Kitchen Manager

Duties & Responsibilities

We are seeking a passionate and dedicated Preschool Kitchen Manager to join our early childhood education team. In this role, you will be responsible for preparing nutritious, appealing, and age-appropriate meals for young children in our preschool program. Your culinary expertise will help foster healthy eating habits and ensure a safe, clean, and welcoming dining environment. This position offers an exciting opportunity to combine culinary skills with a commitment to nurturing young minds and bodies.

This position is fundamental within our daily business operations as the Kitchen Manager is relied upon daily to be timely, flexible, prepared, and organized in all kitchen operations.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
• Prepare menus on a monthly basis following USDA guidelines and prepare and submit food order lists from our vendor, Performance Foods.
• Prepare and distribute daily meals to the center’s enrolled children, 80+ students across 6 classrooms.
• Submit food order tickets to the office after receiving and checking orders.
• Address special needs of various diets of students.
• Clean and organize the kitchen daily to include: dispose of trash, wash dishes and utensils according to required standards, store dishes in proper places.
• Ensure that health and safety first priority and that food items for special diets are clearly identified.
• Report to administrators regularly on innovative meal planning suggestions and menu completion.
• Direct activities of kitchen assistant in meal preparation, cleaning and laundry duties and other duties assigned.
• Skill in planning nutritious menus and completing food orders.
• Experience with preparing meals for various dietary needs.
• Experience with VDH, USDA Food standards (including age-appropriate portions, choking hazards, healthy meal components).
• Current ServSafe Food Manager certification.
• Excellent time management skills and positive attitude for a school environment.
• Ability to prepare and distribute nutritious meals timely to meet program requirements.
• Ability to gather data, compile information and prepare reports.
• Ability to safely use cleaning equipment and supplies.
• Organizing and coordinating skills, responsiveness via email.
• Able to accept receipt of goods and supplies.
• Knowledge of supplies, equipment, and/or services ordering and inventory control.

Preferred Qualifications

• Early childcare experience.
• Pediatric First Aid and CPR Certifications.
• Proficiency in Google Suites, Zoom, Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of VDOE Child Day Center Licensing nutrition standard.

Benefits

• All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.
• FLSA Exemption Status: Non-exempt
• Hrs per Week: 40
• Restricted Position: No
• ORP Eligible: No
• Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite
• University Job Title: Kitchen Manager

Contact Information

Contact Name: Tessa NeSmith
Contact Email: nesmithtr@vcu.edu