Central Kitchen Lead - Anchorage, AK

The Anchorage School District (ASD) is a public education entity that serves the diverse educational needs of students in Anchorage, Alaska. Committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment, ASD emphasizes providing quality nutrition services to enhance student well-being and academic performance. Within this framework, the Student Nutrition Central Kitchen operates as an essential hub, delivering high-volume meal preparation and packaging for various schools within the district. The operations team is dedicated to maintaining stringent standards of food safety, quality, and efficiency to meet the nutritional demands of the student population across different school sites. ASD is currently seeking a Food Service/Central Kitchen Lead to join their dynamic Student Nutrition team. This role is classified as a full-time, 9-month per year position with a work schedule of 8 hours per day. The wage range for this position falls between $19.51 and $20.57 per hour, depending on experience. The Central Kitchen Lead works directly under the Central Kitchen Manager, assisting in overseeing all aspects of large-scale food production, including high-volume cooking, baking, and meal packaging. The position is crucial in supervising staff, providing training, and ensuring compliance with food safety and sanitation regulations. The Central Kitchen Lead will play a pivotal role by managing operational tasks such as scheduling, inventory control, and production quality assurance, thereby supporting the smooth and cost-effective functioning of the Central Kitchen. The position requires extensive experience in a high-volume, assembly line food service environment and proven leadership skills to supervise and develop a large team. In addition to operational oversight, the role involves adjusting recipes for varying batch sizes, maintaining accurate record-keeping, and participating in meetings to strategize improvements in service delivery and production efficiency. This role requires the individual to attend and successfully complete the ASD Serving It Safe food safety course, underscoring the district's commitment to upholding the highest standards of food handling and safety. The position demands physical stamina for frequent standing, walking, and occasional lifting up to 40 pounds, alongside strong communication skills to effectively interact with students, staff, and a broad range of stakeholders within the district. In summary, the Food Service/Central Kitchen Lead is a vital component of the Anchorage School District’s commitment to providing nutritious, high-quality meals to its students. This role offers an opportunity for an experienced food service professional to contribute to an impactful public service while advancing their career in a structured and supportive environment. The Anchorage School District embraces diversity and is an equal employment opportunity employer, encouraging applicants who can contribute positively to the team and community.

• High school diploma or equivalent
• two years of related work experience may substitute for education
• five years of experience in institutional type high production kitchen
• two years of supervisory experience in a kitchen setting
• ability to interpret standardized recipes
• ability to prepare and interpret simple reports
• proficiency in basic math
• successful completion of ASD Serving It Safe food safety course and exam within 21 days of hire
• ability to work in a fast-paced assembly line environment
• physical ability to stand, walk, lift up to 40 lbs
• strong verbal and written communication skills
• ability to manage stress and make decisions under pressure