2026-27 Child Nutrition Manager ES Self-Prep

PRIMARY PURPOSE:

The Child Nutrition Program (CNP) Cafeteria Manager (CM) leads the cafeteria team at the campus level and oversees the day to day operations and program compliance of the kitchen and cafeteria meals for all meal services. The Child Nutrition Program offers programs governed by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Certification:

High School Diploma or GED, required

Food Manager Certification by City of McAllen, required

Valid Texas Driver's License Class C, required

Special Knowledge/Skills:

Knowledge of methods, materials, equipment, and appliances used in food preparation, required

Ability to manage, motivate, delegate and lead a team to accomplish goals, required

Effective planning, organizational and customer service skills, required

Safety and sanitation guidelines with food preparation, required

Must be able to read, write and understand verbal instructions, required

Knowledge and ability to work with computers, preferred

Must be able to communicate in English and Spanish, preferred

Experience:

Three (3) years'' experience in institutional food service operations, preferred

One (1) year experience in K-12 food service operations, required

Workdays: 187

Auxiliary Pay Structure: Pay Grade 8

Pay Date: Monthly

Hourly Pay Range

Minimum: $20.75

Midpoint: $24.69

Maximum: $28.63

Note: Starting pay for a new hire in a pay range plan will be determined individually based on each person''s job-related experience and salaries paid to peer employees in the same position with similar experience.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Demonstrate through goal setting, a clear sense of direction and purpose in daily activities. Assume full responsibility for the management and supervision of an assigned school cafeteria. Attend and ensure employees attend required meetings. Implement policies and procedures learned in required meetings and trainings. Ensure that food prepared follows the recipes and the daily menu and is of high quality, that food is served on time and is aesthetically pleasing, that food was prepared with all safety precautions and is safe to eat.
• Responsible for daily scratch, convenience, and complex food production of meals for school.
• Ensure that appropriate quantities of food and non-food are ordered, prepared, and served according to the school meal schedules and special diet modification.
• Maintain compliant and accurate records of ordering & receiving merchandise, inventory control, employees time management, employee training & development, cash handling, food production records, temperature logs, counting and claiming, and processing daily reports.
• Train, develop, and evaluate all kitchen personnel and make sound recommendations about their assignment; responsible for the growth and development of the Cafeteria Assistant Manager and food service workers. Evaluate employees and provide positive and constructive criticism in a pleasant manner.
• Demonstrate ability to work with coworkers and subordinates cooperatively and provide excellent customer service to students, parents, staff, and administration.
• Ensure that systems exist to easily accommodate special diet modifications, temporary meal schedule changes, field trips, and to resolve campus related problems.
• Perform monitoring of students during lunch periods that includes communication & engagement with students, clean and safe environment, and create an atmosphere that promotes the best conduct of students.
• Adhere to sanitation and safety regulations. Ensure that food is handled safely, temperatures are monitored, and HACCP forms are completed daily.
• Adhere to proper dress code according to the department's policy.
• Must have reliable transportation to travel short distance when needed and successfully substitute at current or different site. Ability to work all CNP meal services such as breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Saturday and non-calendar workday may be required on an as needed basis.
• Follow McAllen ISD customer service standards.
• Perform other duties assigned by immediate supervisor (primary evaluator).

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervise cafeteria assistant manager and food service workers assigned to school cafeteria.

EQUIPMENT USED:

Use large and small kitchen equipment, including sharp cutting tools; use food grade cleaning solutions.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Mental Demands:

Ability to communicate effectively; maintain emotional control under stress; ability to handle several projects at the same time with frequent interruptions; plan and organize work within time constraints.

Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:

Occasional prolonged and irregular hours

Frequent heavy lifting as much as 45 pounds

Frequent carrying weight of 15 to 45 pounds

Frequent stooping, crouching, kneeling, and visual acuity

Frequent standing, climbing stairs, walking, pulling, pushing, lifting, reaching, repetitive hand motions

Exposure to temperature extremes (hot or cold), exposure to noise