Food Service Specialist - Fairfax, United States - Fairfax County, VA

Description

Salary : $39, $66,045.62 Annually

Location : FAIRFAX (FJ25), VA

Job Type: FT Hourly W BN

Job Number:

Department: Juv & Domestic Relations Court

Opening Date: 05/04/2024

Closing Date: 5/17/2024 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade: S13

Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

The Food Service Specialist at the juvenile detention center is tasked with leading the daily operations of meal preparation for approximately 500 meals. This involves managing a team of six cooks and ensuring that meals are prepared according to established safety and quality standards. The specialist is pivotal in overseeing the use of various kitchen appliances and ensuring that the dining and kitchen areas are maintained to sanitation standards.

Additionally, the role includes significant planning responsibilities. The Food Service Specialist contributes to the development of menus, ensuring they meet nutritional guidelines and regulatory standards. They manage inventory levels of foodstuffs and kitchen supplies, oversee the procurement process, and handle relationships with vendors. This also involves maintaining kitchen equipment and arranging for repairs as needed.

Record-keeping is another crucial aspect of the role. The specialist maintains records related to meal counts, food inventory, and the tracking of eligible youth for reimbursement through state and federal subsidy programs. They perform quality checks and routinely gather feedback from residents and staff to assess satisfaction levels and identify areas for improvement.

Finally, the Food Service Specialist assists in the supervision and training of kitchen staff, ensuring new hires are well-versed in safety and sanitation protocols, as well as proper food preparation techniques. This comprehensive role requires a keen attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and a dedicated adherence to health and safety regulations.
Illustrative Duties

• Oversees the preparation and serving of food;
  
• Supervises in preparations and serving of food, cleaning the kitchen and dining area, and maintaining appropriate health standards in the kitchen and dining area;
  
• Serves as a guard for trustees working in the kitchen and dining room;
  
• Controls and accounts for all hardware items used in the kitchen and dining areas; Receives stocks and rotates food and beverage deliveries;
  Inventories food and beverage and paper items;
  Monitors equipment and safety products for food and beverage department;
  Performs related work as required;
  
• Develops and updates menus that meet dietary standards and guidelines for U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Education.
  
• Develop alternative menus for resident's who have dietary needs.
  
• Responsible for cleanliness and sanitation of kitchen and dining room in compliance with regulating authorities.
  
• Orders and maintains food and food service supplies within budget guidelines.
  
• Maintains all required documentation including daily meal records, recipes, food guidelines, temperature charts, kitchen equipment inventory, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HAACP) Plan, Wellness Plan, copies of all prepackaged food labels, health/sanitation reports, and purchase food inventories.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Ability to make independent decisions relative to food preparation, food serving, and menu item substitutions;
  
• Ability to supervise trustees.
  
• Knowledge of U.S. Department of Agriculture lunch program guidelines.
  
• Knowledge of Department of Education lunch program guidelines.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Any combination of education, experience and training equivalent to graduation from high school or G.E.D. issued by a state department of education, plus two years of experience in cooking and/or planning meals, in a small to medium kitchen operation, specifically in food preparation.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid Driver's License (Required at the time of application)

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position is considered "essential personnel" and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
• The appointee to the position will be required to complete the following to the satisfaction of the employer:
• Criminal Background Investigation
• Child Protective Services Registry Check
• Driving Record Check
• Pre-employment Medical Evaluation
• Tuberculosis Test

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in Kitchen Management: Minimum two years of experience providing oversight in a commercial kitchen setting.
• Menu Development: Proven ability in placing food orders and crafting menus tailored to accommodate a variety of food allergies.
• Vendor Relations and Inventory Management: Experience in ordering foodstuffs from multiple vendors, adept at receiving and inventorying deliveries efficiently.
• Scheduling and Record Keeping: Familiarity with creating effective schedules and maintaining accurate records.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficient in Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel, for managing kitchen and administrative tasks.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Duties require the ability to lift weight up to 50 pounds; Stand for long periods of time; Visual and auditory acuity.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home () and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact for assistance. TTY EEO/AA/TTY.

#LI-AL1
Requisition

Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees' Child Care Center
• Commuter Benefit Program
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:

For additional details please visit the

Non-Merit Positions

1. Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.
   • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
   • Flexible Spending Program
   • Deferred Compensation
2. Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
   • No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

03

Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

04

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working in cooking and/or planning meals, in a small to medium kitchen operation, specifically in food preparation?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three or more years

05

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have providing oversight in a commercial kitchen setting?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three or more years

06

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have in placing food orders and crafting menus tailored to accommodate a variety of food allergies?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three or more years

07

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have in ordering foodstuffs from multiple vendors, including receiving and inventorying deliveries?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three or more years

08

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have creating effective schedules and maintaining accurate records?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three or more years

09

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working inside a secure facility?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three or more years

10

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have using Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel, for managing kitchen and administrative tasks?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three or more years

11

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating a worksheet; performing calculations in a worksheet; modifying and formatting a worksheet; printing workbook contents)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of inserting and modifying graphic objects in a worksheet; customizing and enhancing workbooks; analyzing data using Pivot Tables, Slicers, and Pivot Charts)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of increasing productivity and improving efficiency by streamlining workflow; collaborating with others using workbooks; auditing worksheets; analyzing data; working with multiple workbooks; importing and exporting data, using Excel with the web)
• No experience

12

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Outlook.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of identifying the components of the Outlook environment; composing email messages; sending and receiving email messages; organizing email messages into folders; managing contacts; scheduling appointments; scheduling meetings, managing tasks, notes and journal entries)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of customizing message settings; organizing and locating Outlook messages; setting calendar options; tracking activities using the Journal; assigning and tracking tasks; sharing folder information; customizing the Outlook environment)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of almost all functions of program including personalizing your email; organizing Outlook items; managing data files; managing contacts and contact information; saving and archiving email; creating a custom Outlook form; working offline and remotely)
• No experience

13

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Word.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating, editing, formatting, and saving simple documents; inserting simple tables; and proofreading documents for accuracy)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of common commands such as creating a title; using, modifying, and creating styles; setting up the ruler; indenting paragraphs, using tabs and tables; inserting captions, footnotes, endnotes, special characters, or hard page breaks; using page numbering; creating headers and footers; inserting graphics; inserting an equation, adding comments and tracking changes.)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of almost all function of program including mail merge, macros, creating a table of contents, creating bookmarks and cross-referencing.)
• No experience

14

Which of these appliances do you have experience using? (Check all that apply)

• Dishwasher
• Deep fryers
• Meat slicers
• Steamers
• Ovens
• Broilers
• Refrigerators
• None of the above

15

The physical requirements of this position include the ability to lift up to 50 pounds with or without reasonable accommodations. How much weight are you able to lift and carry with assistance of a dolly, lift or staff?

• None
• Up to 10 pounds
• Up to 20 pounds
• Up to 30 pounds
• Up to 40 pounds
• Up to 50 pounds

16

This position is considered Emergency Service Personnel and is essential for the continuity of operations. It may require working nights, weekends, holidays, and during inclement weather and/or emergencies. Are you willing and able to meet these requirements?

• Yes
• No

Required Question