Senior Center Kitchen Staff

Andersoncountytn; Clinton (TN); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

Anderson County Government is seeking a part-time Senior Center meal assistant to support ETHRA's meal delivery program. This role serves meals to seniors, assists with trays, and helps ensure food safety and accurate meal counts in a busy kitchen setting.

The successful candidate will have a High School Diploma, prior food handling experience, and strong communication with seniors. 20 hours per week, occasional weekends, and background checks are required.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Experience handling food preferred.
• Strong communication with seniors and empathy required.

Responsibilities

• Accepts and accounts for the delivery of individual lunches.
• Works with the director to determine next week's lunches.
• Monitors kitchen temperatures and logs.
• Maintains daily logs of those served.
• Determines daily meal choices and serves seniors.
• Follows food safety guidelines and sanitizes areas.
• Prepares trays and places meals, drinks, breads, and desserts on trays.
• Cleans trays and kitchen areas.
• Reports kitchen anomalies and maintains pantry areas.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written comms

Empathy and patience

Organized

Confidentiality

Can work 20 hours/week

Background check clearance

Education

High School Diploma

Job description

Anderson County is a great place to live, work, and explore. From the historic community of Clinton to the innovation legacy of Oak Ridge -famously known as "The Secret City" from its Manhattan Project roots-our county blends small-town warmth with big scientific impact. We're home to scenic treasures like Norris Lake, the Clinch River, Melton Hill Lake, and miles of rolling hills and wooded trails perfect for hiking, biking, paddling, and fishing. Nearby Norris Dam State Park and the off-road adventure terrain at Windrock Park add even more ways to get outside. You'll also find a growing mix of local eats, family-friendly spots, festivals, and craft brews across our communities, making Anderson County a welcoming place to put down roots and enjoy East Tennessee life.

Anderson County Government is committed to being a top employer in the region and a great place to build a career. We're proud to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package that includes generous paid sick and vacation leave, 14 paid holidays, medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible spending accounts, employer-paid basic life insurance, supplemental insurance options, and a variety of wellness programs and resources to support our employees' overall well-being.

Purpose and Essential Functions:

This is a position that is specialized and specific to ETHRA (East Tennessee Human Resources Agency) meal delivery and serving. This is an essential position within the department which was previously funded by SCSEP (Title V) funding. Congregate lunches are served at the Senior Center 5 days a week. ETHRA delivers frozen meals and the Senior Center prepares, heats, and serves the seniors. The Senior Center is listed as a senior congregate lunch location in Anderson County for any Anderson County senior aged 60 and over. It is a crucial function for Anderson County seniors to combat hunger and is a nutritional meal that is pre-measured specifically to meet a senior's needs. This function plays a significant role in supporting grant requirements.

Job Responsibilities:

• Accepts and accounts for the delivery of individual lunches
• Works with the director to determine the next week's lunches based upon Senior Center activity; obtains weekly
• Monitors the commercial freezer and refrigerator temperatures; maintains daily logs
• Maintains daily logs of those served
• Determines daily meal choices
• Follows food safety guidelines
• Takes temperature of meals and logs results
• Prepares the trays and places all meals, drinks, breads, desserts, etc. on trays
• Serves each senior individually
• Makes popcorn
• Cleans trays, collects garbage, sweeps kitchen
• Sanitizes cafeteria tables and kitchen
• Prepares additional meals via microwave if estimated meal count is short due to walk-ins
• Works the commercial warmer
• Ensures that the gas stove burners are lit at all times
• Reports any kitchen anomalies (examples are: reduced temperatures of freezer storage, spoiled food, etc.)
• Maintains pantry area and all cabinets that house kitchen paraphernalia

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma
• Prior food handling experience

Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be a person who genuinely likes to talk to seniors and understands the unique needs of this population.
• Must be able to converse with the senior clients in a pleasant and caring manner while exhibiting empathy, patience, and compassion.
• Must be able to ask questions of the clients to ensure that clients' needs are met.
• Must be able to work within a goal-oriented environment.
• Must be able to work 20 hours a week.
• Required to be organized in daily work functions and activities.
• Assumes responsibility for workspace and quality of work.
• Must be able to keep confidential all conversations that take place between the client

Other Requirements:

• Ability to pass a background check. Ability to pass the Anderson County Schools cafeteria Food Safety courses for:
  • Foodborne Illnesses
  • Food Safety and Kitchen Sanitation – Updated
  • Food Service Equipment Safe Use
  • Food Service Equipment: Sanitation – Updated

Working Conditions

Work is performed within a commercial kitchen environment and cafeteria.

Anderson County Government is an equal opportunity employer. Is it the policy of Anderson County to provide EEO to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, statues with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.