Food & Laundry Services Manager

County of Tulare - HR&D is the human resources department dedicated to serving the diverse needs of Tulare County, California. Tulare County is a vibrant community with a growing economy and a commitment to providing excellent services to its residents. The Human Resources and Development (HR&D) division plays a critical role in supporting over 5,100 county employees across more than 800 job classifications, spanning 20 different departments. This division focuses on attracting, retaining, and developing a highly skilled workforce essential to maintaining the quality of services offered by the county.

The mission of Tulare County HR&D is to provide comprehensive human resources solutions including employee and labor relations, payroll processing, training, employee records management, wellness programs, and benefits administration. Employees of Tulare County enjoy competitive benefits, such as a wide range of health insurance plans, paid time off, vacation, and solid retirement plans. The County prioritizes work-life balance and supports its workforce with flexibility and encouragement to foster a productive and supportive workplace culture.

Currently, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department located in Visalia is seeking to fill vacancies for the position of Food and Laundry Services Manager. This recruitment establishes an employment list to fill both current and future vacancies for a period of six months. Interested candidates should apply online to be considered for this opportunity.

The Food and Laundry Services Manager plays a pivotal role in overseeing the kitchen and laundry operations within the Sheriff’s Department. This entails planning, assigning, and supervising the work of kitchen and laundry staff to ensure efficiency, safety, and compliance with regulations. The manager is responsible for preparing menus, ordering food and supplies, cooking and baking foods in large quantities, and cutting meat using both hand and motorized equipment. The role may also involve assisting with food preparation for subsequent shifts to maintain continuous kitchen operations.

Candidates must adhere to strict personal appearance standards, including prohibitions on visible tattoos above the collar line or below the wrist, reflecting the professional environment of the department. This leadership role requires knowledge of nutrition and dietetics fundamentals, kitchen sanitation and safety laws, proper use of kitchen equipment, and the procedures involved in ordering and storing large quantities of food. Additionally, understanding meal planning and preparation in institutional settings is essential.

The ideal candidate will possess at least a high school diploma or its equivalent, such as graduation from a food preparation school, along with a minimum of two years of full-time cooking experience involving large scale food preparation, including menu planning and quantity calculation. Experience in commercial laundry operations, at least one year, is required. Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds are critical for success in this position. The ability to operate office equipment and write clear instructions, memos, and menus is also important.

Desirable additional skills include the ability to supervise and train inmates, exercise security requirements, and manage operations in a large-scale food preparation facility. Physical capabilities such as meat cutting are also valued. Beyond the technical skills, candidates must be prepared to undergo a pre-employment drug and alcohol screening, background investigation, and possibly a physical examination.

This opportunity offers candidates generous benefits including health insurance selection with PPO and HMO plans that cover medical, dental, and vision, retirement benefits under the County Employees Retirement Act integrated with Social Security, paid holidays, vacation accrual starting at two weeks per year with increases based on years of service, sick leave, career incentive pay based on tenure, life insurance, disability insurance, and voluntary deferred compensation plans.

Working for the Tulare County Sheriff's Department allows individuals to make a meaningful impact by supporting the operations that uphold safety, wellbeing, and institutional care standards within the county. This position offers a fulfilling career path for those interested in food services management within a unique custodial environment. The County is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and encourages candidates who meet the qualifications to apply.