Senior Food Service Associate - Dining Services

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center • Houston, TX

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Food Service Associate supports daily food service operations, ensuring exceptional service delivery across retail, café, and patient care environments. This role serves as a working leader who coordinates daily operations, supports patient nutrition services, promotes food safety, and provides outstanding customer service. The Senior Food Service Associate plays a critical role in supporting patients, visitors, and employees through efficient food service operations, regulatory compliance, meal service accuracy, and team coordination. The Senior Food Service Associate also serves as a resource for staff and may assume Person-in-Charge responsibilities in the absence of management. The ideal candidate possesses a high school diploma or equivalent, experience in patient care, hospitality, customer service, or food service operations, and strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. Preferred candidates have some college coursework and demonstrate the ability to coordinate workflows, train team members, maintain regulatory compliance, and hold or obtain a ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Two years experience in patient care, customer service, or hospitality services or two years experience as a waiter, server, or cashier in foodservice
• Successful completion of the MD Anderson apprenticeship program or nine months completion of the program can be substituted for a maximum of one year of experience
• SERVM - ServSafe Food Prot Mgr Must possess a current ServSafe Certification from the National Restaurant Association within 30 Days Required and Maintain current certification throughout employment in Food & Nutrition Services
• Ability to lead daily food service operations, coordinate staffing and workflows, serve as Person-in-Charge, operate POS systems, perform payment reconciliation, support patient meal services, maintain inventory controls, complete operational documentation, provide customer service excellence, mentor team members, and maintain food safety and regulatory compliance

Nice To Haves

• Some college coursework
• Ability to coordinate workflows
• Ability to train team members
• Ability to maintain regulatory compliance
• Hold or obtain a ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification

Responsibilities

• Lead daily food service operations across retail, café, and patient care environments to ensure efficient and high-quality service delivery
• Set up food service lines, café areas, and equipment according to daily operational requirements
• Prepare, portion, garnish, and serve food and beverages according to standardized recipes and quality standards
• Coordinate and deliver patient meal trays while ensuring compliance with prescribed diets, portion requirements, allergen restrictions, texture modifications, and therapeutic diets
• Ensure all orders meet prescribed diets and patient, customer, and guest preferences
• Monitor food quality, presentation, labeling, temperatures, and holding conditions to maintain safety and freshness standards
• Perform food and tray quality checks to ensure accuracy and readiness for timely service
• Replenish food items and nourishment supplies to maintain uninterrupted service
• Practice FIFO inventory rotation and ensure proper disposition of spoiled, recalled, or defective products
• Operate point-of-sale (POS) systems and perform payment-handling responsibilities, including reconciliation and secure payment processing
• Complete bank verification, receipt processing, change distribution, end-of-shift balancing, and deposit handling
• Support opening and closing procedures for POS operations and payments received
• Deliver courteous, professional, and solutions-oriented service to patients, visitors, customers, and employees
• Assist with menu selections, seating needs, and service-related questions
• Prepare and serve specialty beverages and coffee drinks as assigned
• Act as a point of escalation for complex guest service, operational, or payment-related concerns
• Utilize the HEAL (Hear, Empathize, Address, Learn) framework to resolve concerns and restore trust
• Maintain clean, sanitized, and organized work areas, equipment, utensils, and service stations
• Follow food safety and sanitation standards, including hand hygiene, allergen separation, and cross-contamination prevention
• Complete required temperature logs, safety inspections, equipment checks, and operational documentation accurately and timely
• Wear required personal protective equipment and model safe work practices
• Identify hazards and escalate maintenance, safety, equipment, or operational concerns as appropriate
• Support Joint Commission and institutional compliance requirements related to labeling, storage, and documentation
• Record production volumes, work orders, and leftovers to improve forecasting and cost control
• Assist leadership with inspections, audits, and regulatory readiness
• Monitor and replenish inventory, floor stock, and nourishment supplies while practicing proper stock rotation procedures
• Conduct inventory control activities and communicate shortages, overages, and operational concerns to leadership
• Coordinate communication and operational handoffs with kitchen, retail, and patient service teams to support uninterrupted service
• Communicate menu changes, substitutions, equipment concerns, and service updates to appropriate stakeholders
• Attend to day-to-day operational needs concerning food inventory, equipment, and supply availability
• Identify workflow inefficiencies and collaborate with leadership to improve service operations and customer satisfaction
• Respond proactively to staffing shortages, high-volume periods, and changing operational needs to maintain continuity of service
• Ensure continuity of operations during peak periods, emergencies, and staffing challenges
• Serve as Person-in-Charge (PIC) in the absence of management and reinforce operational, safety, service, performance, conduct, and teamwork expectations
• Coordinate staffing assignments and daily workflow activities to maintain service coverage and operational efficiency
• Coordinate and assign daily Food Service Associate responsibilities and activities
• Lead opening and closing procedures, conduct shift huddles, and coordinate shift handoffs for assigned areas
• Provide mentoring, coaching, guidance, and on-the-job training to new and existing team members
• Facilitate resolution of difficult service issues with professionalism and discretion
• Model UT MD Anderson Core Values and Standards of Conduct in every interaction
• Proactively communicate and anticipate service needs related to patient care, infection control, and operational procedures
• Report patient, customer, guest, colleague, and safety concerns in a timely and appropriate manner
• Maintain strict confidentiality of patient information in accordance with regulatory and institutional requirements

Benefits

• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week
• Optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance
• Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank
• Paid holidays
• Childcare assistance
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service
• Access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups
• Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System
• Voluntary retirement plans
• Employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs

What This Job Offers

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