Kitchen Operations Supervisor

Job Description

Job Description

JOB TITLE:

Kitchen Operations Supervisor

REPORTS TO:

Chief Program Officer

CLASSIFICATION/FLSA STATUS:

Exempt

DATE REVISED:

June 2026

POSITION TYPE

30-hours

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Kitchen Operations Supervisor plays a vital role in creating a welcoming environment for shelter residents by providing nutritious meals and leading daily kitchen operations. This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of survivors and their families while working in a mission-driven organization. This is a 30-hour-per-week salaried position with benefits. Scheduling offers flexibility, though onsite work is required.

Salary: $34,226.00

JOB SUMMARY:

The Kitchen Supervisor provides leadership for the daily operations of New Life Center's 110-bed emergency shelter kitchen, ensuring the delivery of safe, nutritious, and high-quality meals in a welcoming and trauma-informed environment. This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for meal preparation and service, while also overseeing kitchen operations, inventory management, staff and volunteer training, scheduling, and compliance with food safety and regulatory requirements.

New Life Center maintains an approved menu in accordance with the Arizona Department of Education Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The Kitchen Supervisor is responsible for adhering to all CACFP requirements, including meal preparation, documentation, and training, while ensuring compliance with guidelines established by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and other applicable regulations. The Kitchen Supervisor must maintain a current ServSafe Manager certification and promote a culture of safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement within the kitchen program.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervision

1. Provide direct supervision and daily leadership to kitchen staff.

2. Supports a trauma-informed, resident-centered environment.

3. Provide program oversight for all kitchen operations including ordering and tracking inventory, menu planning, preparing and serving meals, and compiling information for program reports for CACFP and St. Mary’s Food Bank.

4. Monitor food and supply costs and assist with budget management.

5. Train new employees and volunteers to ensure they are performing all aspects of their assigned duties in accordance with Maricopa County Department of Public Health guidelines.

6. Ensure that all kitchen staff and volunteers are trained, at least annually, in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) components.

7. Develop a monthly work schedule for kitchen staff and volunteers including plans for coverage of shifts when employees and volunteers are out.

8. Hold regular supervision meetings with kitchen staff and document supervision notes and correspondences, and complete performance evaluations as required.

9. Attend regularly scheduled management team meetings.

10. Monitor, support, and approve regular training for kitchen staff.

11. Offer support and consultation for kitchen staff, modeling trauma-informed responses.

12. Ensure that all vendor invoices are submitted in a timely manner.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Food Preparation and Service

1. Plan, prepare, and serve high quality, attractive, and nutritionally balanced meals for up to 110 residents of New Life Center’s Emergency Shelter program.

2. Ensure product availability for weekly menus.

3. Modify/substitute items if necessary and in accordance with CACFP meal guidelines.

4. Ensure that the kitchen and dining areas are clean, to the highest standards, after every meal.

5. Perform weekly inventory of kitchen food and supplies. Keep pantry, kitchen, and walk-in fully stocked and ensure proper storage of food supplies.

6. Accommodate cultural and medical dietary needs/restrictions for residents of New Life Center.

7. Train and mentor new kitchen staff and volunteers.

8. Work closely with the Residential Services Director and Family Advocate staff to ensure safe food handling and service to residents, and that dining space guidelines are being adhered to.

9. Fully understand and complete all duties and reporting responsibilities required by the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), including food preparation, serving meals, training, sanitation/cleaning and, when necessary, monitoring participants and taking meal counts.

10. Responsible for upkeep of health code procedures and practices by cleaning and sanitizing kitchen and dining areas.

11. Remains current on safe food handling procedures and certification.

Agency Management

1. Share in responsibility for cleanliness and appearance of campus.

2. Communicate emergencies, resident concerns, and organizational needs to the designated on-call staff member or appropriate member of the leadership team.

3. Ability to work cooperatively with a diverse group of staff and residents who have exposure to trauma.

4. Knowledge of basic mathematics, including addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication.

Other

1. Support New Life Center's mission by creating a welcoming, respectful, and trauma-informed dining environment that promotes the dignity, health, and well-being of survivors and their families.

2. Foster a culture of collaboration, compassion, and accountability by modeling respectful communication and positive working relationships with staff, residents, volunteers, and community partners.

3. Support and adhere to all agency policies regarding participant privacy, confidentiality, and safety.

4. Actively contribute to New Life Center's trauma-informed practices by approaching interactions with empathy, flexibility, and an understanding of the impact of trauma.

5. Participate in agency-wide meetings, trainings, committees, and events as assigned.

6. Collaborate with other departments to support resident needs, agency initiatives, and special events.

COMPETENCIES

1. Leadership and team supervision.

2. Trauma-informed service delivery.

3. Ability to adapt in a fast paced environment and remain calm in high stress situations.

4. Strong organizational, communication and problem-solving skills.

5. Regular and consistent attendance.

6. Effective time management and ability to prioritize and reprioritize tasks in a fast-moving environment.

7. Highly proficient with computers and software including Microsoft Office and Google Suite.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Physical

Occasionally

Frequently

Constantly

Walking

X

Bending

X

Standing

X

Sitting

X

Driving

X

Lifting up to 50 lbs. with or without assistance

X

Stretching/Reaching

X

Hearing/Seeing

X

Exposure to blood borne pathogens and infectious disease

X

Exposure to hazardous material

X

Climbing

X

Hand/finger dexterity

X

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

1. Associate's degree in culinary arts, hospitality, food service management, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

2. One year or more of commercial kitchen/cook experience.

3. Experience with bulk cooking and inventory management preferred.

4. Valid Arizona driver’s license and insurance.

5. Possession of a current Certified Food Protection Supervisor certification.

6. Currently possess or ability to successfully obtain Level 1 fingerprint clearance through the Arizona Department of Public Safety. **

7. CPR/1st Aid Certified. **

8. Negative TB test required. **

9. Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary/required.

**If necessary, New Life Center will complete these areas of qualification during the onboarding process.

PREFERRED

1. Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts and food service management, hospitality management, or any equivalent combination of education and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

2. 1 or more years of kitchen management experience.

3. 1 or more years of kitchen and food service experience within a nonprofit residential, victim services, domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or human trafficking agency.

4. Bilingual English/Spanish.

DISCLAIMER

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.