Program Associate II - Food Service and Safety Coordinator

Location: The Ofiice of School Nutrition

Bargaining Unit: OSAS

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Telecommuting Eligibility: Eligible for telecommuting up to 20% (one (1) day per week)

In accordance with the agreement between the Organization of School Administrators (O.S.A.S.) and the Board of Education of the School District of the City of Detroit, the following vacancy is announced:

Position Summary:

This position is established to lead organizing and scaling of school nutrition site-base compliance. The position supports schools through weekly visits and participation with school staff to improve regulation and district compliance and to provide our students with the highest level of service. This central office role is designed to ensure NSLP, CACFP, and other program related initiatives are implemented with fidelity and transparency.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must possess and provide evidence of a bachelor’s from an accredited college or university. In lieu of a bachelor's degree, 10 years of relevant work experience in a K-12 setting will be considered.
• ServSafe Certification required or the ability to obtain certification within 90 days.
• Excellent proficiency in Google Suite as well as Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Must have strong communications and excellent interpersonal skills and excellent knowledge of grammar and business correspondence.

The Ideal Candidate will also:

• Have a strategic mindset: Provide leadership and guidance to kitchen teams regarding operational deficiencies.
• Develop talent: Develop and train best practices for the food service department, providing growth for all team members.
• Manage ambiguity: Confer with entire food service team to resolve conflicts, prioritize needs, and find solutions.
• Drive results: Train and develop teams to create a results-focused team atmosphere.
• Deliver exceptional service: Keep the needs of students at the forefront of decision making, while adhering to NSLP compliance and safety procedures.
• Have an innovative mind: Find and repair inefficiencies in kitchens through hands-on research and testing while maintaining compliance.
• Bilingual speaking individual is a plus.

Essential Functions:

1. Perform comprehensive inspections and audits of school kitchens within the entire school district to assess compliance with relevant food safety regulations, National School Lunch Program NSLP regulations, district marketing initiative, industry standards, and company policies.
2. Conduct physical inspections of production areas, equipment, and storage facilities to identify potential hazards, sanitary issues, and deviations from food safety protocols.
3. Complete audits on a continuous basis and make additional visits as necessary when follow-up is required.
4. Assist kitchen personnel through hands on training and guidance in correcting any identified issues from audit.
5. Evaluate National School Lunch operations utilizing checklist provided by the required time.
6. Assist in state audits as necessary to ensure compliance of all federal and state guidelines.
7. Provide additional support as needed for open kitchen positions when a manager’s position is vacant.
8. Provide technical support on site and remotely as needed to kitchens.
9. Oversee food licensing for the district and the Detroit Health inspection reports.
10. Maintain USDA professional standards database to remain compliant with training and CEU’s for all employees in the department..
11. Coordinate ServeSafe Certification classes with our vendor for OSN staff.
12. Assist with the conducting and completion of On-Site Reviews for National School Lunch Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program CACFP.
13. Assist with developing training modules and programs to address operational deficiencies.

Security Clearance:

Internal Applicants  

If you are a current Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, you do not have to submit to a new security clearance, unless your new role requires a different type of criminal background check.  

External Applicants  

In alignment with Michigan law, if you are hired to fill a position, you will be required to submit to a Detroit Public Schools Community District criminal background check. Information regarding required background checks will be shared at point of hire. 

Method of Application: Applicants must apply through the online application system. Only applications submitted through the online application system will be considered for any posted position and all applications require a resume to be considered. Successful candidates are required to submit official transcript(s) at point of offer to hire. Teaching service outside of the Detroit Public Schools Community District must be verified by the applicant's prior employer(s) prior to hire. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation (including copies) as requested. Applicants requesting assistance during the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email at [email protected] or phone at (313) 873-6897. 

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, religion, height, weight, citizenship, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admissions opportunities. Contact the Civil Rights Coordinator for more information at (313) 240-4377 or detroitk12.org/compliance.