Food Service Manager, URJ Camp Harlam

Food Service Manager

Location: URJ Camp Harlam (575 Smith Rd, Kunkletown, PA 18058)

Organization: Union for Reform Judaism

Employment Type: Full Time, Benefits Eligible, Exempt, MNGT

Department: Camps & Immersives – Greene Harlam

Reporting to: Associate Director

Start Date: ASAP

Salary Range: $55,000 - $60,000 plus competitive benefits package

Level/Salary Grade: Subject Matter Expert (Intermediate) / B

The Role

The Union for Reform Judaism’s Camp Harlam is seeking a dedicated and experienced Food Service Manager to lead our food service operations. Our camp provides vibrant summer and year-round engagement experiences for a diverse community. As the Food Service Manager, you will oversee all aspects of our food service operations, ensuring high standards of quality, health, safety, and customer service. You will manage a team of back- and front-of-house professionals from a wide range of backgrounds (People of Color, members of the LGBTQ community, and other often marginalized groups), with a focus on creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.

What You Will Do

The Food Service Manager reports to the Associate Director and is responsible for the following:

Food Operations

• Plan and prepare menus for year-round retreats and summer camps, staying current on culinary trends, kitchen processes, and allergen management.

• Oversee daily food operations, including meal planning, preparation, service, and special dietary accommodations.

• Ensure adherence to food service policies, including cut-off dates and meal options.

• Communicate and manage kashrut/kosher requirements.

• Oversee food service budgeting, including purchasing, inventory, cost control, and submitting invoices for payment, ensuring efficient operations and effective use of resources.

Health & Safety compliance

• Comply with Department of Public Health mandates.

• Maintain cleanliness and proper storage of kitchen equipment and food.

• Keep kitchen, dining, and delivery areas clean and sanitized.

• Maintain required records and reports as specified by management and authorities.

• Oversee housekeeping and offseason logistics as needed.

Customer Service & Team Management

• Respond to inquiries within 24 hours and maintain positive, proactive communication with guests.

• Address guest needs and effectively communicate requirements to the food service team.

• Foster an inclusive and supportive team culture, ensuring staff feel valued and motivated.

• Arrange substitutes for absent food service staff and oversee personnel policies.

• Ensure compliance with hiring, termination, and legal requirements.

• Supervise, evaluate, and coach food service staff, fostering a positive, inclusive team culture.

Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves):

To be successful in this job, you excel in the following areas:

Food Service Management: Proven experience in food service management, preferably in a camp or similar setting. The ideal candidate is an energetic, passionate, team-minded food service professional with a caring personality who knows how to supervise and manage a kitchen efficiently in a clean and cost-effective manner. Strong knowledge of food safety regulations and best practices.

Communication: Effective oral and written communication skills. Ability to speak effectively to individuals or large groups from a wide range of backgrounds. Sense of humor and patience. Ability to use and work on a computer, with email and other IT systems.

Self-Management & Accountability: Strong ability to assess priorities and manage time effectively to meet goals while ensuring personal well-being. Skill in articulating needs and challenges clearly to foster a transparent and collaborative environment. Commitment to maintaining respectful communication and timely responses to colleagues and stakeholders. Initiative in regularly accessing organizational updates and essential information to stay informed and effective. Must be able to multi-task between various groups and thrive under pressure while maintaining a positive work environment.

Collaborative Teamwork: Ability to work with diverse teams to achieve shared goals, ensuring clarity in roles and responsibilities. Skill in managing time and resources to meet commitments on schedule and within budget while addressing challenges respectfully. Willingness to learn about the broader organizational context and strengthen collaborative initiatives. Capacity to connect people and ideas to identify and implement opportunities for enhancement across teams. Skill in valuing diverse perspectives to develop comprehensive solutions and foster a culture of inclusion.

Commitment to Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI): Experience in or willingness to create equitable, diverse, and inclusive environments that foster a sense of belonging. Proficient in seeking and incorporating diverse viewpoints in decision-making processes to promote innovation. Ability to prioritize efforts to engage multi-racial and marginalized communities effectively. Willingness to apply a REDI framework in planning and budgeting processes to support fair initiatives. Skill in implementing and upholding shared agreements that advance Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Flexibility to work during weekends and stay onsite for retreats as needed. Year-round retreats include a significant number of weekends. Onsite living can be arranged during the retreat weekends.

• In residence at camp during summer camp season.

• Ability to do heavy lifting and other physical work

• Must be able to become ServSafe, ChokeSaver (CPR), and Allergen Awareness certified within 60 days of employment.

About Us

Every team member at the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) plays an essential role in our mission to create a whole, just, and compassionate world. Our team is creative, thoughtful, and innovative. Each member of the team is empowered to make meaningful contributions to achieving our shared goals. Our diverse team is made up of individuals with different skills and backgrounds and every team member is willing to take risks as well as take action to develop and create big ideas for the future of the Reform Movement. While this position focuses on a particular area of work, every team member is a vital part of our overall success.

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) provides vision and voice to build strong communities that, together, transform the way people connect to Judaism and change the world. We acknowledge that due to racism, ableism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression, that our communities are not whole until everyone experiences a sense of belonging within the Jewish community. As the largest Jewish movement in North America, we stand for a Judaism that is inclusive and reflective of a wide range of identities and accept the responsibility of dismantling oppression both inside and outside of our communities. Through camping, youth experiences, programs, information sharing, and networking opportunities, our over 850 congregations and 14 residential camps create opportunities for our communities to enhance their capacity to build and expand community, engage in meaningful and authentic Jewish life, deepen Jewish learning, energize worship, pursue social justice and develop inspired leadership. Together, our employees and stakeholders, are creating Reform Judaism of today.

Application Process

Apply online and include a one-page cover letter along with your resume, outlining your skills and experience and how you meet the essential functions and qualifications of the position. We look forward to hearing from you!

The URJ strives to be a welcoming and inclusive environment that acknowledges diversity as a critical strength. We promote strenuous policies and practices of equal opportunity and diversity, equity, and inclusion. It is our objective to recruit, hire, and retain the most qualified individuals including those of any race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Our equal employment philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, promotions, transfers, job benefits, and terminations. The URJ encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQIA , and other often underrepresented groups.