Food Service and Nutrition Coordinator - United South End Settlements

UNITED SOUTH END SETTLEMENTS

The mission of United South End Settlements (USES) is to harness the power of our diverse community to disrupt the cycle of poverty for children and their families. USES believes families have the best chance of reaching their potential when they have long-term, holistic support. Our goal is to empower families in the South End and the surrounding areas to stabilize, achieve economic mobility, and become more resilient through access to resources and connections to a diverse social network. We have integrated our programs and implemented new initiatives to support the whole family, providing children and youth with early childhood education, club48 after school programs, and Camp Hale, a summer camp on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. We also support parents and caregivers to identify and pursue goals important to their family through one-on-one coaching and provide job training, placement, and career development. We value diversity in every setting and are committed to building diverse social networks of individuals with various backgrounds, skill sets, and perspectives who share our vision for disrupting the cycle of poverty. To learn more, please visit our website at www.uses.org.

USES Core Values 

• Community: We believe in engaging the entire community as a catalyst in our model of service that helps children, and their families build strong, trusting and mutually beneficial relationships.

• Diversity: We believe that we achieve the greatest positive impact on children and their families when we include people from various backgrounds, skill sets, and perspectives in disrupting the cycle of poverty.

• Opportunity: We believe that all people have potential and deserve access to top quality educational and economic opportunities.

USES Organizational Norms and Behaviors

• Collaboration: Finding ways to Work Together with each other and across our departments and positions 

• Positivity: Having a “Can Do” Attitude even when things are tough or stressful

• Transparency: Having Open Communication by sharing successes, challenges and ideas with each other

• Excellence: Doing the Best We Can all the time with everything we do                                  

Position Title: Food Service and Nutrition Coordinator

What You’ll Do: The Food Service and Nutrition Coordinator is a critical member of the program team, providing critical nutrition support and health/safety measures so that all the children and youth at USES are provided daily breakfast, lunch and snack.  Under the supervision of the Director of Operations, the Food Service and Nutrition Coordinator is responsible for all aspects of the food-service program including the management of kitchen sanitary and safety, food and supply inventory management, nutrition and menu planning, as well as customer service and support to the entire organization.  

USES operates year around including an Early Childhood Education program serving 65 children ages 3 months to 6 years old a complete breakfast, lunch, and snack daily.  Snack is also provided to the 60 out-of-school time youth (club48 serving ages 5-12) during the school year plus breakfast and lunch on any school vacation weeks and the entire summer.  The Food Service and Nutrition Coordinator is the key staff member leading the purchasing, preparation, and delivery of this critical component to our programs. 

• Plan and lead in the preparation of meals and monthly menus which meet the nutritional and developmental needs of the children in USES programs.

1. ECE and club48 meal count and attendance for submission to the Finance Department 

• Maintain inventory and food orders in consultation with the Director, checking incoming orders for appropriate temperature and invoices.

1. Orders infant food separately from regular food orders 

2. Occasional trips to BJ’s and other food stores to purchase fresh foods for the programs 

3. Prepare all paperwork and invoices for food purchases 

• Prepare all meals, snacks, and special food requests as needed by teaching staff and the Director.

• Strictly enforces sanitary standards as required by the City of Boston Health Inspection Department; sustain high standards of kitchen etiquette and organization.

1. Work with Director of Operations to ensure that all the necessary required permits are on file for licensing 

• Maintain documentation for the Bureau of Nutrition and other related compliance entities.

1. Makes placements for each child stating their eating restrictions 

2. Allergy and medication action plan management and follow up with families 

3. Every month update the allergy postings for each classroom 

4. Provide individual bags for all allergies and asthma medication and documentation and make sure they are in the classroom first aid bags

5. Assemble first aid bags with all the necessary supplies for each classroom. Order supplies as needed

6. Maintain record of refrigerators for each classroom 

• Active participant in all staff meeting (4 times a year), and department meetings providing input regarding nutrition and healthy eating in collaboration with the Director and teaching staff.

• Most work requires lifting, pushing, and moving items that weigh up to 50 pounds, cooking preparation and daily cleaning will involve repeated motions and full range of motion to complete tasks.  

• Any other duties as assigned which may regularly include coverage of the front desk reception, classroom breaks coverage, vendor food ordering, etc.

• Maintaining records and documenting meal counts. Entering all information into the CACFP portal.

What We’re Looking For:

• Applicants should possess a culinary school or nutrition education or comparable job experience and interest, 

• Bring maturity and a strong interest in the role to effectively coordinate, manage and organize the kitchen and overall food program, 

• Interest in understanding and creating systems within grant and contract guidelines to ensure compliance,

• Serve Safe certification is required, though USES can assist in obtaining this certification.  Ongoing training will be required for allergen awareness and USDA nutrition guidelines, 

• Functional computer skills and comfort working daily in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Publisher; can operate within a budget and think creatively about purchasing, 

• Sense of urgency and attention to detail; organized with an ability to plan and adjust course as needed, 

• A positive and collaborative approach, an ability to work independently and proactively, but also seek out help and resources across the organization.  

What You’ll Love: 

• Being part of an organization focused on supporting children and families,

• Bringing your passion and experience in nutrition or food service to ensure children have quality and healthy food options,

• Bringing your experiences and interests to our diverse staff and program population, 

• Enhancing our food service to offer a broad variety of healthy food for our youth, 

• Contributing meaningfully where there’s numerous possibilities for growth, and  

• Being part of a team, which is passionate about supporting children from a variety of backgrounds to have a safe and fun place to learn and grow.  

USES is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We believe that tolerance of diversity and inclusion is not sufficient but that we are most effective when we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our services, and our community. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.