Central Kitchen Lead (SY25-26)

Job Title: Central Kitchen Lead

Status: Full Time, year-round

Reports to: Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives

District & Department Overview:

Founded in 1647, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is the oldest public school district in the country. With approximately 49,000 students from over 114 different countries, nearly 8,000 employees, and an annual budget of $973 million, the BPS is the largest district in Massachusetts and one of the most diverse as well.

Currently BPS has 125 schools with two different food service delivery models. The majority of schools have full service kitchens with a full time cafeteria manager and subordinate staff. The remaining schools and programs are satellite sites receiving meals from a central production facility. The district serves approximately 17,000 breakfasts, 25,000 lunches, and 2,100 after school meals per day. During the summer months BPS serves roughly 22,000 meals at sites all over the city. BPS has been approved for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP); which enables the district to provide free meals to all Boston students.

General Description:

The Central Kitchen Lead is responsible for the management and overall operations of the Central Production Facility, including producing and packaging of fresh, nutritious meals. This includes: planning, ordering, and receiving of products, ensuring all products are produced in the most cost-effective manner within quality control standards, oversight of all subordinate associates, and adherence to all sanitation standards and procedures as dictated by local, state, and federal authorities and quality control standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Plans, supervises, monitors, evaluates and oversees the food production operation of the Culinary Center for school sites, in creating delicious, nutritious meals.
• Oversight and use of high-volume cooking and packaging machinery, including but not limited to, combi ovens, roll-in ovens, steam kettles, tray sealers and flow wrappers.
• Create and maintain food production schedules that reflect and adhere to realistic timeline needs while simultaneously working to respect product nature.
• Meets with the production team daily to review menus and service plans, and ensures products are produced according to specifications and quality standards.
• Is responsible for computer based management of orders, receiving, recipes, inventory and production records using K-12 Nutrition Software.
• In collaboration with the Logistics team, ensures foods and supplies are properly stored and rotated to ensure maximum freshness and minimize waste.
• Directs and assigns work, supervises staff and communicates with BPS Food and Nutrition Services, Culinary Manager and the Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives regarding staff performance and needs.
• Is fastidious about facility sanitation; creates and maintains a strict cleaning schedule for all areas of facility and machinery; immediately addresses deviations, and assists in the training and development of production personnel in these key areas.
• Provides instruction and training to staff on safe and sanitary food handling and the safe and proper operation of kitchen and culinary equipment; ensures proper care and maintenance of equipment and appliances; coordinates the repair of broken unsafe equipment.
• Provides training, development, and coaching for all Central Production personnel. Conducts performance appraisals and assists in developing goals and monitoring and reporting results.
• Develops, monitors and reports on operating costs within functional area; manages budget and controls expenses in an accurate and effective manner.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Competencies:

• Managing Relationships: Leads, responds and relates well to people in all positions; is seen as a team player and is cooperative; looks for common ground and solves problems for the good of all.
• Creativity: Generates many new and unique ideas; makes connections among previously unrelated notions; is unafraid to use unorthodox methods; is seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
• Drive for Results: Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; does not give up before finishing, even in the face of resistance or setbacks; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
• Personal Learning and Development: Is personally committed to and actively works to continuously improve themselves; recognizes the need to change personal, interpersonal, and managerial behavior; actively seeks feedback.
• Managing Through Processes and Systems: Designs practices, processes, and procedures necessary to get things done; simplifies complex processes; gets more out of fewer resources; creates systems that manage themselves.
• Functional and Technical Skills: Possesses required functional and technical knowledge and skills to do his or her job at a high level of accomplishment; demonstrates active interest and ability to enhance and apply new functional skills.

Qualifications - Required:.

• Culinary Arts degree, or equivalent advanced training pertinent to the position requirements, such as hospitality, accounting, communications, business, education, purchasing, transportation, or nutrition.
• 5 years of experience in managing large scale institutional food production
• Strong computer skills
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Experience with HACCP.
• Ability to understand and control inventory levels.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, particularly in working with staff for which English may be a second language.
• Valid driver's license
• Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment.
• Pass a CORI/SORI criminal background check.

Qualifications - Preferred:

• Bilingual skills in Spanish or Haitian Creole
• Background in school food
• Experience with large, complex organization(s) in a union environment

Certifications Required within 90 days of hire:

• Food Safety for Managers Certification
• Allergen Awareness Certification

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Must be able to stand and exert fast-paced mobility for the entire shift.
• Must have a good sense of balance, be able to lift, bend, kneel, stoop, and wipe.
• Must be able to frequently lift and carry food, and other items weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Will be required to work near moving mechanical parts.
• Must be able to work in cold and hot temperatures for long periods of time.
• Will be occasionally exposed to extreme cold and heat.
• May be exposed to very loud noises.
• Must be able to interact verbally and listen attentively to co-workers, managers, and supervisors.