Food Services Lead

Advocate Health•Milwaukee, WI

11d•$21 - $31

About The Position

The Food Services Lead provides day-to-day direction to food service employees and students, supports department operations, and helps maintain an efficient, safe, and high-quality food production and service operation for internal and external customers. The role includes training and orienting staff, assigning and reviewing work, monitoring productivity and staffing, adjusting schedules, and assisting with employee development and workplace concerns. The Food Services Lead supports food service activities across patient meals, cafeterias, and special functions. Responsibilities may include forecasting food needs, tracking meal census and food usage, responding to service requests, resolving customer or workflow issues, and inspecting equipment and work areas for proper use, maintenance, and sanitation. The role promotes safe food handling and may also perform Food Service Assistant or Food Ambassador duties, such as assembling and delivering meals, assisting patients, cashiering, dish-room work, cleaning, food production, and cafeteria service. This position is full-time, 40 hours per week. The schedule includes every other weekend and three holidays per year, with AM hours and PM work if needed. The role requires operating food service equipment and working in a kitchen and food-service environment that may involve physical demands, fumes, odors, dust, and various hazards.

Requirements

High school graduate.
Typically requires 3 years of experience in food preparation, service techniques, cashiering, sanitation standards, general and modified diets, in a large hospital or hotel/restaurant food-service environment.
ServSafe Food Handler certification issued by the National Restaurant Association must be obtained within 1 year.
Strong knowledge of food service in a hospital, restaurant, or related environment.
Excellent customer service and communication skills, including the ability to work closely with nursing personnel and interact effectively with a variety of people.
Ability to read and understand written and oral communications.
Ability to work independently, exercise self-direction, and make decisions with minimal supervision.
Ability to maintain a friendly and cheerful demeanor and demonstrate excellent phone etiquette.
Strong knowledge of food/drug interactions and food allergens.
Good organizational and time-management skills.
Intermediate computer skills in Microsoft Office or similar products, and ability to use email and the internet.
Ability to safely and effectively operate necessary powered equipment.
Ability to stand, walk, reach above the shoulders for most of the workday, and squat, bend, twist, kneel, and climb during the shift.
Ability to lift up to 40 pounds from the floor to a maximum height of 5 feet and carry up to 40 pounds at waist height for a reasonable distance.
Ability to push or pull with 20 pounds of force.
Able to work in an environment with fumes, odors, dust or dirt, and possible mechanical, electrical, and chemical hazards; protective clothing must be worn as necessary.
Able to work around sharp knives and cooking utensils, oven heat, and other kitchen hazards.

Responsibilities

Train and orient employees and students, provide day-to-day work direction, assign tasks, and monitor and review work for progress and accuracy.
Monitor productivity and staffing levels, guide staff on complex issues, and adjust staffing or schedules as needed.
Assist with human resource responsibilities, including interviewing and selecting employees, staff development, resolving employee concerns, and supporting morale.
Help interpret department policies and procedures and communicate procedural changes to staff.
Monitor department operations, record essential information, conduct daily staffing checks, assign non-routine duties, and ensure work is completed on time.
Direct food service staff to support efficient and timely service and maintain quality food production for internal and external customers.
Assist with customer complaints, workflow issues, employee staffing concerns, and equipment failures during the shift.
Provide guidance and training in food preparation, pre-serving and serving activities, recipe standardization, cashiering, infection control, fire safety, and cleanup.
Forecast food requirements for patients, cafeterias, and special functions, and maintain meal census and food usage records.
Respond to purchasing, tray-line, cafeteria, and special-function requests.
Inspect equipment and work areas for proper use, maintenance, and sanitation, and correct deficiencies as required.
Apply production safety and sanitation standards to ensure safe food handling and prevent bacterial contamination.
May assemble and deliver patient meals; perform dish-room and cleaning duties; assist patients; handle cash and balance sheets; support food production and cafeteria service; and prepare, serve, and maintain food and utensil supplies.
Operate necessary food-service equipment, including dish machines, tray lines, and garbage disposals, safely and effectively.
May enter patient isolation rooms for meal tray delivery and pickup while wearing appropriate coverings.