Food, Health, and Safety Program Coordinator

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Early Learning Center for

Research and Practice

The Food Program Coordinator oversees food program operations at all sites and supports professional development and outreach events of the Early Learning Center for Research and Practice (ELC). Responsibilities include implementing and advancing the ELC food philosophies and goals. This includes: developing diverse and high-quality menus; procuring high-quality, cost-effective products in alignment with the menu and program food philosophy; implementing and overseeing food service preparation on a daily basis and as-needed for outreach; maintaining TN Department of Health certification and compliance with all food service regulations; maintaining adherence to Child & Adult Care Food Program guidelines; training and supervising the food program staff; collaborating with ELC administrators and educators to design kitchen studio programming; and managing food allergy health and safety systems to meet the needs of both individual children and program operations.

Food Program Management, Coordination, Leadership, and Supervision

-Supervision and leadership of food program team

-Performance evaluation and feedback for all ELC food program personnel

-Establishes and manages procedures, manuals, and tools for training and quality among food program sites and personnel

-Designs and provides administrative support for food program operations:

-Upholds operational structure, including delegation, work assignments, redistribution of work as needed; substitute cooking as needed; regulation and oversight of daily food preparation

-Trains and maintains oversight of the cooks in multiple kitchens across ELC food program

-Identifies, plans, and facilitates training and professional development opportunities for food program staff

-Provides recommendations for food program hiring processes and decisions; hires food program personnel in collaboration with Program Director

-Problem-solves emergent and operational issues that allow the ELC food program to operate with ongoing consistency; includes addressing and resolving problems with staff, equipment, facilities, products, food volumes, etc.

-Manages participation in environmentally friendly initiatives as applicable through reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting practices in all ELC kitchens; includes alignment with UTK Sustainability protocols and efforts

-Ensures Compliance and Quality

-Ensures and maintains food program quality and consistency following USDA guidelines for food serving sizes and required meal components across all ELC sites

-Responds to the changing nutritional needs of program children, promptly adjusting procurement and supporting cooks to adjust food volumes as needed.

-Ensures compliance with TN Department of Health certification and all food service regulations across ELC sites & multiple kitchens

-Maintains food program operations and compliance by substitute cooking for full time cooks as needed

-Menu Development, Inventory, and Procurement

-Develops diverse and high-quality menus

-Assesses menu and procured food products for allergens

-Collaborates with ELC administrators on menu development

-Communicates with ELC staff on menu development and revisions

-Produces recipes and menus on the ELC’s specified timeline

-Procures food items and supplies in a timely and cost-effective manner across program, multiple sites/kitchens

-Strategic planning and goal setting for procurement, shopping, ordering, distribution/delivery, coordination with vendors for all ELC kitchens

-Manages and maintains clear systems for tracking inventory of food supplies across program, multiple sites/kitchens

Food Allergy Health and Safety Coordination

-Manages communication among administrative staff, families, food program, and teachers to ensure that food allergy workflow, systems and documentation meet all relevant regulations and program policy.

-Purchasing and organization of health and safety supplies

-Provides comprehensive support for food allergy planning to families and classroom teams: at time of program enrollment; upon receiving medical updates from families; upon emergence of food sensitivity/concerns; prior to onset of new menu cycle

-Supports classroom-level problem solving to ensure smooth food allergy planning and systems

Programming and Event Support: Food Program Liaison

-Develops and coordinates food service components for ELC outreach and special events

-Builds connections between classrooms and food program through classroom visits, support for curriculum projects, and visual communication and menu tools

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge: TN Dept of Human Services’ (or DOE) meal and food service guidelines; TN Dept of Health food establishments and safe food handling practices; CACFP guidelines; FARE (Food Allergy Research Education) information and resources; USDA food guidelines; Basic first aid

Skills & Abilities: Project/event management; food preparation; supervision; time management; organization; negotiation; communication; conflict resolution.

High School Diploma Required, Culinary education preferred.