Food Service Specialist - IDEA Pharr (Immediate Opening)

IDEA Public Schools • Pharr, TX

21h • Onsite

About The Position

The Food Service Specialist ensures that appropriate quantities of food are prepared, portioned, and served to IDEA students. This role involves preparing food, following recipes, adhering to kitchen processes, monitoring students during meal periods, and performing kitchen cleaning duties. The position requires the ability to lift, bend, pull, push, and twist, and involves moving cafeteria tables daily and disposing of garbage. The role also requires working around academic calendars, with potential for extended periods without work during breaks, and may require working on Saturdays.

Requirements

• Ability to understand food recipes, safe handling of food and sanitation practices.
• Working knowledge of kitchen/food production procedures.
• Ability to operate kitchen equipment, tools, and utensils.
• Ability to perform basic math skills.
• Works well under pressure in a team setting.
• Ability to lift, bend, pull, push, twist.
• 1+ years of experience in a job that shows physical activity or requires you to be on your feet for multiple hours a day is required.
• Must be able to handle working with medium to large equipment (i.e. ovens, slicer, steamer, etc.).
• Has basic math skills that directly relate to portioning food items in small trays.
• Can take direction and feedback well.
• Must be able to adapt quickly.
• Can take feedback well, especially during mid-year and end of year.
• Can self-reflect and be honest with own performance, desire to correct mistakes quickly.
• Can work around or with an academic calendar.
• During regular school days, 8 hours per day.
• Some overtime needed.
• Depending on the campus, may need to work on Saturdays.
• Believes and is committed to our mission and being an agent of change: that all students are capable of getting to and through college.
• Has demonstrated effective outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them.
• Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly.
• Works with urgency and purpose to drive student outcomes.
• Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change.
• Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization.
• Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes.

Nice To Haves

• High School Diploma Preferred but Not Required
• Food Handler’s Permit (City of County) preferred
• Possess an interest or passion for working with food
• Has a basic knowledge or can quickly learn of food production processes
• Can meet the physical demands of the job (lifting, bending,, walking, etc.)
• Has a basic knowledge of providing service to our customers (students)
• Understand how to read and execute recipes
• Takes pride in food that is prepared and served to the students
• We believe in education as a profession and hold ourselves to high level of conduct, professionalism and behaviors as models for our colleagues and students

Responsibilities

• Ensures appropriate quantities of food are prepared, portioned, and served to IDEA students.
• Cuts and chops fruits & vegetables.
• Follows recipes.
• Adheres to established kitchen processes.
• Monitors students during meal periods for appropriate behavior, encourages consumption of fresh fruits & vegetables, and enforces no food sharing policy.
• Performs kitchen cleaning duties including sweeping, mopping, wiping tables, washing dishes, and disposing of trash.
• Moves cafeteria tables daily.
• Disposes of garbage.

Benefits

• Hourly rate ranging between $13.00 for 0 years of experience and $14.95
• Eligible for a performance bonus based on team performance and goal attainment.
• Comprehensive benefits plan, covering the majority of the employee premium for the base medical plan and subsidizing the majority of costs for a spouse/domestic partner and children.
• Paid Family Leave: Eligible staff may receive up to 8 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, based on their tenure with the organization and caregiver designation.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Staff members may apply for up to 50% of tuition paid toward a qualifying degree program, up to $5,250 maximum per year subject to manager discretion and budget availability.
• Employer-Paid Mental/Behavioral Health: 5 face-to-face counseling sessions within a year, unlimited 24/7 telephonic counseling, and other work-life services available at no cost.
• Dental and vision plans
• Disability
• Life insurance
• Parenting benefits
• Generous vacation time
• Referral bonuses
• Professional development
• Relocation allowance to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED