Food Service Lead

As a food service lead, you are responsible for preparing and/or building food items while providing exceptional customer service and adhering to food safety, food handling, and sanitation procedures. You make the Deli experience interactive and engaging by enthusiastically sharing your knowledge about our products. You serve as a mentor and team leader to other staff members and coordinate one or more specialized food service work activities including catering, menu design, food ordering, research and development.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead team of peers to consistently execute exemplary customer service in-person at the Deli and at all locations throughout the library. Proactively greet and establish rapport with patrons, enthusiastically engaging them in conversations about all of our products and services. Answer directional and general questions about library programs and services.

De-escalate any negative situations and resolve customer questions and concerns by blending creativity, problem solving, and decision making to positively impact the customer experience. Relay relevant information to supervisor.

Ask open ended questions to assess, understand, and ascertain the customer needs, determine how to tailor your approach, and provide recommendations using your institutional knowledge to connect our customer with the right solution.

Accurately conduct financial transactions in cash, check, or credit/debit card, and using an online point-of- sale system.

Prepare and serve all food and products in accordance with the Deli's recipes, portioning, cooking, and serving standards as well as health code. Ensure exceptional product quality standards.

Collaborate with supervisor on departmental projects to ensure the smooth operation of the department. Conduct special projects as assigned. Desire to be a part of change and development of new systems in catering and deli operations.

Unload, receive, and appropriately store deliveries of Deli products and supplies and place in designated areas as assigned.

Utilize approved food recipes and production standards to ensure proper quality, serving temperatures, and standard portion control.

Store food in designated areas following wrapping, dating, food safety, and rotation procedures.

Carry trays, containers, etc. of food to and from workstations, stove, and refrigerator in accordance with safety standards.

Complete cleaning tasks, to include but not limited, to clean and sanitize equipment and work areas, keep floor areas clean, wash dishes, recycle boxes, and dispose of trash as assigned. Place food waste in appropriate receptacle for disposal or recycle. Assure compliance with all sanitation and safety requirements.

Recognize and adhere to all sanitation, safety, security policies, and procedures to provide a safe environment for all.

Demonstrate knowledge of safety equipment and procedures. Carry out job responsibilities in a manner that minimizes the risk of injury to yourself, other staff, vendors, customers, and the Library. Maintain all equipment in like new condition.

Display excellent time management skills, attention to detail, problem solving skills, strong organizational skills and the ability to work proactively to balance multiple tasks and prioritize work. Complete work at an appropriate pace with a sense of urgency. Seek out areas that require cleaning and take initiative to complete task.

Assist with library services, programs, and outreach opportunities as needed.

Help orient new staff, ensuring a smooth acclimation to the library and our culture. Train new staff members as assigned. Seek out ways to train, develop, and coach food service staff in the moment to enhance their job performance and skills. Communicate procedural changes and serve as a mentor to assigned peer group. Supervise, train, develop, and coach food service volunteers on special projects as needed. Report training issues to Food Service Manager.

Pursue professional development to keep informed of current and emerging library trends, particularly related to food service and safety. Provide assistance and coaching to colleagues. Maintain professional and technical knowledge through attendance of educational workshops, review of professional publications, etc.

Model and support library brand at all times. Represent your department on various library committees as assigned.

Protect library assets and ensure building security by monitoring security gates, adhering to library policies, and following appropriate closing procedure. Carry out emergency procedures.

Provide support to Food Service Manager solving minor issues and problems.

Report to work punctually, dressed in approved uniform, and fully prepared for each scheduled shift.

Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

Present new ideas constructively and frequently to supervisor to enhance the department and its vision.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Mental alertness and adaptability to office and field area work routines. Equivalent to four years high school or GED, plus 3 years of related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Formal training in food service industry.
2. Intermediate language skills including the ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals.
3. Must have ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing. Ability to read and understand simple instructions, simple correspondence, notes, letters and memos.
4. Basic mathematical skills including the ability to add and subtract, and to measure weights and volumes such as fluid ounces, gallons, and pounds.
5. Basic reasoning skills including the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions, ability to plan and prioritize short-term and long-term tasks, and ability to problem solve. Planning and assist Food Service Manager.
6. Basic computer skills including the ability to send and receive e-mail, give reports and up-dates via e-mail, and proficiency in basic computer applications and POS systems.
7. Must be able to obtain food safety certification.
8. Must be able to handle/interact with all food and chemicals used (i.e. disinfectant, sanitizer, etc.).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Fundamental understanding and experience with kitchen routines and standards, including knife and technical cooking skills.
• Mental alertness and adaptability to office and field area work routines.
• Basic food ordering
• Inventory management
• Handling alcohol and sales

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Valid Driver's License

PREFERRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Food Safety Certification

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; regularly required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk or hear; and frequently required to taste or smell; occasionally required to sit. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds; continuously lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and color vision.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All library positions require customer-focused service to both internal and external customers, flexibility, teamwork, punctual and regular attendance, and compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Other Skills and Abilities:

Ability to work a flexible schedule as assigned that includes evenings, weekends, and holiday shifts is required. Ability to write routine reports, correspondence, read and understand simple instructions, short correspondence, memos, notes, and letters.

Ability to understand and carry out written, oral, or diagrammed instructions, deal with problems involving several known variables in situations of a routine nature.

Ability to work both independently and confidently in the absence of Food Service Manager and as an effective and valued team member in, referring any questionable cases to supervisor.

Strong organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills. Ability to learn and carry out emergency procedures.

Multilingual skills a plus.

Work Environment:

Ability to consistently tolerate working in a kitchen, catering events, deli, food service environment and ability to function well with the noise level typically associated with food service, customer service environment. Must be able to occasionally tolerate some loud noise from large equipment such as dishwashers, walk-in coolers, vents, hoods, etc.