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UWE Kitchen Assistant Position Description

 

UWE Kitchen Assistant Job Description

 

United We Eat is Soft Landing Missoula’s food based programming. Our goal is to use food to create a cultural bridge to our greater community and provide social and economic opportunity for Missoula’s refugees and immigrants. United We Eat has evolved over the years to include partnerships with restaurants for Supper Club dinners, cookie sales, and UWE@home, a popular program with a rotating crew of chefs who create 150-175 take-out meals a week. United We Eat has become an integral part of Soft Landing’s programming.

 

Job Description:

The United We Eat Kitchen Assistant will work directly with refugee and immigrant chefs, volunteers, and Soft Landing staff to provide support and leadership in the kitchen. This will help us to create a delicious product for Missoulians that also provides economic benefit for the chefs and is financially stable for Soft Landing Missoula. The Kitchen Assistant is an important part of the UWE team and is involved in program development and idea generation. 

 

The Kitchen Assistant will be trained to assist the Kitchen Manager with the following tasks:

  • Support, interact with and provide direction for UWE chefs before, during, and after each cook
  • Support, interact with and provide direction for UWE volunteers 
  • Support and assist Kitchen Manager and Program Manager with special events
  • Follow ServSafe temperature and food storage protocols to safely handle, store, and cook food items
  • Inventory, order, and shop for ingredients and kitchen supplies
  • Create, follow, and execute a prep list
  • Opening and closing the kitchen
  • Maintain a clean kitchen and work area, and monitor for food safety

 

**The Kitchen Assistant is also required to obtain a Servsafe Food Handler Certification (within 4 weeks of hiring date).

 

The Kitchen Assistant, according to interests and experience, can also be trained on the following tasks:

  • Excel spreadsheet management and formatting
  • Meal planning, purchasing, and costing
  • Kitchen management
  • ServSafe Food Manager Certification

 

The Ideal Candidate Will:

  • Have 1+ years professional cooking experience
  • Have basic knowledge of kitchen operations and food preparation
  • Be friendly and set a positive attitude in the kitchen
  • Be willing to work with a variety of people, regardless of cultural or religious background
  • Be willing to work hard for the success of others
  • Have Intermediate to High English proficiency
  • Be able to lift 50 pounds (23 kilos) repeatedly over the course of a shift
  • Be able to work on your feet for several hours at a time 
  • Be able to work an 8 hour shift several times a week

 

We would like the Candidate to: 

  • Be comfortable as a leader in the kitchen and giving direction to volunteers and chefs
  • Be willing to be a voice for Soft Landing Missoula and be a part of telling the story of United We Eat, including the stories of refugees and immigrants.
  • Be available to work full time when the position grows (30-40 hours/week). We can be flexible about this time.

 

*Note: if you don’t meet all of these qualifications, we still encourage you to apply!

 

Timeline for Training

  • Servsafe Food Handler Training: 4 Weeks (Depends on Experience). This will include onsite training and hours allotted for study time. The exam will be paid for by Soft Landing Missoula.
  • ServSafe Food Manager’s Training: Depends on candidate’s interests and abilities, flexible timing for studying and taking the exam. The exam will be paid for by Soft Landing Missoula, and can be taken online or in-person.

 

Schedule: The Kitchen Assistant will start at a minimum of 20 hours per week, with the goal of moving up to full time (30-40 hours per week) at some point in 2024. We’ll have a trial period of 3 months to determine if the job is a good fit for all parties.

 

Critical hours for this position are:

Monday 9:00am - 5:30pm

Tuesday 11:00am - 7:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am - 12:30pm

*Thursdays and Fridays depending on negotiated schedule

 

Wages and Benefits:

  • $18 an hour
  • When position moves to full time, the following benefits will be available:
    • 12 paid holidays per year
    • 2 weeks of paid sick leave a year
    • 4 weeks of paid vacation leave a year (accrued with time worked)
    • Health insurance

 

To Apply:

Send a cover letter and resume to Beth Baker at beth@softlandingmissoula.org.

 

Position is open until filled, though we hope to hold interviews in August.