Food Services Assistant

Region of Waterloo; Southwestern Ontario; Hybrid; CAD 34,000 - 37,000; Part time

Job summary

Sunnyside Home, a part of the Region of Waterloo, invites applications for a Temporary Part-Time Food Service Worker in Waterloo, ON. You will prepare and portion meals, follow dietary profiles, and support a resident-centred dining program in a caring, home-like environment.

The role requires Grade 12, Safe Food Handling, and the ability to work 39.5 hours biweekly with varied shifts. Join a team dedicated to dignity, compassion, and meaningful daily connections for residents.

Qualifications

• Grade 12 education plus related experience in food services.
• Current Safe Food Handling Certificate.
• Ability to read/write in English and follow policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and portion residents' meals according to dietary profiles.
• Work with multi-disciplinary team to provide a person-centred, home-like environment.
• Assist with meal service, set up dining areas, and maintain safe food temperatures.
• Communicate dietary needs to dietitian and care staff as appropriate.
• Maintain cleanliness of kitchen and equipment and support safety practices.

Skills

Food safety

Teamwork

Communication

English

Education

Grade 12

Food service certificate

TB test and immunizations

Job description

Job Number: 4912
Job Type:Temporary Part-Time
Vacancy Reason: Backfill
Temp Contract Length: Up to 5 months
Location: 247 Franklin St N - Sunnyside Home
Number of Positions:1
Division: Community Services
Hours of Work: 39.5 hours biweekly, 0615-1415, 1445-1915
Work Schedule:

• Week 1: Tues, Wed, Sat
• Week 2: Sun, Wed, Fri

Union: Unifor 1106
Grade: Unifor 1106 Grade 003
Salary Range: $25.14 - $26.67 per hour

Join the Team at Sunnyside Home

At Sunnyside Home, care is personal.

As the first long-term care home in Waterloo Region certified in The Butterfly Approach®, we are recognized for creating a warm, home-like environment where relationships, emotional well-being, and resident choice come first.

Here, you’ll be part of a compassionate and innovative team that is committed to meaningful connections, person-centred care, and making every day matter for residents and families.

If you’re looking for more than just a job, and want to be part of a workplace where kindness, collaboration, and dignity are at the heart of the work, we’d love to hear from you.

The Region of Waterloo is a diverse and growing community committed to creating opportunities for current and future generations.

Waterloo Region is part of the Dish With One Spoon wampum, a treaty grounded in sharing, sustainability, and respect:

• Take only what we need
• Leave some for others
• Keep the dish clean

These principles continue to guide our commitment to reconciliation, inclusion, and community well-being.

The Role

Prepares and portions residents’ meals in dining rooms, with consideration to their dietary profiles, preferences, and requests. Supports care approaches that are evidence-informed, recognize the uniqueness of each person, put people before tasks, and support an awareness of one’s contribution to the relationship, including personal attitudes, values, and actions.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Works as part of a multi-disciplinary team to create a caring, person-centred, home-like environment where residents feel listened to and cared about.
• Supports family, visitor, and volunteer involvement in the daily running of the home area. Maintains relationships and communication with residents, staff, volunteers, and visitors.
• Portions and assembles food and snacks for resident meal and snack services. Prepares beverages for snack services.
• Encourages meaningful, relaxed, social mealtimes for residents and team members. Assists residents during mealtimes. Communicates with other members of the care team about residents’ dietary needs and preferences.
• Prepares (cooks/bakes) breakfast (e.g., eggs, hot and cold cereals, toast, muffins) and other items as required.
• Provides supplies for alternative breakfast service and requests outside regular meal/snack times.
• Sets up meal service for each kitchenette dining room (e.g., hot food wells, snack/beverage carts).
• Reheats food to required temperatures and checks and records food temperatures. Takes corrective action when food is outside safe food serving temperature range.
• Refers to and follows resident dietary profiles ensuring food is prepared per physician/dietitian’s orders.
• Transports supply carts and hot food wagons to/from the central kitchen to kitchenette.
• Receives, labels, and stores food supplies. Disposes unusable food. Returns leftover food to production kitchen.
• Communicates observations regarding residents' eating habits and preferences to dietitian, supervisor, and/or nursing staff as appropriate and records information in communication book.
• Loads, runs, and unloads dishwashers after meal service and whenever needed.
• Cleans kitchen equipment, kitchenette, and storage areas. Operates kitchenette equipment appropriately and maintains in good working condition and contacts Facilities for repairs as required. Reports safety issues/risks immediately and takes appropriate action.
• Completes meal service audit forms to show overages and underages of food supplies from the main kitchen, as requested by supervisor. Maintains inventory levels of staple food supplies and orders supply from main kitchen.
• Completes daily temperature checklists for equipment (e.g., fridge, dishwasher), and reports unsafe levels to supervisor.
• Interacts with staff, residents, families, and visitors to respond to general questions, discuss operational needs/logistics, and request supplies or services. Contacts appropriate staff for assistance as needed.
• Keeps knowledge current through in-service training and communications. Demonstrates and explains work procedures to help train volunteers and new staff as directed.
• Participates in team meetings and provides input to improve work procedures.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of reading, writing, math, food preparation skills, and safe food handling practices acquired through a Grade 12 education and completion/enrollment in a food services program (e.g., food service worker certificate, cook certificate, food and nutrition diploma) plus related experience.
• Must have current Safe Food Handling Certificate.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, guidelines, and related legislation (e.g., privacy, health and safety).
• Basic understanding of the geriatric population.
• Must have a tuberculosis (TB) test and required immunization(s).
• Ability to demonstrate compassion, validate emotions, support dignity, and promote understanding of those we serve.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions in English.
• Human relations and communication skills to interact pleasantly and professionally with residents, their families, and other staff; demonstrate a customer care/service approach; engage residents and their families in recreation and social programs using positive language to support emotional wellbeing; and participate as an effective team member.
• Organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills with ability to work independently, comply with schedules, prioritize tasks effectively, and complete work efficiently.
• Ability to make accurate mental calculations (e.g., portion sizes, number of dishes, preparing beverages).
• Ability to read and understand policies, procedures, and instructions (e.g., resident diet profiles, work assignments, product labels, menus and menu modifications, temperature charts). Ability to complete forms, requisitions, temperature checklists, and record information in communication logbook.
• Ability to work shifts, weekend hours, and statutory holidays as scheduled.
• Must provide an acceptable vulnerable sector police check.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

Region of Waterloo is committed to building a workforce through fair, equitable, and accessible hiring practices that allow us to hire qualified staff who reflect the diversity of the community we serve and to promote a respectful, inclusive, and equitable workplace.
We invite all interested individuals to apply and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
• members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
• persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
• persons who identify as women; and persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions

For questions or to request accommodations during your recruitment, onboarding or employment, please contact [e-mail] , or by calling our Service First Contact Centre at phone number [phone].
Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Hiring Process: Region of Waterloo may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance efficiency during the recruitment process. However, applications will also be reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team to ensure a fair and thorough assessment. AI does not make final hiring decisions.
Candidates who are asked to obtain a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) as part of the due diligence process are required to do so in support of our obligations under the Long-Term Care Act and our commitment to maintaining a safe environment for residents. If police services are unable to process a VSC, candidates will then be asked to provide a Criminal Record & Judicial Matters Check ( CRJMC ) so that we can complete appropriate due diligence.
Please note: candidates will be provided an update on their application. Please check your spam or junk folder occasionally as some candidates have noticed our emails in those folders (Gmail and Hotmail in particular).