Cook - Residential Shelter

commteam; Lowell (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO 4 weeks

Sick leave

Holidays 12

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Community Teamwork in Lowell, MA seeks a Shelter Cook to prepare healthy meals for up to 52 individuals daily, ensuring safe food handling and FIFO inventory.

The role covers seven days a week with duties including menu development, ordering, and mentoring Food Service Assistants to uphold high standards of service and safety.

Pay range is $20.00-$23.00 per hour; benefits and a mission-driven work culture accompany this opportunity.

Qualifications

• General knowledge of food preparation and nutrition.
• Ability to be a team player in a fast-paced environment.
• Reliable transportation.
• Ability to pass background check which includes fingerprinting
• TB Risk Assessment and/or Mantoux results required annually.
• Physical Exam and immunizations (2 MMR or positive titer) required
• Preferred: Previous experience in food service operations.
• 2 years of experience in cooking in CACFP environment preferred
• Bilingual skills (English/Spanish, English/Khmer)

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals and snacks for Church Street and program needs.
• Pickup, prepare and package meals and supplies for Church Street and off-site locations.
• Adjust recipes, portion sizes, and quantities based on service demands.
• Assist with menu development, ordering, and use of standardized recipes.
• Receive, date, label, temperature-check, and properly store food and supplies.
• Maintain accurate inventory control using FIFO practices.
• Maintain strict food safety, allergen awareness, sanitation, and personal hygiene standards.
• Ensure clean, organized, and safe work areas to prevent cross-contamination.
• Complete required daily, weekly, and monthly documentation (temperature logs, waste logs, milk audits).
• Pick up non-vendor food or supplies from local suppliers as needed.
• Support and mentor Food Service Assistants to promote safe food practices and professional growth.
• Ensures full compliance with all applicable local, state, federal, and agency requirements related to food safety, nutrition, recordkeeping, and program operations.
• Attend required meetings and trainings, uphold CTI values of Equity, Integrity, and Compassion, perform other related duties as assigned

Skills

Food prep & nutrition

Team player

Reliable transportation

Background check required

TB risk assessment

Immunizations (MMR)

Bilingual (EN/ES)

Job description

Shelter Cook

Pay Range: $ 20.00 - $23.00 per hour

Company Overview

Community Teamwork is a private non-profit organization located in Lowell MA. We employee over 600 employees and are a catalyst for social change. We leverage our programs, our partnerships, and our collective voice to foster equity, compassion, and community engagement by creating housing, education, and economic opportunities.

Position Summary:

The Cook is responsible for preparing and distributing healthy, nutritious meals and snacks that meet the programmatic needs of up to 52 individuals in shelter. This must consist of one breakfast and dinner set-up for a kitchen that runs 7-days a week. This role ensures safe food handling, accurate production, inventory control, and daily operational compliance while supporting a collaborative kitchen environment.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

1. Prepare healthy, nutritious meals and snacks for Church Street in accordance with program needs and applicable standards, following all conditions of the scope

1. Pickup, prepare and package meals, snacks, and supplies for Church Street, traveling to off-site locations, and meetings as needed

1. Adjust recipes, portion sizes, and quantities based on service demands

1. Assist with menu development, ordering, and use of standardized recipes

1. Receive, date, label, temperature-check, and properly store food and supplies

1. Maintain accurate inventory control using First-In, First-Out (FIFO) practices

1. Maintain strict food safety, allergen awareness, sanitation, and personal hygiene standards at all times

1. Ensure clean, organized, and safe work areas to prevent cross-contamination, including prep spaces, storage areas, equipment, and loading dock

1. Complete required daily, weekly, and monthly documentation such as temperature logs, waste logs, milk audits, etc.

1. Pick up non-vendor food or supplies from local suppliers as needed

1. Support and mentor Food Service Assistants to promote safe food practices and professional growth

1. Ensures full compliance with all applicable local, state, federal, and agency requirements related to food safety, nutrition, recordkeeping, and program operations.

1. Attend required meetings and trainings,
2. Uphold CTI values of Equity, Integrity, and Compassion,
3. Perform other related duties as assigned

The duties listed above are representative of the work performed. Other related duties may be assigned.

Qualifications:

1. General knowledge of food preparation and nutrition.
2. Ability to be a team player in a fast-paced environment.
3. Reliable transportation.
4. Ability to pass background check which includes fingerprinting
5. TB Risk Assessment and/or Mantoux results required annually.
6. Physical Exam and immunizations (2 MMR or positive titer) required

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Previous experience in food service operations.
2. 2 years of experience in cooking in CACFP environment preferred
3. Bilingual skills (English/Spanish, English/Khmer English/Portuguese)

Compensation and Benefits:

At Community Teamwork, our employees enjoy best-in-class benefits to support their physical, financial, and emotional wellness. We offer:

• 4 Weeks of Paid Time Off - Paid Sick Leave - 12 paid holidays.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance - Company Paid Life Insurance – Critical Illness Insurance-Pet Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement - Career Advancement and Professional Development Opportunities
• 5% employer contribution to your 401K retirement account after 6 months of employment
• Great co-workers and a great mission with an outstanding Community Action offering a chance to help make a real difference in the lives of those we serve.

The base salary range represents the Agency’s good-faith estimate of the compensation for this role at the time of posting. Actual compensation within the range will be based on factors such as experience, skills, and qualifications.

Equal Opportunity Employer – Vets/Disabled

This is an exciting opportunity to become an integral member of an innovative team in an organization committed to excellence.