Corrections Food Service Coordinator (Salem) Permanent, Temporary and/or Job Rotation opportunity

About the role

The Corrections Food Service Coordinator coordinates, instructs, and directs Adults in Custody (AIC) in the production and serving of meals and participates in the preparation of large volume cooking in a corrections institution setting. Temporary assignments are estimated to last 6 months, with the possibility of an extension. A permanent position is also available.

Responsibilities

Adults in Custody Work Crews

• Coordinates the workflow and assigns work to AIC workers
• Directs AIC crews to ensure job-related rules, policies, procedures, and security guidelines are enforced and discipline and order maintained
• Instructs and trains AICs on work techniques and procedures in safe, sanitary, and efficient operations of food preparation and service
• Evaluates work performance of AICs for training and assignment purposes
• May interview and recommend crews
• Conducts searches of AICs and area to ensure absence of contraband
• Checks and signs AIC time cards
• Monitors area for cleanliness, sanitation, and order
• Directs the work crew in cleaning

Food Preparation/Service

• Directs, instructs, and coordinates AIC work crews who prepare food according to predetermined menus
• Gathers and combines ingredients required by standardized recipes
• Washes, slices, chops, grates, stirs, kneads, measures, mixes, and weighs food products
• Cooks food by boiling, grilling, steaming, deep frying, roasting, or baking
• Cooks various foods such as meats, casseroles, vegetables, starches, soups, salads, sandwiches, quick breads, dressings, sauces, and gravies
• Prepares desserts such as cobbler, cakes, custard, and gelatin
• Uses commercial cooking equipment such as grills, steam-jacket kettle, slicers, mixers, and choppers
• Serves food on food lines according to established food portion control
• May prepare food for distribution to institutional wards or food service tray lines
• May bake items such as bread, donuts, cookies, and other pastries
• May cut meats
• Adjusts recipes for larger quantities and recipe changes to control food waste
• Suggests menu changes when necessary to obtain a better quality product
• Plans cooking schedules to have food ready at serving time but not too far in advance
• May monitor the preparation of special and/or therapeutic diets such as low sodium or religious diets
• May participate in the preparation of food

Sanitation

• Directs and coordinates AIC work crews who put food away in designated storage
• Cleans stoves, grills, and countertops and keeps work area in sanitary condition at all times
• Controls dishwasher temperatures
• Rotates supplies in cooler and freezer to assure health standards are maintained

Requisition Supplies

• Conducts daily inventory of products and supplies for cooking operations
• Requests needed products and supplies from supervisor
• Checks supplies or food products at delivery to be sure they meet the type, quantity, and quality specified by purchase order
• Some employees may assist supervisor in ordering food items from vendors
• Directs AICs in the unloading and storage of food products and supplies

Records

• Keeps records of the amount of food prepared, served, or distributed (on cart slips), and amount left over
• Counts and records equipment, such as knives and chopping blades, and food items for inventory
• Records AICs work time

Requirements

• A High school diploma, GED certificate, or other proof of education completion at same or higher level AND one (1) year of experience in a commercial food service facility, full-service restaurant, or other food preparing type establishment
• OR an associate's degree in Food Service Management, Foods and Hospitality Service, or a directly-related field
• Must obtain a Food Handlers Permit within 30 days of hire

Requested Skills

• Team/Crew management of up to 30 or more individuals
• Experience managing, supervising, and/or leading a kitchen (restaurant, school cafeteria, military dining, government, or private food establishment, etc.)
• Demonstrated experience cooking a variety of foods (i.e., vegetables, desserts, breads (yeast and quick types), main entrees, etc.)
• Knowledge of progressive cooking to minimize food waste of cook-to-serve foods
• Knowledge of food temperature safety zones
• Knowledge to instruct work crews in proper procedures for maintaining a high degree of sanitation in the work area
• Maintaining order while keeping positive work environment
• Ability to follow all security operational procedures
• ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certificate
• Basic computer skills

Current State employees applying for the job rotation are required to attach their supervisor’s authorization.

Working Conditions

• Works inside a secure adult correctional facility
• Inherent custodial duties include the responsibility for personally handling incidents in the employee’s immediate work area
• Responsible to prevent escapes from confinement by proper control of keys, tools, and contraband and documenting unusual incidents as they occur
• High noise level at all times, extreme variations in temperatures
• Stands and walks for long periods of time on concrete floors
• Required to bend for searches
• Deals with wet and slippery floors and with Adults in Custody daily
• Possible encounters with abusive AIC that pose the risk of injury
• Subject to call back in the event of an emergency at which time they would be placed in any post in the institution
• During a “work stoppage”, required to fill any post assigned in the institution

Requirements For Employment

• The successful candidate must pass a Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) fingerprint-based background check and maintain CJIS eligibility
• Due to CJIS requirements related to system access, there may be some felony convictions that could disqualify the candidate