Kitchen Manager

Belfast Community Co-op • Belfast, ME

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Belfast Community Co-op is hiring a Kitchen Manager to lead our production team. The ideal candidate is an experienced leader, accomplished in food production, recipe development, and executing strategic plans. They are skilled in production planning, staff development, and achieving margin and sales goals. The Kitchen Manager is responsible for all aspects of the kitchen, which includes day to day operations, scheduling, ordering, production, food safety, and personnel management. Responsibilities include overseeing the recruitment, training, and supervision of all kitchen workers; ensuring all food safety standards are met; overseeing the production and execution of prepared hot and cold food items. This is a full-time position (30+ hours weekly) requiring weekend, early morning, and evening availability and the starting wage is $25.00/hour. This position works closely with the Prepared Foods Manager in developing and implementing department programming, establishing and monitoring a strong product mix by category, and monitoring the financial performance of the department. The Belfast Community Co-op’s mission is to bring locally sourced, reasonably priced, organic and natural products to all while fostering an environment where everyone is truly welcome.

Requirements

• Demonstrated skill communicating verbally and in writing
• Previous leadership experience
• Kitchen/prepared foods experience
• Ability to assess and prioritize multiple time-sensitive tasks based on external indicators
• Hold safety certifications or able to obtain one upon hire
• Ability to interpret and adjust recipes based on need for volume
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability communicate effectively in a high-volume work environment
• Basic computer skills such as typing and navigation
• Familiarity with portion control and shrink management
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Must report fit for duty and comply with its substance-free workplace policy.

Nice To Haves

• Understand and explain financial concepts
• Experience leading a large team towards a shared goal
• Retail food or restaurant management experience
• Experience with recipe and menu development
• Experience with food costing software and electronic inventory systems

Responsibilities

• Hire, train, and supervise department staff.
• Ensure coverage of all shifts. Arrange coverage for absences, reallocate tasks based on department needs, and direct overall, big-picture workflow.
• Create day-to-day plans that maximize sales, efficiency, consistency, and customer satisfaction.
• Report issues to the Prepared Foods Manager and work as a team to develop sustainable solutions.
• Follow state, local and federal food safety regulations to ensure proper sanitation practices, follow all proper food handling procedures, identify unsafe work practices and take corrective action.
• Keep staff appropriately trained on relevant food safety certifications.
• Work with Facilities Department to ensure all equipment is in working order and maintained.
• Implement approved safety, sanitation, and housekeeping policies in the department.
• Oversee all production including hot and cold prepared food. Work with Prepared Foods Manager in menu development and programming initiatives with proper staff and proactively build programming as opportunities arise.
• Work with Prepared Foods Manager to watch sales, labor, and pricing to ensure department retail success and identify opportunities that decrease food waste and improves margin.
• Ensure optimal inventory levels are maintained throughout each day.
• Oversee a customer-friendly, inviting, and clean cafe and eating environment.
• Ensure a fully-stocked, abundant, well-merchandised, and inviting department for customers to enjoy.
• Build and maintain excellent relationships with vendors, and ensure they are aware of and following all product policies, safety guidelines, and delivery and invoicing protocols.
• Responsible for opening the store as scheduled and following Key Holder expectations.
• Work with Prepared Foods Manager to develop programming that meets customer demand.
• Use retail statistics, feedback from staff and customers, price checks, and the Prepared Foods manager’s professional observations and experience, identify sales and margin goals and carry a successful product mix.
• Ensures the department is abundantly stocked, clean, safe, and attractive. Ensures appropriate product rotation and freshness.
• Merchandising occurs with purpose and promotes increased sales.
• Ensure excellent customer relations by modeling friendly and engaged customer service, and by providing appropriate leadership, technical, and customer service training to all workers. Respond promptly and professionally to concerns, complaints, and requests.
• Ensure that all co-op practices, policies, and procedures are understood by workers and communicated to customers. Make requests for compliance respectfully and ensure that all communication between workers and customers is respectful.
• Attain maximum operating results by developing, implementing, and meeting approved budgets for sales, margin, and labor. Maintain a working knowledge of margin reports, weekly sales numbers, and other financial goals.
• Keep accurate records including financial history, vendor information, internal forms, and up to date pricing.
• Work closely with Prepared Foods Manager to adhere to labor budget. Create a work environment that encourages and reaches internal promotions and succession plans. Ensure that employees receive proper technical and customer service training.
• Organize schedules and daily activities to ensure maximum productivity and efficiency. Ensure coverage of all department shifts.
• Develop and maintain useful departmental training materials, coordinates with trainers to ensure success. Coordinate with HR to ensure proper documentation and records are kept.
• Carry out all supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Co-op policies and applicable laws. Monitor and evaluate employee performance at regular intervals. Recognize and reward employees and create a team environment that celebrates success. Proactively address performance and personnel issues in a timely manner and administer proper disciplinary action for employees when necessary. Follow good documentation practices and make sure all standards are consistently met.
• Foster staff engagement by communicating department financial goals and successes. Share policy changes, expectations, and other necessary knowledge to staff in a timely fashion.
• Contributing member of the Operations Management team. Work closely with other sales and service department managers to ensure storewide sales, margin, and labor goals are met while providing a holistic working and shopping environment for all.
• Maintain an awareness of Belfast Community Co-op as an entire organization and collaborate with others on how individual changes/operations within a department can affect the rest of the organization.
• Relay information to and from the Leadership Team concerning operations. Ensure use of departmental communication tools to communicate other topics staff need to know in accordance with Belfast Community Co-op’s Communications SOP.
• Ensure the smooth operation of department functions.
• Uphold Belfast Co-op’s Leadership Qualities, Code of Conduct, Expectations of Staff, and Values.
• Acts as all store leadership - Provides leadership and direction during busy times and in the absence of department managers. Responds promptly and professionally to concerns, complaints, and requests.
• Provide exceptional customer service to internal & external customers, both in person & via phone.
• Wears any required uniform (nametag, apron, chef coat, etc.) so as to be easily identifiable to customers and able to work safely (hair covering, closed toed shoes, etc.).
• Ask for help from co-workers and provide help to customers and co-workers as needed.
• Work efficiently and safely.
• Take initiative and works as a part of a team.
• Approach work with a positive attitude.
• Collaborate with others to find solutions and accept solutions once determined.
• Continue to learn and develop knowledge as it relates to the position, co-op, and industry.
• Demonstrate regular and dependable attendance.
• Follow department procedures and SOPs.

Benefits

• Reasonable accommodations may be made.
• The Co-op provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities; to applicants and employees with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, or related medical conditions; and for sincerely held religious beliefs or practices, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship or as otherwise permitted by law.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed