Food Service Specialist

Alabama Department of Corrections; Atmore (AL); On-site; USD 41,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance

Annual leave

Sick leave

Paid holidays

RSA Retirement

Job summary

Alabama Department of Corrections seeks a Food Service Oversight Specialist to supervise large-scale inmate food service operations and coordinate with a vendor to ensure policy compliance and sanitary standards.

Responsibilities include conducting inspections, preparing reports, and advising the contract manager. A four-year degree in nutrition or related field and 2+ years in large-scale food service are required, with Serve Safe certification preferred.

Qualifications

• Graduation from a four-year college or university with major coursework in nutrition, institutional food service or a related field.
• Minimum 2 years' experience in planning and supervising large-scale food service operations.
• Must possess current Serve Safe Certification or obtain one prior to completion of probationary period.

Responsibilities

• Communicates with food service provider management, Wardens, public, and other agencies to convey information and ensure actions are implemented.
• Conducts monthly inspections of facilities to ensure sanitation, proper temperatures, equipment use, and storage per contract requirements.
• Inspect kitchens and equipment; report malfunctions to maintenance.
• Prepare reports summarizing visits and collaborate with the vendor to create corrective action plans.
• Perform weekly check-ins with food service managers to ensure operations run smoothly and address challenges.
• Monitor staffing levels to ensure adequate kitchen operations.
• Monitor serving portions and portion control.
• Review contract documents including production worksheets, temperature logs, and consumption reports.
• Provide guidance to staff to ensure compliance with food safety standards and contractual guidelines.
• Advise the Food Service Contract Manager and OHS Deputy Commissioner on food service matters.
• Collaborate with vendor to train staff and inmates as needed.

Skills

Food service management

Nutrition knowledge

Health and safety compliance

Inventory control

Budgeting / costs

Education

Bachelor's degree in nutrition or related field

Job description

Salary Range: $41,268.00 - $64,012.00

Note: The starting salary is determined based on education, experience, or a combination of both.

Benefits: Insurance, Annual leave, Sick leave, Paid holidays, State of Alabama RSA Retirement

This is special food management work in a centralized food service program for the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Employees in this class collaborate with food service vendor to provide oversight of assigned group of institutions within the agency's program to monitor standards, policies, and practices. Works closely in collaboration with food service vendor to ensure successful food service is properly delivered to the inmate population. Work is supervised by an agency department Food Service Contract Manager. Performance is evaluated through periodic inspections, general quality of institution food services and sanitary conditions.

EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED

• Communicates verbally and in writing with food service provider management, Wardens, general public, and other departments within ADOC, and other state agencies to provide and receive information to and from individuals so the required information and actions are taken and implemented accurately.
• Performs periodically planned and unplanned inspections to assigned institutions to ensure food service provider is adhering to departmental operating standards regarding sanitation requirements, proper temperature for prepared and stored food, proper use of culinary equipment and supplies, proper storage of food and non-food items, and ADOC operating procedures. At a minimum, monthly visits are required per facility to determine food vendor is compliance with contract requirements.
• Makes periodic inspections independently, and in coordination with the agency environmentalist, for kitchens, culinary equipment and supplies; inspects kitchen and culinary equipment for proper functional levels and reports all malfunctioning equipment to the warden or proper maintenance personnel.
• Creates and provides reports to food service vendor and Food Service Contract Manager summarizing visits and collaborates with food service provider to create action plans to improve challenges.
• Conducts weekly check-ins with assigned food service managers at assigned facilities either via phone or in person visits to ensure food service is operating properly and assist with creating plans to overcome any challenges.
• Monitor staffing levels at assigned facilities to ensure kitchen is adequality staffed to ensure successful food service operations.
• Monitors standards for serving portions and portion control.
• Reviews all documents within the food service contract to include but not limited to production worksheets, temperature logs, consumption reports.
• Provides support and guidance to food service provider staff regarding food service matters to ensure that designated food service staff adhere to food safety standards, contractual and departmental guidelines.
• Serves as advisor to the Food Service Contract Manager and/or OHS Deputy Commissioner regarding food service-related matters.
• Collaborates with the food service vendor to participate in on-the-job training and refresher courses for all food service personnel including inmates; participates in periodic staff meetings, seminar-type sessions and any other method necessary for disseminating policy changes, or any other information affecting the food services program as requested.
• Performs related work and additional duties as assigned by Food Service Contract.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, And ABILITIES

• Thorough knowledge of modern methods, materials, and equipment used in large-scale food preparation and service.
• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of institutional food service management, food nutritional values, food costs, and food inventory controls.
• Thorough knowledge of health, sanitation, and safety requirements pertinent to food storage, preparation, and service.
• Ability to calculate food costs, inventory levels, re-order levels, and to analyze dietary values.
• Ability to establish food materials and culinary supply requirements for large numbers of inmates.
• Ability to relate available supplies of food inventory, culinary and housekeeping supplies for multiple institutions.
• Ability to interpret ration breakdown based on formulas developed for use in computing food needs for the institutional populations.

Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience equivalent to:

Graduation from a four-year college or university with major coursework in nutrition, institutional food service or a related field.

Minimum 2 years' experience in planning and supervising large-scale food service operations.

Must possess current Serve Safe Certification or obtain one prior to completion of probationary period.