Food Service Assistant (Part-time): Mesa, AZ

As a Food Service Assistant at Bezos Academy, you’ll help provide nutritious, compliant meals to children at our Montessori-inspired preschool and provide direct support with a variety of additional tasks both in and out of the classroom. You will manage all aspects of food preparation and service with strong attention to detail, organization, and adherence to safety protocols. Key responsibilities include preparing CACFP-compliant menus, placing food orders and managing food costs, receiving and verifying food deliveries, ensuring all meals are delivered to classrooms on time, and managing all clean-up, organization, and documentation. Assuming full ownership of the kitchen and food operations at the school, you will serve meals in accordance with USDA requirements, Bezos Academy policies, and local childcare regulations.

Beyond the kitchen, you will assist school staff and administration with a variety of tasks including inventory checks, laundry, and other ad hoc duties. As needed, you will also occasionally step into classrooms to provide direct supervision and support to the children. You will become an integral part of your school team working to improve processes and provide an excellent preschool experience where we nurture every child’s full potential.

LOCATION

We are actively hiring for a part-time Food Service Assistant in Mesa, Arizona at our location in Mesa – Adobe Hills ( 1001 N Power Road, Mesa, AZ 85205 ).

SCHEDULE, BENEFITS, & COMPENSATION

This is a part-time, non-exempt/hourly position requiring a minimum of 25 hours per week, with occasional opportunities to work additional hours based on school needs.

You will work a five-hour shift, Monday through Friday, totaling 25 hours per week. Specific school schedules are determined by school leaders when considering all staff, classroom, and community needs, but are currently expected to be 9:00am-2:00pm.

Compensation for this position is $ 19 -$ 28 per hour . The upper third of the compensation range is typically reserved for existing employees who have been in the role for multiple years and who demonstrate strong performance over time. Starting compensation will vary by qualifications and prior experience.

Benefits include paid sick (care) time, accrued based on hours worked, and a 401(k) plan with a 4% employer contribution match.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Age 18 with high school diploma or GED

Ability to pass background checks and complete all trainings required by the Arizona Department of Children, Youth, and Families upon hire

Knowledge of cooking methods and procedures, including various types of preparation

Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, stand for long periods of time, and perform a variety of repetitive tasks to prepare and serve food safely

Experience working in an institutional or highly regulated kitchen/food setting with a clear understanding of food preparation best practices and protocols

Active and current food worker card

Understanding of Arizona food and beverage worker manual

Ability to speak, read, and write English fluently

Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience working within the guidelines of the US Department of Agriculture and Child and Adult Care Food Program (USDA/CACFP)

Two or more years of experience working in a school (preschool, early childhood education, daycare, or K-12 environment) or similar kitchen setting

Working knowledge of food allergens, intolerances, preferences, and accommodations

Prior experience as an Assistant Teacher in a preschool setting

Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education or two years of post-secondary coursework in Early Childhood Education

Experience with Montessori pedagogy

Experience with children with special needs

Fluent in Spanish

RESPONSIBILITIES

NOTE: The combination of responsibilities may vary based on the needs of the school site, students, and prior experiences of the Food Service Assistant.

Food Service and Site Operations

Place weekly food orders with the vendor based on student attendance trends and food waste analysis

Receive and verify daily food deliveries to ensure accuracy with order quantities and alignment with the approved menu. If meals are non-compliant, follow the Emergency Food SOP

Manage all aspects of routine vendor performance to ensure the vendor is meeting or exceeding expectations

Ensure all meals served to students are compliant and document any menu changes on menu

Track food consumption and waste daily to ensure food costs remain as lean and efficient as possible

Prepare and serve meals and utensils to classrooms for each scheduled meal service

Maintain compliance with strict food hygiene and safety protocols at all times and maintain compliance with all state and local jurisdictional requirements

Ensure the kitchen, equipment, serving utensils, cookware, and dishes are consistently cleaned, sanitized, and well-maintained

Manage and organize food inventory, including proper labeling, dating, rotating stock, and discarding items nearing expiration in accordance with food safety guidelines

Record and log food temperatures prior to each meal service to ensure compliance with safety regulations

Accommodate children’s special dietary needs, including allergies, medical restrictions, and cultural or religious food requirements

Assist in serving meals during family engagement and school events as needed

Added responsibilities if food is prepared on-site:

Place weekly groceries orders based on the menu and current inventory

Receive and verify food delivery and follow up with vendor if food delivered is incorrect based on the order or spoiled

Prepare meals according to the planned menu and adapt recipes for dietary restrictions (allergies, religious diets, vegetarian, etc.)

Prepare meals on a schedule (breakfast/lunch/snack)

Adapt the menu (make substitutions) to avoid food spoilage and waste following the Menu Substitution SOP

Help plan menus that are nutritious, budget-friendly, and appealing to students

Added responsibilities if school is under CACFP:

Ensure vendor provides a delivery receipt and keep it for 3 years

Children receive the appropriate portion sizes for each meal pattern component by providing correctly sized serving utensils and clearly communicating the required serving sizes to classroom staff upon meal delivery

Review meal counts for accuracy and upload into SharePoint weekly

If there are any menu substitutions, provide the necessary menu-supporting documentation (CN label, product formulation statement, Nutrition Facts, standardized recipe)

Attend the required annual sponsor CACFP training that includes meal pattern, reimbursement, meal counts, claims, recordkeeping, and civil rights

Clock in/out of Workday based on food-related responsibilities

Classroom Support

Provide classroom coverage as needed

Assist teachers with the full implementation of Bezos Academy’s performance standards, policies, and procedures

Support Bezos Academy classrooms by following regulations and guidelines in the day-to-day operation of the classroom (i.e., cleaning materials, meal prep, nap time transitions, etc.)

Organize materials and clean the workspace to facilitate the learning process for each child

Support children’s increasing independence with daily living skills (i.e., washing hands, using the bathroom, eating meals and snacks, cleaning up, etc.)

Provide 1:1 support for children who are experiencing big feelings

Develop positive relationships with children

Other

Assist the Head of School and school staff in other operational duties in the school as necessary when the kitchen work is complete (e.g., support with laundry, front desk support, and other duties as assigned by the Head of School)

Participate in team meetings, center activities, and staff developm