Shelter Kitchen Specialist: full-time

Join the NVFS Family: As the Shelter Kitchen Specialist, you will prepare and serve nutritious meals to shelter guests while supporting daily kitchen operations. Responsibilities include food preparation, maintaining food safety and sanitation standards, meal service, and ensuring a clean and organized kitchen and dining area. This role requires strong culinary experience, the ability to serve diverse populations, and strong organizational skills to ensure consistent, high-quality service.

Why This Role Matters: Access to nutritious meals is critical to the well-being and dignity of the individuals and families we serve. In this role, you help create a safe, welcoming environment while directly supporting the health and stability of shelter residents and advancing the NVFS mission.

We are looking to hire Shelter Support Specialists for the following shift:

• Full-time: Monday to Friday
  • 10:30am to 6:30pm

Benefits and Compensation: We want you to be well, have work/life flexibility, grow your career with us, and have the resources and support you need. Check out our comprehensive benefit offerings here in support of various dimensions of your wellbeing.

The starting hourly rate is $25.00.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

Meals:

• Develop and implement weekly rotating kitchen menus based on ingredients available with an emphasis on preparing nutritional, well-balanced and well-presented meals. Ensure adherence to CACFP guidelines in meal planning and menu preparation.
• Coordinate and collaborate with shelter and Hunger Resource Center (HRC) staff to ensure availability and maintenance of inventory and supplies for nutritious meals.
• “Shop” for and transport food supplies from HRC to kitchen regularly.
• Perform food preparation and cook food in quantities according to the menu and number of persons to be served (70-90 people at any given time); this includes continental-style breakfast and cooked lunch, or dinner daily (dependent upon your shift hours) . Ensure high levels of guest satisfaction.
• Must be able accommodate specific dietary needs and special requests.
• Ensure there are meals for weekends and days off; always have a contingency plan.
• Maintain a system of accountability for record of food and meal counts.
• Follow emergency contingency plan to include preparedness for extreme weather conditions, loss of power, etc.
• Identify and work with management on reviewing administrative areas that are affecting operations efficiency, service delivery, and the fiscal integrity of the program.
• Keep apprised of food service guidelines (USDA, federal/state/local health regulations, etc.) to ensure operations meet compliance.
• Work collaboratively and effectively with volunteers assigned to work in the kitchen area.

Maintenance:

• Ensure tables, utensils, equipment, serving area, and kitchen workspaces are maintained in a sanitary manner.
• Maintain safety standards throughout all food preparation and storage areas.
• Maintain a system for food and produce inventory and rotation.
• Clearly label meals in refrigerator by date and mealtime.
• Participate in regular supervision with supervisor by providing regular updates.
• Maintain current level of knowledge on program software and other information on food handling and preparation.

Your Background: We understand that you may obtain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences.

• Demonstrated experience in food preparation and safety, catering and handling in a high volume commercial or institutional environment
• Valid Food Handler’s certification
• ServSafe certification strongly preferred
• Culinary training preferred but not required
• Demonstrated ability of nutritious menu development and inventory management, knowledge of food handling and preparation equipment
• Proven ability to be innovative and work with varying resources and ingredients
• Oral and written fluency in English; additional language skills always welcome
• Proficiency in usage of basic technological tools including laptops/computers, email, phones, and internet; working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• Must be able to demonstrate and live the organizational values of Communication, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, and Accountability.

Additional Requirements:

• Successful completion of background checks required upon hire
• CPR/1st Aide training (will be provided by NVFS if not already obtained)
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs
• Must be able to push a cart weighing at least 75 pounds with repetitive lifting and carrying of food supplies
• Required to operate commercial kitchen equipment such as ovens, stove tops, commercial dish washers, etc.
• This position requires long periods of standing and being on your feet over the duration of your shift
• May be called upon to work beyond normal working hours

Working at Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS) means doing work that matters every day because of the difference you will make in the lives of children and families in Northern Virginia. NVFS’ breadth, depth and scope of services offer the resources and support to ensure that everyone in need, at every stage of life, maximizes their potential and fully contributes to a thriving community. At NVFS, we value every team member’s contribution and our collective impact on our clients and the community. NVFS is an equal opportunity employer, E-Verify participant and drug-free workplace.