Job Opportunities

Job Description for Circle of Hope Kitchen Coordinator

5-10 hours per week

($15/hour)

Position Summary

• Primary Duties are meal planning, coordination, and preparation.

• Responsible for providing a weekly Tuesday evening dinner for approximately 60-80 persons

• Prepare a nutritious meal, manage food inventory and purchasing, adapt for dietary needs and budget, work well overseeing a small team of volunteers and ensure food safety and compliance.

• Engagement with local businesses and organizations to coordinate meal donations and guest service

• Communicate consistently and effectively with volunteers and staff

Community Engagement

Kitchen Coordinator should work to build relationships within Harvey County to promote Peace Connections to individuals, businesses, and organizations for awareness, financial support, and volunteer recruitment. This engagement ensures sustainability and effectively utilizes community resources.

Supervision / Reporting

The Kitchen Coordinator will engage and monitor volunteers during meal preparation and service times. Kitchen Coordinator will report directly to the Program Coordinator any concerns or requests. Additionally, the Kitchen Coordinator will follow and support reporting guidelines for all volunteers.

Duties & Skills

Oversight of a small group of volunteers

Coordinate and prepare for communal meals

Manage kitchen activities, including Food Safety Protocol

Manage food inventory and purchasing

Flexible thinking and versatility

Occasional speaking engagements, and solicitation of donations

Key Qualities

• Experience working with underserved and diverse populations in community settings

• Experience in a kitchen, menu planning, food preparation

• Experience in recruiting and training volunteers is highly valued

• Collaborative, bridge builder

• Availability to work Tuesday evenings. Hours for preparation and purchasing can be flexible

• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence

• Effectively manage time, able to work independently, as well as alongside staff and community partners

• Ability to manage difficult or emotional situations without escalation, respond promptly to needs; apply problem-solving skills and effective communication; solicit feedback to improve services, respond to requests for service and assistance; meet commitments and deadlines.

• Driver’s license required. Must have reliable transportation. Must be able to pass a background check.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, climb, stoop, kneel, or crouch (or be adaptively mobile). The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Checklist of Duties for Circle of Hope Kitchen Coordinator:

• Count plates to 100 before serving, gather utensils, napkins, and bowls if needed

• Fill plastic cups with water or tea

• Repack totes after meal and take inventory of status of supplies; make list of supplies needing replenishment.

• Discuss the following week’s menu with Program Coordinator and check for needed supplies

• Count donations in money jar and record in notebook

• Make sure items are marked for Circle of Hope and dated before putting in the lower right corner of refrigerator, and check items in refrigerator for expiration dates and throw out if outdated

• Gather all used/dirty towels, dishcloths and aprons and take them to launder. Return clean laundry back to church in a prompt and timely manner

• If scheduling a food prep time to use the kitchen outside of Tuesday, check with the church secretary to ensure availability

• Report any equipment that needs repairs or refills (such as paper towel dispenser)

• Discourage any ‘unauthorized’ individuals from being in the kitchen. Staff and volunteers who have been given permission to help should be the only ones in the kitchen. Do not allow children in the kitchen, especially if they are unsupervised

Things to Check in the Kitchen at End of Evening:

• Wipe off all countertops and stove-tops

• Make sure metal storage cabinet is locked and key is put away

• Pull vertical sliding ‘door’ over serving counter down and lock on both sides

• Check garbage disposal to make sure its empty and wipe down rim and edges with dry towel

• Make sure all faucets are turned off and not dripping

• Double-check to be sure burners on stove are turned off, as well as all four ovens

• Ensure cover is properly closed on ice machine and scoop(s) are in the proper container

• Sweep the floor

• Wipe off fronts of any cabinet doors if something has been spilled or dripped on them.

• Ensure all items are returned to totes/storage area and placed on proper storage racks

• Dump the liquid from the gray tub in Fellowship Hall, wash and return.

• Check to make sure trash has been dumped and there is no food in trash containers

• Lock all three kitchen doors and turn off lights (including the light in the bathroom)