On-Call Elders Cook

Department: Family Services /Elders’ Meal Program

Reports To: Jamie Queen

FLSA/Time Status: Non-Exempt/On Call

Opening Date: July 19, 2024

Closing Date: Open until filled

Summary: Responsible for the overall meal service operations including food preparation, , ordering kitchen supplies and food; responsible for maintaining food and equipment purchases. This employee works with one other Cook to provide a team effort in the purchase and preparation of meals that responds to the nutritional and dietary needs of the tribal elder population. Employee ensures that meals are prepared with adherence to the Tribe’s food handling policies and procedures. This position is on-call and grant funded.

Duties and Responsibilities include the following and other duties as assigned:

• Works cooperatively as a member of a two-person team to provide overall coordination of the Elders Meal Program consistent with AOA Senior Nutrition grant goals and objectives.
• Provides overall planning of three buffet-style meals per week along with a complete salad bar and beverages for approximately 50 guests per meal. This includes two lunches held on Mondays and Wednesdays, and one dinner held on Thursdays. (except holidays); an additional lunch will be provided on Tuesdays, consisting of soup and sandwiches.
• Prepares menu items to ensure nutritious, tasty, and attractive foods are served that include low fat and low sugar options.
• Maintains safety standards, infection control, and food handling procedures per the Tribe’s food handling policies and procedures. Participates in regular kitchen inspections, and corrects any concerns found during inspections.
• Conducts temperature testing of food, beverages, and salad bar items.
• Ensures pre-planned menu is adhered to and is attractively presented, including main entrée, side dishes, salad bar, and beverage items. Ensures salad bar has fresh items that are properly chilled and attractively presented.
• Prepares take-out orders for homebound elders and other elders that cannot attend the congregate meal due to illness or disability. These take-out orders can be picked up by a caregiver or family member, or delivered by the Elders Assistant.
• Informs supervisor or the Director of Family Services in a timely manner of any potential or actual problems that could affect the health or safety of elders or other guests of the meal program.
• Unpacks and stores all food and supplies.
• Ensures kitchen and dining room facilities are exceptionally clean, sanitary, and safe. Provides clean-up following meal service including dishwashing, cleaning tables, and emptying of all garbage containers.
• Operates kitchen in a clean, efficient, and economic manner.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Competencies: To perform the job successfully, this employee should demonstrate the following competencies:

Maintain confidentiality; remains open and respectful to the ideas, views, and needs of elders and staff; shows respect and sensitivity to cultural values and differences; upholds program standards and organizational values of the Family Services Department; uses time efficiently; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments; applies feedback to performance; completes work in a timely manner; observes safety and food handling procedures; adapts to changes in the work environment; works as a team player with other program staff; deals effectively with unexpected change, delays, and/or events; maintains a consistent work schedule and provides advance notice of absences whenever possible; able to work a flexible schedule including some evening hours.

Qualifications: To perform the job successfully, an individual needs to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common factions, and decimals.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Certificate, Licenses, Registrations: Must have and maintain a valid Food Handler’s Permit and First Aid Certificate, or obtain one within 30 days of hire.

Other Qualifications: The successful candidate must be able to pass a criminal and employment background check.

Physical Demands: The physical demands 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 disability to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Special vision requirements for this position are close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less); distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more); color vision (ability to distinguish colors); peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point); depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships); ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally be exposed to warm, wet and/or humid conditions (non-weather and weather), and work near moving mechanical parts or be at risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Drug Free Workplace: The successful candidate will be required to submit to a urinalysis for drug and alcohol screening, in accordance with the Tribe’s Drug Free Workplace Policy.

Indian Preference: Preference will be given to a Squaxin Island tribal member, or other Indian of a federally-recognized tribe.

TO APPLY: Submit. application packets including a resume and cover letter to apply@squaxin.us Contact, Human Resources for more information: 360-432-3865.

Education and/or Experience: AA OR High School Diploma and GED with two years of pertinent work experience. OR four years of relevant experience. Must have experience working in a facility as a cook with, , inventory record keeping experience. Must have experience cooking for and serving large groups of 50 to 100 people. Must be able to maintain confidentiality; address and communicate with elders in a patient and respectful manner.