DIRECTOR OF KITCHEN SERVICES

Community Bridges envisions a thriving community where every person has the opportunity to unleash their full potential.
Our family of ten programs delivers essential services, provides equitable access to resources, and advocates for health and dignity across every stage of life.
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Under the general supervision of the Program Director, is responsible for day-to-day meal production and meal dispatch activities, including the coordination of materials, equipment and staff involved in the preparation, packaging and dispatching of meals.
Responsible for the administration of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety system.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Meal Production: Manages kitchen operations to ensure production of high-quality, nutritious meals in compliance with all regulatory requirements.
Reviews menus for compliance with Older American Act Title III guidelines and works with nutritionist to develop ethnic and medically tailored meals.
Establishes food safety standards, food procurement specifications, procedures for food purchase, transfer, sanitation, cleaning procedures, storage, preparation and delivery to sites and home delivered meal recipients.
Plans and updates product costs and completes inventory reports for review and analysis by the Program Director.
In conjunction with the nutritionist, changes and adjusts the menus in response to workload and feedback from meal service staff and participants, Reviews daily questionnaires from dining centers to monitor leftovers; makes adjustments to minimize over-production; maintains records of orders.
Documents and initials any changes to menus and keeps the documented records for potential review by AAA or CDA.
Establishes and monitors HACCP food safety system.
Develops cleaning schedule for facility and equipment ensuring all utensils, equipment and facilities are kept in a sanitary, orderly condition.
Assures the maintenance of equipment in good working order; schedules repairs as needed; provides for facility maintenance.
Maintains storage and stock in adherence to CDA, health and fire codes and accepted good practices.
May perform food preparation, cooking, packaging, and other related tasks as needed Meal Dispatch Management: Manages meal dispatch operations for all regular, on-call and volunteer drivers to ensure the safe, sanitary, efficient, and effective dispatching of all meals.
Ensures that all staff and volunteer drivers receive food safety and other relevant training.
Program Administration: Participates as a member of the Meals on Wheels Management Team.
Maintains a variety of records for program; analyzes data and prepares related reports and recommendations, including a monthly raw food cost analysis report.
Manages kitchen equipment, including maintenance and procurement.
Personnel Management: Ensures a positive, culturally sensitive work environment that supports staff and offers opportunities for effective collaboration, professional development, and staff evaluations; maintains a safe work environment that complies with established HR and CB policies and procedures, regulations and union contracts.
Supervises staff to ensure the achievement of program objectives, including setting goals and expectations, monitoring progress, providing feedback, and implementing accountability measures.
Promotes communications, decision-making, and problem solving processes through staff meetings, telephone communications, memos and individual supervision meetings.
Oversees all personnel actions for assigned staff, such as hiring, promotion, evaluation, and corrective action.
Professional Conduct: Communicates effectively and respectfully with people from different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and lifestyles; demonstrates a knowledge of and sensitivity to their needs.
Develops and maintains effective working relationships with kitchen, program and other agency staff members, organizations in regular contact with the kitchen, seniors, food suppliers and nutrition related groups and agencies.
Drives a motor vehicle incidental to the performance of the work.
Job descriptions are intended to be illustrative only; they are not designed to be restrictive or to define each and every assigned duty and responsibility.
In an organization of this nature, each employee is expected to perform such duties as necessary to fulfill the stated goals of the agency.
We screen all applicants, require background checks on final candidates consistent with funding regulation requirements and are a Drug-Free Work Place.
Candidates are encouraged to apply even if they are not sure that they meet the minimum qualifications.
Relevant experience, knowledge, and skills may be obtained through a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional means.
OTHER JOB DETAILS: This is a FLSA exempt position.
This position is eligible for a $.
40/$.
10 per hour bilingual/biliterate differential after passing a test administered by the HR department.
Typical hours of work are Monday-Friday from 6:30am-2:30pm, with some weekend, morning, and evening work required.
Regular onsite attendance is required of this position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Required: Knowledge of institutional cooking practices and procedures with emphasis on cooking a large number of meals, including food storage, preparation, service and delivery methods and techniques.
Must possess two years of experience in large quantity institutional cooking.
Experience supervising staff.
Ability to use a wide variety of food preparation tools and equipment; Experience preparing food in large quantities; Experience packaging and serving food attractively and efficiently and loading meals properly for meal delivery; Experience developing menus and recipes Ability to develop menus and prepare food to meet the needs of a diverse population, including for therapeutic diets and medically tailored meals Experience ordering food and non-consumables to ensure adequate amounts of food and supplies Ability to determine staffing and scheduling needs.
Knowledge of proper methods for maintaining equipment, utensils, and work area in a clean and orderly condition; Ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with others Following oral and written instruction; and Ability to use a computer and ancillary equipment Demonstrated ability to monitor the labor and food costs and stay within the budget associated with the operation of the central kitchen.
Demonstrated complete understanding of HACCP regulations and the implementation of these regulations in every aspect of Meals on Wheels food operations.
Preferred: Degree or certification in nutrition, culinary arts, or related field.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
Bilingual English/Spanish.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Must possess physical stamina to stand for long periods of time and sufficient strength to lift and carry large food containers weighing up to 50 lbs.
Must be willing to complete required training and/or certification in food service management and sanitation within 12 months of hiring.
Must have a valid CA Driver’s License, have access to drive a motor vehicle incidental to the performance of the work and be insurable.
Must go pass criminal background check and maintain a clean record.
Must have a valid CA Driver’s License for work-related tasks as needed, have access to drive a motor vehicle incidental to this performance of the work and be insured.