We’re Hiring a Food Service Operations Manager!

Mary’s Place provides safe and inclusive shelter and services for women, children and families on their journey out of homelessness. We operate a women’s day center and several 24x7 family centers/shelters in King County. We serve hundreds of families–moms, dads, and children–providing a safe place for them to be inside and together at night, along with food, showers, clothing, and access to housing and employment resources. We believe that no one’s child should sleep outside.

The Food Service Manager provides leadership and actively engages in Mary’s Place racial equity work – striving for equitable outcomes and taking responsibility for creating, maintaining, and affirming communities for people of color, immigrants, and refugees, trans and gender-non-conforming people, and other populations who routinely encounter systemic oppressions.

Position Description

We are seeking a passionate individual with food planning, preparation, and management experience to join our team at Mary’s Place as Food Services Manager. The position overseas all food services operations including, managing multiple kitchens, food sourcing, delivery and pickups, food salvage programs, partnerships and grants. The Food Services Manager reports to the Director of Operations.

This is a full-time, salaried exempt management position with the flexibility to work some weekends, evenings, and holidays to meet the demands of the job. The annual salary is $75K - $78K DOE.

Key Responsibilities

Food Service Program Leadership (35%)

• Execute and maintain an efficient, economical, and nutritious food service program for Mary’s Place Family shelter locations and Women’s Day Center
• Oversee 2 commercial kitchens
• Coordinate with Program Team to provide special meals and food needs related to celebrations, holidays, dietary and religious restrictions, and special events
• Work closely with the Transportation and Logistics Senior Manager to coordinate transportation and fleet needs
• Provide support to the Operations staff as directed
• Support, promote, and adhere to vision, mission, and values of Mary’s Place
• Work with the Facilities Manager to schedule and oversee necessary maintenance and

repairs on kitchen equipment

• Participate effectively as a team member through communication, cooperation, information sharing, and creative problem solving

Food Services Team Leadership (35%)

• Supervision of Food Sourcing Manager and Kitchen Supervisors including weekly one-on-one meetings with each direct report and providing direction, coaching and support
• Communicate effectively with team sharing organizational updates and listening to feedback and input from team
• Manage team performance providing direction and guidance maintain acceptable levels of team and individual performance. Take corrective action to improve performance as appropriate
• Create schedules for kitchen staff to ensure proper staffing levels within the budget
• Manage volunteers and Mary’s Place interns helping in the kitchens
• Ensure Food Services Team effectively orders food, ingredients, and supplies
• Lead by example with regular and predictable attendance
• Participate in staff trainings and programs as required
• Assign trainings to staff and follow up to ensure training completion

Food Program Planning, Preparation and Safety (30%)

• Create weekly menus and execute food services for about 750 family members
• Oversee and maintain program budgets, work with vendors and donors to manage meal costs
• Oversee grant reporting related to food programs
• Ensure that Mary's Place kitchens are compliant with all health and safety regulations
• Manage cleanup and maintenance routines for the kitchens
• Oversee proper documentation of all food related safety regulations and protocols
• Work with the Food Services team to get prepared and donated food ready for distribution to all Mary’s Place locations

Other tasks or duties as assigned

Skills/Qualifications Required

• 3-5 years institutional and restaurant experience, as well as a good working knowledge of institutional food preparation and production standards including sanitation & safety standards
• 2+ years of management experience hiring, training, developing and coaching staff
• High school diploma or GED; plus at least three years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience with delegating tasks and maintaining a fast-paced kitchen
• Working knowledge of all commercial grade kitchen equipment
• Strong communication skills, flexibility, and willingness to shift priorities as needed
• Ability to interact effectively as a team member
• Ability to set appropriate boundaries and maintain professional demeanor in a high-stress environment
• Effective team management skills in providing direction, giving and receiving feedback and improving individual and team performance
• Ability to follow all sanitation procedures
• Food Handler permit required
• Highly motivated, resourceful, flexible and possesses a positive attitude

Physical Requirements

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.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.
• The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, type, and reach with hands and arms; and requires the ability to occasionally push, pull, lift and/or carry supplies up to 50 pounds.
• The employee is required to perform physical and repetitive motions
• Work takes place in a social services environment where long periods of siting, working on a computer, walking to various work areas, going up and down stairs, and standing are required.
• Travel to program sites and meetings outside the office and around the county are necessary.
• Efforts like attention to detail, interacting with others in-person and through email, using critical thinking skills to strategize, develop and implement business plans, create and edit documents, listen and participate verbally at meetings.

In compliance with the ADA Amendment Act, should you have a disability that requires assistance and/or reasonable accommodation with the job application process, please contact the Human Resources department. Qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodation. A qualified person with a disability may request a modification or adjustment to the job or work environment in order to meet the physical requirements of the position. Mary’s Place will attempt to satisfy requests as long as the accommodation needed is reasonable and no undue hardship to Mary’s Place would result.

Mary's Place offers the following benefits to full-time staff:

• Medical and dental insurance with the cost for core employee coverage paid at 100% by the company and competitive family rates
• Basic Life insurance of $50,000 at no cost to employee; option to buy additional coverage
• 403(b) plan with 50% employer match on the first 6% employee contribution. Eligible to participate upon hire; eligible for match after first year of employment
• Unlimited use ORCA pass for a small deduction per pay period
• Starting at 10 days paid time off (PTO) each calendar year
• 10 days of sick time each calendar year
• 10 days of flexible floating holidays each calendar year (accrued 40 hours on Jan. 1 and July 1 and pro-rated during first year)
• Employee Assistance Program

Mary’s Place is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value a diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.