Kitchen Assistant

Full Job Description

The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides operations support services and business solutions to the community of 10,000 House Members, Officers and staff.

Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent required.

Possession and maintenance of an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited Food Protection Manager Certificate required (e.g., ServSafe Certification).

1 year of experience in a kitchen in a child care setting preferred. Experience working with young children and their families preferred.

Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactorily completing a criminal history records check (or other applicable security clearance) and a pre-employment drug-test (pre-identified position only).

Major Duties:

Job Summary: The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides operations support services and business solutions to the community of 10,000 House Members, Officers and staff.

The CAO organization comprises more than 800 technical and administrative staff working in a variety of areas, including information technology, finance, budget management, human resources, payroll, child care, food and vending, procurement, logistics and administrative counsel.

This position is located in the Child Care Center, Immediate Office, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), U.S. House of Representatives (House).

The purpose of the House Child Care Center (HCCC) is to provide full-day, year-round quality child care for children of the Members of the House of Representatives, their staff, and House support personnel.

This position serves as the Kitchen Assistant.

Key responsibilities include preparing and serving catered meals; ensuring all health and safety standards are met; ensuring that the kitchen/food service area is kept clean and organized; catering to allergies and other dietary needs; and inspecting food items from vendors to ensure quality.

Grade level at time of appointment is determined by experience and designated level of responsibility. The position does not have day-to-day supervisory/managerial responsibilities.

This position has access to Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

Primary Duties/Responsibilities: Assists in the preparation of food for all meals (morning snack, afternoon snack, and lunch) following appropriate guidelines for cleaning, cutting, and portion size.

Assists in the delivery and retrieval of food to/from classrooms per the designated schedule.

Properly labels, stores, and uses all food and supplies following established procedures; saves or disposes of unserved or expired food in accordance with directives of program.

Returns relevant items to designated storage areas and maintains organization throughout the kitchen environment.

Monitors usage and inventory levels of all food, kitchen supplies, and equipment; informs administration of needs, unusual problems, and/or unanticipated constraints of resource requirements in a timely manner.

Maintains accurate records and logs in a timely and organized fashion and ensures that data confidentiality is maintained.

Utilizes established standards of sanitation and safety within the kitchen environment, including personal hygiene; prioritizes health and safety.

Cleans, sanitizes, and inspects daily all utensils, food service equipment, and food service areas, including but not limited to ovens, refrigerators, cabinets, sinks, dishwashers, dishes etc.

Maintains a constant awareness of, and ability to, cater to all special dietary needs of children in the program.

Assists in prevention of cross-contamination and maintenance of the House Child Care Center’s nut-free environment.

Supports teachers and families in following the House Child Care Center’s food-related policies and procedures on a day-to-day basis, as well as for special events.

Ensures proper use of cleaners; assists in cleaning and disinfecting toys, materials, bedding, and other House Child Care Center spaces as needed.

Contributes to the House Child Care Center and CAO team; communicates and works collaboratively with staff.

Provides support and assists in the preparation and maintenance of resources or learning experiences related to cooking and the kitchen.

Shows initiative towards the improvement of provided services by sharing ideas and participating in meetings.

Participates in special limited term and long-term projects and initiatives; participates in after action reviews and provides feedback as appropriate Develops familiarity and maintains compliance with all applicable legal requirements including House, Committee, CAO, and House Child Care Canter rules, practices, policies, and procedures.

Treats all children, families, and staff with dignity and respect, allowing for individual differences. Establishes positive relationships with each child, family member, and coworker.

Communicates effectively and professionally both orally and in writing; maintains confidentiality. Remains calm in challenging situations.

Seeks and attends ongoing professional development and demonstrates an attitude of continual growth.

Participates in House Child Care Center staff development days to expand knowledge of child development and to better understand and meet the needs of the children.

Performs other official duties and special projects as assigned.