Cafeteria Assistant Manager - IDEA Harlingen (Immediate Opening)

IDEA Public Schools•Harlingen, TX

About The Position

The Cafeteria Assistant Manager supports the Cafeteria Manager in leading the campus Child Nutrition Program team and delivering nutritious, appealing meals to students. The role follows food and nutrition standards established by the USDA and relevant state agencies. Responsibilities include ordering food and supplies, monitoring kitchen food production, maintaining sales records, processing payments, entering data, serving parents and students, managing inventory, and coordinating with the Cafeteria Manager to support College For All. The position leads and develops Food Service Specialists and substitutes, supports accurate meal counting and claiming, executes approved menus, and helps the campus meet participation, retention, nutrition, budget, and internal audit targets. It also promotes healthy food choices, ensures compliance with food-service policies and procedures, and completes daily food production records.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 2 years of experience in the food service, restaurant, or hospitality industry.
Valid Texas driver's license.
Ability to motivate, delegate, and lead a team to accomplish goals.
Knowledge of methods, materials, equipment, and processes used in food production and management.
Strong understanding of food-production safety and sanitation practices.
Ability to understand and interpret data, including charts and graphs.
Ability to handle stress and meet deadlines.
Effective organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Computer literacy, including familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite such as Excel.
Ability to follow verbal and written directions and seek clarification when needed.
Problem-solving ability, adaptability, and flexibility.
Good mathematical skills and basic finance understanding.

Nice To Haves

Leadership experience.
Valid Food Handler's Card; applicants without one are willing to obtain it within the first 30 days.

Responsibilities

Assist the Cafeteria Manager in leading the campus Child Nutrition Program team.
Place food and supply orders and monitor the quality of kitchen food production.
Help ensure students receive nutritious and appealing meals.
Maintain sales records, process payments, perform data entry, provide customer service to parents and students, and manage inventory.
Direct the team in executing the approved menu every day and follow the advertised menu.
Ensure students participating in the meal program take reimbursable meals and that meal counting and claiming follow requirements.
Observe meal counting and claiming at service, verify meal counts, and enter counts accurately into internal trackers and PrimeroEdge.
Recruit Food Service Specialists and substitutes from the area.
Hold weekly employee huddles on operational and nutritional topics.
Review and submit employee timesheets every Tuesday to support accurate biweekly pay.
Use the Staff Development Cycle to provide timely feedback on employee performance and growth.
Develop assistant managers and staff with leadership potential for possible promotion to Cafeteria Manager.
Conduct Breakfast in the Class audits and work toward 100% compliance accuracy.
Report recipe or menu errors to the Cafeteria Manager immediately.
Use campus parent events to explain the benefits of participating in the meal program.
Identify students bringing lunch from home, ask about their reasons, and report findings to the Cafeteria Manager.
Help the campus meet and maintain the IDEA Healthy Kids Here standard.
Promote fresh fruit and vegetable consumption through food preparation and display, rotate milk, and decorate serving lines with appealing nutritional signage.
Implement and maintain a salad bar for College Prep students where approved.
Follow food-service policies and state guidelines, track compliance or policy changes, and correct identified issues.
Contact headquarters Child Nutrition Program staff as needed for finance, nutrition, and operations guidance.
Complete food production records daily.

Benefits

Hourly compensation ranging from $16.26 to $20.33, depending on experience.
Performance bonus based on team performance and goal attainment.
Medical plan with the employer covering the majority of the employee premium and subsidizing most costs for a spouse or domestic partner and children.
Eligible staff may receive up to 8 weeks of paid family leave for the birth or adoption of a child, based on tenure and caregiver designation.
Tuition reimbursement of up to 50% of qualifying tuition costs, capped at $5,250 per year and subject to manager discretion and budget availability.
Employer-paid mental and behavioral health services, including five face-to-face counseling sessions per year, unlimited 24/7 telephone counseling, and other work-life services.
Dental and vision plans.
Disability and life insurance.
Parenting benefits.
Generous vacation time.
Referral bonuses.
Professional development.
Relocation allowance may be offered, if applicable.