Culinary Program Manager (South Boston)

Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Culinary Program Manager to lead food programs that nourish and educate youth. This exciting role involves overseeing meal preparation, ensuring compliance with health standards, and fostering a love for healthy eating among children and teens. The ideal candidate will have a passion for culinary education, strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage vendor relationships effectively. Join a vibrant team dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles and making a positive impact in the community. If you are enthusiastic about food and youth development, this opportunity is perfect for you!

Qualifications

• 1-3 years’ experience in kitchen operations and food preparation.
• Passion for healthy food and culinary education with youth.

Responsibilities

• Oversee food programs and ensure compliance with health regulations.
• Manage vendor relationships and maintain inventory records.

Skills

Kitchen Operations

Food Preparation

Communication Skills

Teamwork

Organizational Skills

Flexibility

Education

High School diploma or GED

Culinary certification/degree

Tools

ServSafe Certification

CPR/First Aid Certification

Job description

Position Summary:

The Culinary Program Manager (CM) is responsible for overseeing the Club's food programs, including the operation of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Dinner and an after-school snack are served daily during the school year; breakfast and lunch are served during summer. The CM will be responsible for menu development, inventory management, cost oversight, and related ordering. The CM will also be responsible for catering for various Club events. Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston counts health promotion among its top priorities and the CM should prioritize fresh, healthy, kid-friendly food, while remaining within the standard reimbursement rate. This position works closely with and is partially supervised by the Director of Healthy Lifestyles.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Operations and Compliance

1. Oversee the operation of the CACFP and SFSP at the Club.
2. Prepare and serve approximately 225-250 meals daily during the school year (more in the summer) for 6–18-year-old Club members in compliance with USDA, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and local board of health regulations.
3. Ensure all meals meet BGCB nutrition standards:

• Serve a variety of fruits and vegetables with different preparations.
• Prioritize whole grains over refined/enriched grains.
• Choose products low in sodium, fat, and sugar.
• Opt for fresh, whole food ingredients over processed foods when possible.
• Serve reduced-fat dairy whenever feasible.
• Avoid pork and shellfish at all times.

Provide alternative meal and snack options for vegetarians, vegans, religious accommodations, and other dietary restrictions (e.g., lactose intolerance, gluten-free, or food allergies) and ensure precautionary measures are taken in the cafeteria and during food prep to avoid cross-contact of allergens.

Maintain up-to-date records, including daily and monthly reporting for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, temperature logs, order records, inventories, and production records.

Vendor Management and Inventory

1. Place weekly orders and maintain relationships with vendors, including SYSCO, Costa, Rosa Dairy, Thurston, and BJs.

Education and Club Engagement

1. Create opportunities to incorporate cooking and nutrition education throughout the Club experience.

Team Leadership and Development

1. Supervise and evaluate the Kitchen Assistant.
2. Provide learning and leadership opportunities for Teen Associates and junior staff.

Meetings, Audits, and Evaluations

1. Participate in various meetings, including staff meetings and Culinary Department team meetings.
2. Participate in site monitoring visits and site audits several times annually.
3. Participate in evaluations and media as requested. Assessing our impact is critical to our work. All staff is expected to participate in various evaluation efforts throughout each program year.

Additional Responsibilities

1. Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

General BGCB Expectations:

1. Healthy Behavior Modeling – Teaching youth/teens the importance of living an active, healthy lifestyle is a BGCB priority. As a result, all staff is expected to model healthy behavior while working with our members.
2. Inclusive Environment – BGCB values creating child-friendly environments, where youth/teens of all abilities can be successful and participate. BGCB expects employees to embrace its focus on inclusion of all members, regardless of disability or developmental challenge.
3. Continuous Learning – Building the capacity of staff is central to BGCB. The organization encourages and requires that all staff participates in annual professional development opportunities that continue to cultivate their skills in the youth development field.
4. Safe Spaces – Every staff member shares the responsibility for ensuring BGCB is, and remains, an environment free of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse.

Position Requirements

1. High School diploma or GED.
2. At least 1-3 years’ experience in a similar role or setting.
3. Knowledge of kitchen operations, ordering/inventory management and food preparation.
4. Passion and enthusiasm for fresh, healthy food and health promotion and culinary education with youth.
5. Strong communication skills and a willingness to work as a part of a team.
6. Experience and desire to work with children.
7. Organized and reliable.
8. Flexibility to work Club hours, especially as seasons and service needs change (afternoon/evening during the school year and morning/early afternoon during the summer).
9. ServSafe certified or willingness to obtain upon hiring.
10. CPR/First Aid certified or willingness to obtain upon hiring.
11. Valid driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Culinary certification/degree.
2. Experience preparing food for federal meal programs such as CACFP, SFSP, or NSLP.
3. Experience with maintaining detailed records and reporting, including inventory, temperature logs, and production records. Experience managing vendor relationships and placing food supply orders.
4. Knowledge of allergen precautions and providing accommodations for dietary restrictions (e.g., vegetarian, gluten-free, or religious preferences).
5. Experience supervising staff or providing leadership opportunities for team members.

Salary Range based on experience and internal equity: $55k-60k