Position Title:     School Food Service Operator
Department:       School Food Service
Reports To:        School Food Service Manager
FLSA Status:      Non-Exempt
 
SUMMARY: 
Performs a variety of duties in the preparation and service of nutritious meals to students, staff and visitors.  Maintains cleanliness of the kitchen and cafeteria areas and performs related duties. Understand basic knowledge of USDA child nutrition requirements.
 
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:   

• Assists in the preparation of meal portions which involves cooking and baking using various utensils and kitchen equipment; may perform specialized duties such as baking frying, broiling etc. and or preparing meats vegetables, salads, desserts and sandwiches, etc.
• Measures and mixes ingredients according to recipes. 
• Performs duties in compliance with safety and health standards as prescribed by USDA and State Authorities.
• Always ensures that all foods meet existing standards for quality, freshness, taste and appearance and that required sanitary levels are maintained throughout the food preparation process.
• Demonstrates the ability to perform all duties associated with all stations in the kitchen to include, setting up steam table, serving lines with necessary items to serve menu items to students and staff. 
• Continues to stock and restock serving lines and removed items and or complete a corrective action for all food items outside of the temperature danger zone. 
• Effectively maintains prepared and partially prepared foods in optimum quality throughout the service period. 
• Devises best methods of presentation. 
• Maintains the cleanliness of the kitchen and cafeteria areas including; washing dishes, clears counters, sweeps and mops floors, cleans freezers, coolers, storage areas, cleans kitchen equipment, cleans and maintains garbage collection area. 
• Ensures all cooking equipment and utensils are inspected and maintained for service.
• Operates and/or utilizes various pieces of kitchen equipment such as ovens, stove tops, mixers, choppers, slicers, the setting up and breaking down of dishwashers as well as deep fryers etc.
• Communicates with supervisor notifying of equipment failures and food supplies needed for operation. 
• Assists with putting up stock in freezers and or coolers and stockrooms also assists with food orders and completing inventories.
• Follows recipes and estimates food items needed; inspects, weighs, measures, washes and otherwise prepares food items for cooking and serving. 
• Interacts in a professional manner with immediate supervisor, students, parents, teachers, school staff and administration.  
• Performs other related duties as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective operation of the unit.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned by the School Food Service Manager.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: 
High School Diploma or equivalent with demonstrated aptitude for successful performance of the job duties; prior food service experience preferred (three to five years’ experience in food service management or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform job.   Working knowledge of quantity food preparation, sanitation principals, menu planning, inventory control, record keeping, and productions schedules.) 
 
Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.
 
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: 
Must maintain annual training hours as per USDA Professional Standards; must maintain Food Handler’s Food Safety Certificate. 
 
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:  
Supervises the activities of School Food Service Operators.  Responsibilities include training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; addressing complaints, and resolving problems.
 
Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. 
 
LANGUAGE SKILLS: 
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals.  Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.  Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers and or employees of organization. 
 
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume and distance.  Ability to use a 10 key calculator.  Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as what is needed for recipe conversion. 
 
REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to interpret and carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.  Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
 
Ability to effectively train and supervise the work of subordinate employees.  Ability to maintain and interpret records and reports.  Ability to provide training through explanation, demonstration and supervised practice.  Ability to plan, organize, direct and control food service activities.  Ability to interact in an effective manner with co-workers, director, parents, students, teachers, and the general public.  Ability to complete the duties of the position without the need of direct supervision.  Ability to interpret and apply all pertinent food service regulations and standards.  Ability to operate and utilize all food service equipment, tools and materials in a safe and effective manner. 
 
OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES:
Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies.
 
Ability to operate a personal computer and related software.  Ability to work alone.  Ability to develop effective working relationships with students, and the school community.  Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
 
Thorough knowledge of all Child Nutrition standards and regulations pertaining to food service/preparation and sanitation of food service areas.  Knowledge of the daily and monthly planning required for completion of job duties.  Knowledge of established standards of productivity and quality of work to be maintained by all food service operators. Knowledge of the reports and records which must be prepared, processed and maintained to meet requirements.  Knowledge of principles of organization, planning and personnel supervision.  Knowledge of the safety precautions relative to working with food service equipment and materials. 
 
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 
The employee will occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds such as boxes of materials.  The employee will sometimes push/pull items such as furniture or boxes of materials.
 
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, listen and/or reach with hands and arms. Ability to hear instructions given by the supervisor.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision.  Job requires the operation of standard cafeteria/food service equipment and supplies. Occasionally the employee will work under a degree of stress as related to duties that require constant attention to details and meeting tight deadlines.  Some travel may be required. Continuously required to interact with the public and other staff, work irregular or extended work hours.  The employee has a greater than average risk of getting a minor injury such as cut or burn while performing the duties of the job.
 
WORK ENVIRONMENT: 
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 
 
Conducts duties in the cafeteria/kitchen environment with routine exposure to discomforting conditions such as heat, and or cold. The employee occasionally will work in temperatures above 100 degrees as well as very cold temperatures that is commonly found in institutional walk in coolers and freezers and occasionally will walk on slippery surfaces. The noise level in this environment is frequently loud where you have to raise your voice to be heard.
 
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 
Days and Hours vary
Support Worker II Pay Scale
 
The terms of employment detailed in this job description are based on full time employment during the school year.  Conditions of employment adjusted for part time employees or individuals who are hired for less than an entire school year.
 
EVALUATION: 
Performance of this job evaluated annually according to Board Policy.
 
DISCLAIMER STATEMENT:
The information contained in this job-description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position.  Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.
 
Updated 2017