Child Nutrition Assistant School Nutrition Services Department

Duplin County Schools•Warsaw, NC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Child Nutrition Assistant works under general supervision to assist the School Nutrition Manager in overseeing kitchen operations and ensuring students receive nutritious, appealing meals in a clean and caring environment. The role supports food preparation and service, kitchen staff development, community relations, record management, and reporting. The employee may work as a cook, cashier, server, or helper and may serve as the Person in Charge when the manager is absent. The position supports compliance with the National School Lunch Program, including accurate handling of Free and Reduced meal information and records in accordance with local, state, federal, and USDA requirements. Duties include food production, cashiering, cleaning, temperature checks, sanitation, ordering and inventory tasks, and using a computer and current software for ordering and timekeeping. The job requires safe food-handling practices and adherence to health department and HACCP standards.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED preferred; equivalent combinations of training and experience may qualify.
One to two years of experience preparing food in an institutional setting or childcare, or equivalent training and experience.
Ability to communicate pleasantly and positively with students, staff, parents, and coworkers.
Ability to read and follow written schedules, recipes, menus, work instructions, and production sheets in English.
General knowledge of food preparation, sanitation and safety standards, TPHC and HACCP procedures, proper food storage, and kitchen equipment operation and cleaning.
Ability to follow standardized recipes and recognize meal components for meal eligibility.
Ability to learn USDA meal patterns and respond to questions about food content and allergies.
Ability to clean and sanitize kitchen areas, equipment, and utensils properly.
Ability to calculate recipe extensions, quantities of food needed and used, and correct change for transactions; perform basic arithmetic with fractions, decimals, and percentages.
Ability to complete basic records, including temperature logs and production sheets, and use a computerized time management system.
Ability to use a computer quickly and precisely and follow established ordering procedures.
Ability to set priorities, manage time, organize supplies, meet deadlines, follow procedures, exercise independent judgment, and use initiative to resolve problems.
Ability to operate commercial kitchen equipment, including ovens, steamers, combi ovens, braising pans, utensils, and food-service tools.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds on occasion, exert up to 25 pounds of force regularly or 10 pounds constantly, and stand for hours.
Ability to bend, twist, lift, stoop, and reach overhead to perform assigned tasks.
Ability to coordinate hand and eye movements and use both hands simultaneously while handling kitchen equipment and food.
Ability to speak and hear to communicate and receive instructions; wear prescribed glasses or hearing aids when needed for safe work.
Ability to work cooperatively, remain courteous and respectful, and adapt to stress and emergency situations.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or GED.
Experience preparing food in an institutional setting or childcare.

Responsibilities

Prepare, cook, and serve meals using standardized recipes, including meals for special diets when instructions are provided.
Use batch cooking and replenish warming cabinets or serving lines during meal service.
Follow and support safe, sanitary food-handling practices and TPHC and HACCP procedures.
Review menus and production records, order food to meet recipe and production needs, suggest substitutions, and coordinate work schedules with serving times.
Transport food and supplies between storage, preparation, cooking, and serving areas.
Assist the manager with ordering, receiving, storing, handling, preparing, and serving food; check delivery invoices, report shortages or unacceptable goods, and maintain organized storage areas.
Maintain food and non-food inventory, including dating and storing deliveries and counting monthly physical inventory.
Serve meals and supplemental items, answer food and meal inquiries, and provide customer service to students, parents, teachers, and school staff.
Prepare fruits and vegetables, salads, sandwiches, baked items, and other foods; assemble items for current or future meal service.
Prepare and maintain serving lines, condiments, paper products, drinks, and other meal-service items.
Work as cashier or backup during meal service; process meal purchases and payments, maintain accurate student meal and financial records, count money, prepare cash and checks for deposit, and assist with deposits as directed.
Assist with Free and Reduced meal rosters and application screening according to established procedures.
Maintain cleanliness and sanitation, including sanitizer levels, utensils, kitchen areas, dining areas, floors, drains, loading docks, and waste disposal.
Wrap, record, label, date, and store leftover food; maintain accurate records of food used, produced, and served.
Take and record food and equipment temperatures and complete temperature logs, production records, cashier summaries, and other assigned reports.
Put away food deliveries weighing 50 pounds or less and assist with checking in deliveries when assigned.
Follow workplace safety procedures and use required safety and personal protective equipment.
Use the time management system correctly and record work time as required.
Serve as Person in Charge when assigned in the manager’s absence, overseeing safe food production and service and acting as the contact during inspections.
Maintain positive working relationships with students, staff, coworkers, and the public; follow food-safety dress and hygiene standards.
Attend workshops, classes, and lectures as directed to maintain and improve food-service knowledge.
Answer questions about ingredients, food allergies, meal components and eligibility, and a la carte pricing.
Perform other related duties as required.