Company description Wellness in the Schools (WITS) is a national non-profit that teaches kids healthy habits to learn and live better. We partner with public schools to provide nutrition and fitness education, healthy scratch-cooked meals and active recess periods. Our approach improves student outcomes and drives systemic, long-term change, shifting school cultures. Job description

WITS has been contracted by The District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) Department of Food and Nutrition Services (“FNS”) to fill the position.

 

The ideal candidate should have expertise in multi-unit food service operations and management to assist in the operations, development, and strategy for a minimum of two self-operating programs. This includes training of staff in multiple competencies leading to the improvement of food quality, customer service, and understanding of sourcing and utilization of products to be used in the food and nutrition services programs throughout its schools. The job includes administrative and operational site reviews, training services, food service management, inventory management and ordering and effectively remain compliant with OSSE and USDA regulations and standards.
 

Qualifications:

• Culinary school graduate or equivalent in experience
• Deadline and detail focused
• ServeSafe Certified Manager’s level
• Strong interpersonal skills (necessary for working cooperatively with school personnel, parents, and other partnering organizations)
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Strong leadership and management skills
• Ability to work well with children and parents
• Passion for the WITS mission
• 3+ years of high volume single-unit or multi-unit experience as senior-level manager in a variety of environments ranging from full-service restaurants to QSR.
• Must be able to demonstrate food service business acumen in food, labor and supply cost control
• Certificate or diploma in Food safety or HACCP; extensive knowledge of food handling.
• Demonstrates a passion for high quality food; possesses artistic and creative talents and a desire to create new recipes and menu items through research and testing, while pursuing current industry trends.
• Experience serving children k-12 a plus
• Possesses event, catering and banquet services knowledge and experience.
• Demonstrates the ability to implement and maintain high standards and the follow up required as a leader.
• Possesses presentation skills and oversight and managing of training & personnel development programs.
• Possesses a significant knowledge and understanding of current industry products, tools and equipment.
• Experience with organizational tasks and responsibilities associated with scheduling, inventories, recipe costing and “theoretical” costs, financial statements, safety and sanitation regulations and programs.
• Demonstrate a strong aptitude for leadership, communication skills, personnel development and training.
• Demonstrates an aptitude and track record of the ability to influence others without formal authority.
• Demonstrates the ability to understand the dynamics of multi-unit and multi-business operations and complexities.
• Possess strong communication and technology skills including, but not limited to Microsoft Office Suite and general computer skills
• Possess proven track record in managing food and labor cost while exceeding quality and presentation objectives.
• Has a strong understanding of kitchen equipment, including utilization, specification for intended purposes, repair, maintenance and purchase costs.

 

Responsibilities (may include, but are not limited to):

• Train school kitchen staff on new menu items on a weekly basis
• Build relationships with school community including principal, teachers and parents while exercising flexibility and resilience in understanding the changing nature of school environments; attend meetings as required.
• Educate school community through culinary and nutrition classes
• Support evaluation of WITS programs
• Work closely with food service staff to seamlessly and rapidly integrate fundamental needs of strong, consistent and sustainable execution.
• Implement and manage new and existing operations in schools as assigned, including the training and oversight of knife skills, cooking methods, ingredient identification, utilization and cross utilization.
• Ensuring and monitoring work and work area standards for sanitation, safety, and personal hygiene (hand washing, etc..).
• Inspecting kitchen work areas, serving areas, and dining areas to determine that high standards of food, safety, and sanitation are maintained.
• Knowledge of commercial cookery equipment; Ability to demonstrate and train others.
• Maintain high standards of personal hygiene and food sanitation (HACCP) • Knowledge of how to forecast food quantities needed for relatively large numbers of persons.
• Implement and institutionalize new initiatives of innovative methods of meal delivery to students which will result in increased participation and satisfaction.
• Create systems and improvements to existing program initiatives, including those specialized programs that require comprehensive training in scratch-cooking environments.
• Teach and uphold procedures and best practices; convey appropriate leadership skills by establishing the standard for performance expectations.
• Demonstrate flexibility in teaching style between hands-on and “side-by-side” method to a higher level of observation and validation method.
• Create and implement systems to evaluate each school’s existing culinary and customer service skill level as well as strategic action plans to continually improve at each location.
• Assist in the menu development of meal programs and ensure that superior meals can be executed utilizing the existing equipment.
• Oversee recipe testing and yielding, including the adaptation and conversion of non-commercial recipes to standardized formats and specificat

 

Details:

• Start date: May 1, 2019
• This position reports to the WITS Program Director & DCPS Field Specialist
• Full-time salaried position with benefits
• Compensation based on experience
• Hire may be contingent upon: recent PPD negative status, ServSafe certification, and cleared background/fingerprint check through DCPS

 

Compensation this position is : salaried Application instructions Deadlineno deadline