

The Food Service Worker (FSW) will serve RMYA in its residential treatment center, general residential operation, and emergency shelter within the nutritional USDA guidelines. The primary function of the FSW is to perform the day to day operations of the USDA School Breakfast Programs and National School Lunch (NSLP) for the agency which includes but is not limited to food production, menu planning, and record keeping to include program meals; monitoring food usage; coordinating, preparing, and submitting reports; and ensuring that all the USDA regulation and rules are followed. This will be done in a sanitary and safe manner.  

Essential Duties/Responsibilities: 

Administration: 

1. Operate tools and equipment according to prescribed safety standards.

2. Follow established procedures to meet high standards of cleanliness, health/safety and report any conditions that are not correctable to supervisor immediately. 

3. Help record food requisitions and order necessary supplies. 

4. Maintain timeliness and accuracy of client tracking and status reports (meal rosters, daily participation sheets and foods planned, prepared, and served) for ongoing review/audit of program as well as billing (USDA monthly paperwork). 

5. Document all food service receipts. Keep the monthly billing sheets for this and turn into Food Service Manager in a timely manner. 

6. Follow the four-week revolving menu according to nutrient analysis tool provided by USDA and MyPlate model. Consult Food Service Manager for changes. 

Program Management: 

1. Interact with the children you are serving within the principles of trauma-informed care and restorative practices. 

2. Prepare and serve quality food according to meal schedules, uniform recipes, USDA policies and procedures. 

3. Be responsible for Meals Plus (computer program) attendance during breakfast and lunch. 

4. Practice and promote portion control and proper use of leftovers. 

5. Store and handle food items and supplies and maintain a clean and organized storage and worksite area. 

6. Model good personal hygiene skills, cleanliness, and orderliness of the food prep areas as well as the cafeteria/dining room. Ensure healthful and sanitary conditions are adhered to daily.  

7. Ensure that the nutritional facilities are maintained in accordance with licensing and other relevant inspection entities (i.e., fire, health, safety, etc.) by reporting deficiencies in a timely manner and accurately completing required documentation (i.e., maintenance lists, refrigerator/freezer logs, etc.) 

8. Ensure all deliveries are checked for accuracy against invoices. Ensure the items are stored in designated areas before leaving for the day as well as all grocery items.  

9. Ensure weekend food and supplies for the kitchen are ready by the designated day.  

10. Prepare a list of food and supplies needed to be ordered on a weekly basis and turn it in to the Food Service Manager on Monday. 

Relationships and Collaboration: 

1. Meet regularly with the Food Service Manager to review performance goals and workplace expectations to support success in the workplace. 

2. Maintain professional and ethical standards as prescribed by RMYA. 

3. Attend all required USDA training.  

4. Maintain confidentiality in all areas of client and program operations. 

5. Maintain supervision of children when they are present in the kitchen or prep area. 

6. Represent RMYA in a professional manner at approved events in the community. 

7. Be supportive of all RMYA policies and procedures, and actively participate in their development by proposing changes and updates as well as working on teams designed to improve how we work together. 

8. Perform special projects as assigned. 

Other Duties/Responsibilities: 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:  

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent required.  

• Experience: No experience in food service required. 

• Certification/Licenses: Must have current Safe Serve handler license/certification or must be able to obtain within 30 days of being hired. Valid Texas driver’s license or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire. Must have and maintain acceptable driving record. 

• Competencies:  

• People skills – demonstrates sensitivity and empathy with others, possesses insight into behavior, maintains open communication and respects diversity, interacts respectfully, effectively, and cooperatively with a wide range of people. 

• Integrity and ethics – demonstrate strong moral principles and work ethic, behaves ethically, acts fairly, takes responsibility, and maintains client confidentiality. 

• Professionalism – maintains a professional appearance and presence, demonstrates self-control and a positive attitude. 

• Initiative –demonstrates a willingness to work and persists to accomplish tasks even when conditions are difficult or deadlines are tight, setting challenging goals and can work independently.  

• Dependability and reliability – fulfill obligations and follows through, meets attendance and punctuality expectations, attends to details and follows directions. 

• Adaptability and flexibility - displaying the capability to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements. Embracing new innovations and providing suggestions to improve processes and tasks. 

• Lifelong learning – demonstrates a commitment to self-development and improvement. 

• Reading – able to understand and comprehend written information in a variety of formats. 

• Writing – able to use standard business English to compile information and prepare written documents. 

• Communication – conveys relevant information to individuals or groups effectively, clearly, and concisely. Able to understand, interpret, comprehend, and respond to information received from others. 

• Teamwork – establishes productive relationships and works cooperatively with others to complete work assignments and meet team objectives. 

• Customer focus – efficiently and effectively addresses the needs of clients/customers. 

• Health and safety – maintain a healthy and safe environment. 

• Laws and regulations- knowledge of relevant local, state, and federal laws and regulations that impact the delivery of long-term support, care, and services. 

• Patient health and safety- implement procedures and protocols to promote the health and wellness of a person receiving support, care, or services. 

• Long term care, support, and services- knowledge of the broad range of services and support designed to ensure health and safety and promote independence of individuals receiving services. 

• Documenting/recording information- entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic format to efficiently manage record-keeping. 

• Supporting daily living- effective application of the knowledge, skills, and ethics necessary to assist and support individuals who require health and human services to live a self-determined life in a safe and healthy manner. 

• Crisis prevention and conflict resolution- knowledge of potential crisis situations or behavior, and the appropriate procedures to de-escalate the situation or minimize the likelihood of danger. 

• Physical Requirements: Ability to repetitively lift items weighing at least thirty pounds, walk and stand on hard flooring for up to 7.5 hours, climb ladder, stoop bend, lift and wave hands in water. Ability to tolerate various work conditions while cooking, steaming, baking, and microwaving, operating kitchen equipment, utilize cleaning chemicals, solutions, aerosol, and powder forms. Few opportunities to relax during shifts; constant walking, standing, bending, reaching, arm and wrist rotation, twisting, squatting, kneeling, climbing, crouching; frequent jumping, lifting and carrying up to 75 pounds, pushing and pulling up to 120 pounds, gripping, gasping; occasional sitting, crawling, writing, driving, and confrontations with distressed youth. 

• Work Environment: Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Shifts in environmental conditions i.e., hot, cold, outdoor, indoor, dry, humid, noise, moving objects, working at heights, slippery surfaces, congested areas, sharp edges, fumes/vapors/gases. Ability to work for an extended period in a varied temperature environment i.e., moving from cooking to walk-in freezer. Fast-pace work using sensory demands i.e., hearing, vision, speech, spatial perception, tactile, smell, taste; dealing with multiple, complex, and repetitive tasks, working under pressure and deadlines, attention to detail and precise standards, following instructions, working alone and in groups, irregular hours, travelling, and confrontational situations. May be requested to work overtime and weekends for special program events. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Education: Some culinary training preferred. 

• Experience: 0–1-year food service experience preferred in an institution or commercial establishment.  

• Certification/Licenses: Current state Food Safety Manager Certification preferred. 

• Competencies: 

• Mathematics- using principles of mathematics to solve problems like quantification, computation, measurement, and estimation.  

• Science- using scientific methods and comprehension to solve problems. 

• Critical and analytical thinking- using logic, reasoning, mental agility, and analysis to address problems.  

• Promoting empowerment- develop strategies to assist and support the team to make informed choices through participation, self-advocacy, and utilization of resources.  

• Keeping customers informed- following up in a timely manner to requests and inquiries. 

• Planning and organizing – plans and prioritizes work, manages time effectively, develops contingency plans, and manages projects. 

• Problem solving and decision making- applying critical-thinking skills to solve problems by generating, evaluating, and implementing information, solutions, and alternatives.  

• Working with tools and technology- selecting, using, and maintaining tools and technology to facilitate work tasks. 

• Scheduling and coordinating- planning and scheduling appointments. 

• Instructing- teaching or showing someone how to do something. 

• Business fundamentals- knowledge of basic business principles, trends, and economics. 

Work Authorization/Security Clearance Requirements: 

Successful clearance of Department of Family and Protective Services licensing background checks, (to include fingerprinting and drug testing) and maintenance of status providing ability to be present at an operation.  

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: 

Roy Maas Youth Alternatives is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. RMYA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.