Room Service Wait Staff Lead

Lead Room Service Wait Staff

The Lead Room Service Wait Staff plays a key role within the Nutrition and Food Services department at MD Anderson, supporting daily patient and guest meal operations while ensuring service excellence and diet accuracy. The Lead Room Service Wait Staff functions as both a service expert and a team lead, coordinating room service activities and serving as a liaison between clinical and culinary teams to support patient care.

MD Anderson Cancer Center is a leading institution focused on cancer care, research, education, and prevention. The Lead Room Service Wait Staff contributes directly to the patient experience by delivering compassionate, accurate, and timely meal service that aligns with clinical needs and institutional standards. In this role, the Lead Room Service Wait Staff supports MD Anderson's mission through professionalism, teamwork, and a strong commitment to service quality.

The ideal candidate for this role has a high school diploma or equivalent, at least three years of lead experience in a patient care or hospitality environment, and must obtain a current Texas Food Handlers Certification within 30 days of hire or job change. Experience supporting patient meal services, staff coordination, and food safety compliance in a healthcare or hospitality setting is essential.

The salary range for this position is Minimum $19.23/hour Midpoint $24.04/hour Maximum $28.85/hour, based on a 40-hour work week. The typical work schedule is days, weekends, 6:00am2:30pm, including rotating holidays and weekends. Work location: Onsite.

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on patient care by supporting safe, accurate, and compassionate nutrition services in a nationally recognized cancer center. The position supports professional growth through leadership exposure, team mentorship, and involvement in quality initiatives, while offering a predictable schedule that supports work-life balance. Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week, plus optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance. Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank, plus paid holidays, wellness, childcare, and other leave options. Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service and access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups. Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System, voluntary retirement plans, and employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.

Responsibilities

Patient & Guest Meal Service Coordination

Assemble and verify patient and guest meal trays according to prescribed diet orders, menus, and service standards Ensure clean, sanitary utensils and appropriate supplies accompany all meal deliveries Prepare hot beverages and maintain adequate supplies throughout service periods Deliver meals promptly to patient rooms with courteous, professional, and compassionate service Explain the room service program and menu options to patients and guests as needed Support meal ordering through the Let's Eat room service application and manual call center processes Verify accuracy, completeness, and presentation of all delivered items Capture and process guest tray payments following established cash-handling procedures Stock nutrition kitchens per established stock lists Serve as liaison between clinical and culinary teams to ensure diet accuracy and timely service

Operational Support and Reporting

Communicate diet changes, patient concerns, and service issues promptly and professionally Compile assigned daily operational reports accurately and within designated timeframes Deliver, reconcile, and track nutrition tube feedings, oral supplements, and floor stock items Maintain accountability and documentation for assigned nutrition supplies Assist with tray set-up at the start of meal service lines as needed

Team Lead Functions

Provide guidance, coordination, and support to Room Service Wait Staff Serve as a people-manager extender supporting daily supervisory needs Assist with training, onboarding, mentoring, and coaching of staff Coordinate and assign daily tasks to ensure service coverage and efficiency Facilitate and resolve escalated service issues and patient concerns Participate in departmental meetings, huddles, EDR, and rounding Support quality and performance initiatives, meal delivery reports, turn-down service, and guest tray processing

Cleaning and Sanitation Support

Maintain nutrition kitchens in a clean, organized, and sanitized condition Monitor, document, and report equipment temperatures and escalate variances Adhere to hospital policies, infection control guidelines, food safety standards, and regulatory requirements Retrieve soiled trays and ensure timely return to the dish room Support dish room operations including washing, sorting, and restocking

Customer Service & Human Experience

Ensure all orders align with prescribed diets and patient and guest preferences Provide courteous, timely service to patients, guests, and colleagues Model MD Anderson Core Values and Standards of Conduct Proactively communicate and anticipate service needs Utilize the HEAL framework to address and resolve service concerns Report concerns or safety issues promptly and appropriately Maintain strict confidentiality of patient information

Education

Required: High School Diploma or Equivalent

Work Experience

Required: 3 years Lead experience in a patient care or hospitality environment.

Preferred: Restaurant or Hotel Wait Staff experience.

: Successful completion of the MD Anderson apprenticeship program or 9 months completion of the program can be substituted for a maximum of 1 year of experience.

Licenses and Certifications

Required: SERVM - ServSafe Food Prot Mgr ServSafe Certification Accredited by the American National Standards Institute and the Conference for Food Protection (ANSI). Upon Hire

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition. This position may be responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and therefore may require routine reviews and screening. The ability to satisfy and maintain all requirements necessary to ensure the continued security and integrity of such infrastructure is a condition of hire and continued employment. It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state, or local laws unless such distinction is required by law.

MD Anderson Cancer Center