Cook

Position Title: Cook Head Start

Employee Type: FullTime Regular

Supervisor Title: Manager Health & Nutrition or Center Director

Division: U.S. Programs & Advocacy

Summary

The Cook is a critical role within in a large system of services provided to children and families. A strong food service program is important to supporting the goals of the Head Start/Early Head Start program. You will be responsible for the ordering preparing serving and documentation of meals and snacks served to children including following menus and all phases of kitchen operations including inventory control.

You will contribute to the smooth operations and functioning of the kitchen in adherence to health and food safety codes and the strict cleanliness of the kitchen and food service and storage areas. You will prepare foods for infants and toddlers and/or preschool children following the USDA/CACFP standards. This role may involve reassignment to various kitchens/centers as deemed necessary for program operations.

As a frontline representative of Save the Children Center Directors are required to ensure the safety and security of children and families that he/she comes into contact with adhering to the agencys values of Accountability Ambition Collaborations Creativity and Integrity.

As a Save the Children employee who will come into contact with children on a routine basis you are expected to prevent child abuse in every situation by striving through mental awareness good practice and training to minimize risk to children. You must take positive steps to protect children who may be a subject of concern and report and respond to any instance of child abuse and promote training and awareness around all child safeguarding obligations.

What Youll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Prepare and serve food and assist in any food related activities as directed and menus as approved by registered dietitian/nutritionist. These duties may include the preparation of food to meet the needs of children with special needs or disabilities.

Make accommodations for special dietary needs. Maintain accurate records both on paper and in designated online systems. Maintain confidentiality regarding children and families.

Oversee maintenance of inventory for all necessary supplies food and equipment used for food services operations.

Oversee the processing and storage of food and food related items as they are delivered.

Safely operate clean and maintain utensils and equipment used in an institutional kitchen.

Adhere to and ensure sanitation requirements are met when storing handling and preparing food.

Oversee full kitchen operations and may supervise additional staff or volunteer assistance (depending on size and scope of workload).

Implement a cost effective food service program according to federal state and local regulations that is a financially successful operation by helping to control food and labor costs.

Ensure that standardized recipes are followed and appropriate quantities of food are prepared and served in accordance with the CACFP meal requirements

Prepare and serve all meals as planned paying attention to food presentation and freshness.

Distribute and post weekly menu.

Deliver food to classroom and other Centers where applicable.

Protect the safety of children by implementing active supervision techniques to ensure no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time.

Apply clear practice and procedure in daytoday execution of job.

Organize self and manage time to get things done.

Keep manager informed of important issues.

Build effective relationships within their workgroup and with children/families

Perform any other relevant duties as assigned by manager.

Required Qualifications.

High school diploma plus at least 3 years of relevant experience.

Demonstrated commitment to service to children.

Proven relevant knowledge of basic food preparation and kitchen operations including food safety requirements.

Ability to relate sensitively with children and to work well with staff parents and families.

Proven commitment to team work and customer service orientation.

Professional proficiency in spoken and written English.

Proven teamwork orientation and organizational skills.

Demonstrated knowledge of the basics of working with preschool children and infants/toddlers.

Proven ability to follow directions and take initiative.

Demonstrated ability to keep all information on families strictly confidential.

Preferred Qualifications

Previous experience having met Health Department Regulations USDA and Head Start Standards is preferred

Previous experience working with CACFP is preferred

Certification in ServSafe is preferred

Bilingual is preferred (English/Spanish or English and other languages present in the local area)

Professional proficiency in spoken and written English

Demonstrated ability to successfully communicate and collaborate with individuals and teams at all levelswhether internal or externalin the provision of high quality services to children and families

Demonstrated successful interpersonal communication and organizational skills; great problem solving and time management skills.

Demonstrated ability to follow established and communicated directions and take initiative

Demonstrated knowledge of the purpose of the Head Start/Early Head Start program.

Proven ability to relate sensitively with children.

Proven ability to keep all required information strictly confidential.

Must participate in professional development training including basic first aid and pediatric CPR certification as required by state licensing and HSPPS.

Demonstrated commitment to fostering an environment of diversity inclusion and belonging.

Additional Qualifications

Physical Requirements related to essential functions: Ability to perform medium to heavy physical work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally up to 20 pounds frequently and up to 510 pounds constantly performing such activities as sitting crawling stooping kneeling crouching reaching standing walking pushing pulling lifting and grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion skills keyboarding and computer use.

Clear preemployment background check requirements including local state and national criminal records check sex offender registries employment and education verifications (including child abuse registry check if required by state regulations) and pass all state and local health requirements required post job offer and prior to employment.

This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid drivers license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.

Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.

Compensation

The base pay for this position is starting at $15/hour. Actual base salary may vary based upon but not limited to experience credentials base salary of internal peers and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

Why you should join the Save the Children Team

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health dental vision and life insurances shortterm and longterm disability coverage an Employee Assistance Program 403(b) generous vacation personal sick leave family leave parental/adoption leave commuter benefits dress for your day and much more.

About Save the Children

No matter your role when you join Save the Children each and every day you will challenge yourself to devote your skills talent and expertise to changing the world for kids. Its an ambitious goal and a meaningful one no matter how you see yourself professionally: an accountant a writer a data analyst a teacher a driver a designer or any one of the hundreds of dozens of roles were looking to fill every day.

You see Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world we give children a healthy start in life the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children every day and in times of crisis transforming their lives and the future we share.

Our work for children and their families requires that we commitat every opportunityto work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism inequality and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond. As an antiracist organization Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any formin our employment practices amongst our staff in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights justice inclusion and belonging.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race color religion gender gender identity or expression ancestry sexual orientation national origin age handicap disability marital status or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition it is Save the Childrens policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions whether deliberate or inadvertent that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees ensuring all are given training support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty both agency and individual is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.