Position Summary

Do you have a food service background working at a restaurant, cafeteria, kitchen, or similar environment? Are you interested in expanding your experience to a food service setting within a Head Start center, where you and your colleagues are making a difference in the lives of children and families? This is an exciting opportunity to continue your food service career in an early learning setting while counting on a stable workplace with excellent health/retirement benefits and a generous paid time off package.

Skagit/Islands Head Start is accepting applications for multiple Food Service Worker positions located at the centers in Mount Vernon, Sedro Woolley, and Oak Harbor, Washington. Head Start promotes the school readiness of young children from low-income families by providing comprehensive services in early learning, health, and family well-being. The Food Service Worker position purchases food and prepares meals, maintains meal records, and cleans and sanitizes dishes, utensils, and food preparation equipment and service areas. Additionally, this position will clean and sanitize restrooms, perform general cleaning tasks for the Center such as dusting and trash removal, provide clean-up of activities in classroom areas, and assist with the supervision of Head Start students. Food Service Worker positions work under direct supervision and report to the Center Manager.

These are classified, grant-funded, 10 to 11-month full-time positions, working 40 hours per week. These positions are eligible for excellent employer-sponsored benefits. The incumbents will usually work on a 10-month cyclic to 11-month schedule. Cyclic positions (those less than 12 months) will be on leave without pay during non-working periods (employer-sponsored benefits will remain in effect). The exact schedule is provided annually. These positions are grant-funded dependent upon continued funding. Applications submitted may be considered for future vacancies that occur.

The current vacancy is located at sites in Sedro Woolley and San Juan.

Nestled between the Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound in the northwest corner of Washington State, Skagit Valley College is located 60 miles north of Seattle and 80 miles south of Vancouver, BC. SVC was established in 1926 in Mount Vernon. Operating as one college with several campuses and centers, SVC serves Skagit, Island, and San Juan Counties with campuses in Mount Vernon and Oak Harbor, centers in Friday Harbor and Langley, and a Marine Manufacturing and Technology Center in Anacortes.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Review and follow a cycle menu, assuring appropriate USDA elements and adequate food portions are available for the number of and age of the children enrolled;
• Purchase food required for the Center's menu as necessary;
• Prepare food for breakfast, and/or snacks, and prepare and/or serve lunches at the Center;
• Support classroom staff in ensuring appropriate serving sizes are offered, including identifying correct serving utensils;
• Maintain required records of food purchases and preparation as requested by Health Content Lead.
• Follow appropriate food handling practices, using disposable gloves, keeping foods at the proper temperature, and recording food temperatures as required;
• Keep accurate records of daily attendance and USDA-eligible meals served;
• Clean up after breakfast and lunch, utilizing proper dishwashing methods to assure sanitization of dishes and food service equipment;
• Sanitize tables where children eat, the food preparation area, and any food transportation equipment used;
• Dispose of food waste using an appropriate container;
• Clean up after breakfast, lunch, and snack, utilizing proper dishwashing methods to assure sanitization of dishes and food service equipment. Sanitizes tables where children eat, the food preparation area, and any food transportation equipment used. Disposes of food waste using an appropriate method;
• Maintain awareness of children's special dietary needs, assuring substitutions are provided as appropriate;
• May assist in children's self-help skills;
• May assist children in modeling family-style eating routines;
• Clean and sanitizes classrooms including cleaning and disinfecting tables, and counters, sweeping, mopping, and or vacuuming floors, and cleaning and sanitizing restrooms;
• Empty garbage, trash, and recycling containers;
• Perform periodic cleaning of cupboards, high and low dusting, cleaning inside windows, and other general Center cleaning tasks assigned;
• May wash, dry, fold, and put away laundered items;
• May assist staff with clean-up activities from the classroom;
• May assist in the supervision of children upon arrival/departure, on the playground, and in the classroom and/or bathrooms;
• May wash, dry, fold, and put away laundered items;
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with Head Start policies and procedures;
• Participate in training as hours will allow;
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge and/or understanding of:

• Kitchens and dining routines involved in preparing and serving food; Operation of standard kitchen appliances and equipment;
• Foodservice cleanliness and sanitary conditions;
• Personal hygiene;
• Housekeeping practices and custodial cleaning techniques;
• The safe use of cleaning chemicals

Ability to:

• Perform clean-up in a variety of environments that may include, and around blood, vomit, body fluids, and excretions;
• Twist, climb, bend, kneel, squat, stand, walk, sit, lift, and carry;
• Identify, access, and apply appropriate policies, regulations, and procedures; Effectively read, understand and interpret information and ideas;
• Communicate orally and in writing with a variety of people in a friendly, knowledgeable, and professional manner;
• Earn the trust, respect, and confidence of staff, children, families, and community partners by consistent honesty, forthrightness, and professionalism in all interactions;
• Adapt to changing needs, processes, working conditions, and duties;
• Plan and manage time effectively in order to meet deadlines;
• Maintain confidentiality of information;
• Work effectively as a member of a team;
• Understand and follow applicable laws, regulations and other standards to establish and or maintain a safe work environment;
• Actively contribute to a work environment that embraces diversity and uses diverse perspectives to enhance the attainment of organizational goals;
• Recognize the value of cultural, ethnic, gender, and other individual differences in people and create an environment of valuing, encouraging, and supporting differences;
• Effectively communicate information for the purpose of having others learn, understand and apply specific principles, techniques, or information using language that is appropriate to both the complexity of the topic and the knowledge and understanding of the audience.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• 
  High School completion, GED, or equivalent;
• One (1) year of food service experience or equivalent education and experience;
• Possession of or eligibility to obtain a food handler's permit.

Desired Qualifications:

• Two (2) or more years of experience in food service.
• Experience in an early learning setting.

Salary, Benefits, Conditions of Employment, Application Procedure

Salary and Benefits:

• Salary is based on Range 32, Step C, $2,827 per month with periodic increments to $3,480 per month. Starting salary may be dependent on education, qualifications, and experience. Salary and benefits are subject to change in accordance with legislative mandates and collective bargaining agreements.
• This position is eligible for overtime pay in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and is dependent upon continued grant funding.
• This is a union-represented position subject to a collective bargaining agreement.
• Retirement, medical and insurance benefits are provided in accordance with state regulations. Additional information on benefits can be found at https://fortress.wa.gov/hca/pebbhealthplan/compare.aspx.

Conditions of Employment:

• Prior to employment, the candidate must pass a criminal background check;
• If hired you will be required to provide proof that you are either 1) a U.S. citizen or 2) an immigrant whose status permits you to lawfully work in this country.
• A criminal history background clearance with the Department of Children, Youth and Family;
• Within 30 days of hire, have or obtain the following:
  • an initial health examination indicating freedom from communicable diseases;
  • proof of a Tuberculosis (TB) test taken within 12 months prior to the initial employment date;
  • proof of immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination OR proof of immunity from measles;
  • CPR/First Aid card;
  • a current Food Handlers permit;
• Meet all federally mandated requirements related to Head Start including but not limited to continuing education requirements and all Washington State laws and College policies related to Head Start and SVC employment;
• Have or ability to obtain, a Washington State driver's license and proof of auto insurance.
• Per Proclamation 21-14, employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than October 18, 2021. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 Vaccination as part of the hiring process. An exemption may be granted for religious or medical purposes, subject to approval based on the essential functions required of the position.

Application Procedure:
To be considered for this position, applicants must:

• Meet the minimum qualifications and;
• Submit a complete application to the online recruitment system at www.skagit.edu that includes the following:

• The online application, which includes answers to all supplemental questions and contact information for at least three (3) professional references;
• A current resume; (Attachment: Resume).

In order to be considered for the position, you must complete the online application in full and attach the required supplemental documents. Failure to provide this information may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Application Deadline: Priority screening will begin after October 17, 2021. Applications received on or before this date will receive first consideration. Applications received after the screening date may be considered until the position is filled.

Please be aware that the College hiring authorities reserve the right to hire one or more candidates and may exercise the option to make a hiring decision prior to the conclusion of the recruitment process. Only candidates selected to interview will be contacted.

Application Assistance: If you have questions about the position or require special accommodation, you may contact Human Resources at (360) 416-7794, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time. SVC complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants with disabilities who require assistance with the recruitment process may leave a TDD/TTY message at (360) 416-7718 by the application closing date.

For questions regarding the online application system, you may call NEOGOV Applicant Tech Support at (855) 524-5627 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time. For best results, apply using one of the following browsers supported by NEOGOV: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and later versions of Internet Explorer.

SVC Annual Security Report: The U.S. Department of Education and the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act require all colleges to provide information to current and prospective students and employees about campus safety policies, procedures, and statistics on certain crimes, including hate crimes, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual assault. We are required to report our campus security information and statistics in an Annual Security Report, which is updated annually each October. All prospective employees may obtain a copy of the Annual Security Report from the Human Resources Office by calling (360) 416-7794 or by accessing the Report at: https://www.skagit.edu/about/safety-security-parking/

Skagit Valley College is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all groups in terms and conditions of employment and personnel practices. SVC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal. All faculty and staff hired at Skagit Valley College are encouraged to embrace, continually support, and enhance diversity and equity on our campus and in our community.