Meals Program Specialist (off-campus, work study required)

University of Wisconsin–Madison; Safford (AZ); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The River Food Pantry, affiliated with the University of Wisconsin–Madison, seeks a Meals Program Specialist to support meals programs, lead volunteers, and ensure safe, efficient operations in a busy kitchen environment.

You will prepare, package, and distribute meals, guide volunteers, and help maintain a clean, organized workspace while upholding food safety standards. Multilingual abilities are a plus and a background check is required.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of kitchen experience is preferred.
• 1+ years of customer service is preferred.
• Experience leading others is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve quality, nutritious meals to community members.
• Assist in meal preparation, packaging, service, and clean-up, with a focus on maintaining a clean workspace and training volunteers in daily tasks.
• Set up prep stations for volunteers.
• Lead volunteers in food preparation and distribution.
• Ride in the distribution delivery vehicle throughout the neighborhood delivering meals and/or products.
• Lead volunteers in on-site grocery distribution.
• Communicate station needs to the Meal Floor Coordinator or Meal Coordinator.
• Evaluate food products to assure that quality is consistently maintained.
• Follow proper food handling methods and maintain correct temperature of food.
• 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.
• Comply with all applicable health and food safety standards and regulations.
• Assist clients by answering questions or providing additional information.
• Participate in community events as a representative of The River.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet organizational and client needs.

Skills

Kitchen experience

Customer service

Leadership

Job description

Job No: 512273
Division/Organization: Community Partners
Department: The River Food Pantry
Job Type: Local Work Study Student Jobs
Remote Eligibility: Not Remote
Location: The River Food Pantry
Salary/Wage Range or Lump Sum: $22.00
Job Categories: Interpersonal Communication, Leadership, Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, Teamwork/Collaboration, Professionalism/Work Ethic, Nonprofit/Community-Based Organization, Local Work-Study Required Student Jobs, Federal Work-Study Preferred

Department Overview

The River is seeking a customer-focused, collaborative, and dependable Meals Program Specialist to join our team. The responsibilities can include supporting our meals programs including Munch and FAM, leading volunteers in meal preparation and distribution, keeping inventory of necessary products, and maintaining a clean and organized work area.

Anticipated Start Date

11/09/2026

Anticipated End Date (If Applicable)

05/31/2027

Remote Work Eligibility Detail

Not Remote

Anticipated Hours Per Week

Minimum: 8 Maximum: 10

Schedule

The position works 8-10 hours per week during the academic year. The individual in this position would work 2 shifts per week Monday-Friday between the hours of 12:00 pm - 5:30 pm.

Salary/Wage Range/Lump Sum

Minimum: $22.00

Number of Positions

1

Qualifications

• 1+ years of kitchen experience is preferred.
• 1+ years of customer service is preferred.
• Experience leading others is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Multilingual is preferred, Spanish and/or Hmong is strongly preferred.
• Commitment and passion for The River's mission, vision and goals.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to use kitchen utensils and equipment.
• Ability to operate institutional kitchen utensils, knives, and equipment.
• Ability to work with a broad group of people.
• Initiative to continue learning and be solutions focused.
• Ability to communicate information clearly and understandably through interactions with staff, volunteers, and clients.
• 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 and clearheaded under stressful situations.
• Background check are required.

Position Summary/Job Duties

• Serve quality, nutritious meals to community members.
• Assist in meal preparation, packaging, service, and clean-up, with a focus on maintaining a clean workspace and training volunteers in daily tasks.
• Set up prep stations for volunteers.
• Lead volunteers in food preparation and distribution.
• Ride in the distribution delivery vehicle throughout the neighborhood delivering meals and/or products.
• Lead volunteers in on-site grocery distribution.
• Communicate station needs to the Meal Floor Coordinator or Meal Coordinator.
• Evaluate food products to assure that quality is consistently maintained.
• Follow proper food handling methods and maintain correct temperature of food.
• 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.
• Comply with all applicable health and food safety standards and regulations.
• Assist clients by answering questions or providing additional information.
• Participate in community events as a representative of The River.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet organizational and client needs.

Physical Demands

Balancing, carrying, climbing, crouching, feeling, grasping, hearing, kneeling, lifting up to 50 pounds, pulling, sitting, standing, stooping, smelling, tasting, talking, walking, and seeing (close, far, color, depth).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

UW-Madison is an Equal Employment, Equal Access Employer committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce.

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background-people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: diversity.wisc.edu

Advertised: November 02, 2026 09:00 AM Central Standard Time
Applications close: December 15, 2026 11:55 PM Central Standard Time