Meals Program Specialist

The River Food Pantry; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 24,796 - 30,307; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

Disability insurance

Simple IRA with match

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Employee assistance program

Job summary

The River Food Pantry is seeking a reliable Meals Program Specialist to support our kitchen operations, meal production, and distribution. You will train and supervise volunteers, manage stations, and ensure meals are prepared and served with care to community members.

Responsibilities include leading Munch production, quality checks on food, and safe handling. A valid driver’s license is required for distribution duties; bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of kitchen experience preferred.
• 1+ years of customer service experience preferred.
• Experience leading others preferred.
• A valid driver’s license and 3+ years of driving experience required.
• Multilingual (English & Spanish) strongly preferred.
• Commitment to The River’s mission, vision and goals.

Responsibilities

• Serve quality, nutritious meals to community members.
• Assist in meal preparation and packaging; train volunteers in daily tasks.
• Set up volunteer production stations and ensure a steady supply of materials.
• Review volunteer sheets and coordinate allocation with the Floor Coordinator.
• Lead Munch production; manage labeling, rotation, and inventory.
• Maintain kitchen cleanliness and safety; ensure proper hygiene at all times.
• Drive the distribution vehicle and deliver meals per schedule.
• Participate in community events representing The River.

Skills

Kitchen experience

Customer service

Team leadership

Bilingual English/Spanish

Time management

Job description

The River is seeking a reliable, customer service minded Meals Program Specialist with kitchen or food service experience to join our team supporting the kitchen, our meal program production and distribution.

In the full-time Meals Program Specialist role, you will contribute to our mission of providing food, resources, and faith to build a stronger community through these responsibilities:

• Serve quality, nutritious meals to community members.
• Assist in meal preparation and packaging service while training and leading volunteers in daily tasks of meal prep, packaging, service, dish, and clean-up.
• Set up the volunteer production stations at the start of the day and ensure stations are stocked with supplies and products throughout the day.
• Review volunteer sheets and communicate volunteer allocation needs with the Floor Coordinator.
• Ensure the kitchen area and equipment are properly cleaned, organized, and closed for the day.
• As assigned, lead Munch production to include keeping the Munch station stocked with supplies and products; label management and accuracy, product rotation; ensure cold spaces, shelves, and floor production areas are clean and organized. Assist in inventory management.
• Communicate station needs to the Meals Coordinator.
• Evaluate food products to ensure the quality is consistently maintained and take follow-up action accordingly when quality is not maintained.
• Follow proper food handling methods and maintain correct temperature of food.
• Wash dishes as needed to keep the kitchen environment efficient and clean.
• Pull inventory as needed to prepare for the following day’s meal plan.
• Maintain and monitor strict maintenance of personal hygiene, health and safety standards throughout all kitchen areas at all times in compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Ensure volunteers adhere to the standards while providing guidance and correction with patience and respect.
• Conduct vehicle checklists, temperature log, and execute loading plan as assigned to the Munch distribution schedule.
• Drive the distribution delivery vehicle (large transit van or food truck) throughout the neighborhoods delivering meals and/or products while obeying all local, state, and federal traffic laws.
• Distribute mobile meals according to The River’s established policies and procedures within the distribution schedule.
• Unload and clean the vehicle, execute all closing and end of day procedures once delivery is completed.
• Participate in community events as a representative of The River.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• 1+ years of kitchen experience is preferred.
• 1+ years of customer service experience is preferred.
• Experience leading others is preferred.
• A valid driver’s license and 3+ years of driving experience is required.
• Multilingual (English & Spanish) is strongly preferred.
• Commitment and passion for The River’s mission, vision and goals.
• Initiative to continue learning and be solutions focused.
• Ability to communicate information clearly and understandably through interactions with staff, volunteers, and clients.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Ability to operate institutional kitchen utensils and equipment in accordance with food and people safety requirements.
• Ability to maintain good personal hygiene in accordance with food safety regulations.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as a member of a team.
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and manage time effectively.
• Ability to think quickly and make good decisions when problems arise.
• Ability to build good working relationships and foster feelings of mutual respect with staff, volunteers, and clients.
• Ability to keep self and others organized and on task.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and respectful in stressful, and on occasion volatile, situations.
• Ability to accept responsibility for actions, decisions, and adherence to policies and procedures.
• Background and DMV check are required.

In exchange for your talents, we offer $20.00/hour. The River offers a comprehensive benefit package including health, dental, vision, disability insurance, employee assistance plan, Simple IRA with match, paid holidays, and paid time off. We work collaboratively to serve our clients and move towards our vision of a fully nourished community. To join our team, please send a cover letter and resume to [e-mail]. We look forward to hearing from you!

The River Food Pantry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The River is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination and harassment as defined by federal, state, and local law.