Sous Chef

Saint Francis House Inc • Boston, MA

11d • $23 - $26 • Onsite

About The Position

The Sous Chef supports the Head Chef in overseeing daily kitchen operations, including meal preparation, food safety, inventory, staff and volunteer coordination, and timely meal service. This role also supports vendor relationships, purchasing, invoice reconciliation, and administrative functions to ensure efficient and cost-effective food service.

St. Francis House is the State’s largest provider of day services supporting people who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness. Located in the heart of downtown Boston, we compassionately welcome nearly 500+ adults through our doors every day who are seeking a safe and dignified refuge and opportunities to rebuild their lives. Our holistic approach allows us to deepen our impact by offering integrated programing that helps our guests achieve stability in the areas of housing, income, and behavioral health. Joining our team would provide you a dynamic opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team of providers dedicated to solving this public health crisis.

Requirements

• Excellent communication, collaboration, interpersonal, and team-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with staff, vendors, and external partners.
• Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, compassion, and diplomacy, with a commitment to acting in the best interests of the Agency and its staff.
• Ability to manage complex or stressful situations with patience, sound judgment, consistency, and discretion.
• Strong organizational, time-management, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize, multitask, delegate, and meet deadlines.
• Detail-oriented and able to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate information to individuals and groups.
• Experience working with and coordinating external service vendors.
• Commitment to maintaining current knowledge and proficiency in relevant skills, practices, and requirements.
• Proficiency in English and Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Basic understanding of and commitment to person-centered, recovery-oriented, and trauma-informed practices.
• High School degree or equivalent required.
• A minimum of three years of related experience in direct food preparation required.

Nice To Haves

• Further education in culinary arts a plus.
• Formal certification in food services preferred.
• Restaurant experience is a plus.
• Experience working within homeless services preferred.
• Lived experience with homelessness and/or recovery a plus.
• Human Service shelter or program experiences a plus.
• Bi-lingual in Spanish a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Head Chef in training, supervising, and coordinating the daily activities of kitchen staff and volunteers involved in food preparation and meal service.
• Prepare and distribute nutritious, well-balanced meals while maintaining high standards for quality, presentation, portion control, and timely service.
• Assist with menu planning and food production based on meal counts, inventory, nutritional needs, and available donated food.
• Monitor meal counts, portion sizes, and food usage to minimize waste and control costs.
• Set up catering carts and coordinate meal delivery to ensure meals are prepared and distributed accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized kitchen, including proper operation, cleaning, and maintenance of equipment.
• Follow and enforce HACCP, ServSafe™, and all applicable food safety and sanitation standards; train staff and volunteers on proper food handling and sanitation practices.
• Maintain and implement sanitation procedures, cleaning schedules, and required food-service records.
• Manage food deliveries, receiving, storage, inventory, and product rotation. Inspect vendor and donor deliveries for quality, quantity, and damage and communicate discrepancies as needed.
• Assist with food and supply ordering based on inventory, meal counts, and operational needs.
• Maintain positive relationships with vendors, suppliers, and food donors; coordinate orders, deliveries, substitutions, quality concerns, and billing issues.
• Reconcile vendor invoices with deliveries and purchasing records and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate records related to purchases, invoices, inventory, donations, deliveries, and food-service operations.
• Assist with staff and volunteer scheduling and coordinate kitchen coverage for meal preparation, service, deliveries, and cleaning.
• Document and report kitchen incidents, accidents, safety concerns, and other issues to the Head Chef and appropriate staff.
• Support the Head Chef with administrative tasks, budgeting, reporting, vendor management, and overall kitchen operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Up to 90% of individual insurance premiums paid for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care health insurance & Altus dental insurance
• 4 weeks of vacation
• 13 holidays recognized per year
• Employer – paid life & disability insurance
• Vested 403b retirement with 5% match

What This Job Offers

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