Food Service Specialist - IDEA Ewing Halsell (26-27)

San Antonio, TX, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Hourly

Compensation

Hourly

Range $15.00 - $17.25

Work Schedule

Standard Hours

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

paid family leave

Tuition Reimbursement

mental health services

Paid Time Off

Job Description

IDEA Public Schools is a leading network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools dedicated to ensuring every child has the opportunity to attend college. Founded in 2000, IDEA has grown from a small school with just 150 students to an extensive, multi-state network serving over 80,000 college-bound students across 143 schools in Texas, Florida, and Ohio. Known for its rigorous academic standards and impressive national rankings, including The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report's top high schools lists, IDEA is committed to making a college education accessible and achievable for all of its graduates. The organization values a culture of integrity, respect, belonging, and relentless pursuit of ambitious goals to support student success. Being a part of IDEA means joining a vibrant team and family environment where collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and dedication to the mission of preparing students for college are at the forefront.

The Cafeteria Manager role within IDEA Public Schools plays a crucial part in supporting the district's mission to become one of the healthiest school districts in the nation. Reporting directly at the campus level, the Cafeteria Manager leads the Child Nutrition Program (CNP) team in ensuring that all meals served meet the rigorous food and nutrition standards established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and relevant state agencies. This leadership position involves overseeing the procurement, preparation, and timely service of meals aligned with school schedules, while also ensuring compliance with IDEA's Wellness Policy and all local and state health codes.

Compensation for the Cafeteria Manager role is competitive, with an hourly wage ranging from $15.00 per hour for individuals with no prior experience to $17.25 per hour for more experienced candidates. IDEA offers a comprehensive benefits package that supports employees' medical, dental, and vision needs, along with additional perks such as paid family leave, tuition reimbursement, mental health services, and generous vacation time.

The primary responsibilities of the Cafeteria Manager include financial management of cafeteria operations, coordinating with campus leaders to support the College For All mission, and ensuring the delivery of nutritious, appealing meals that comply with federal and state standards. The manager recruits, develops, and supervises cafeteria staff including assistant managers and food service specialists, fostering a professional work environment that emphasizes training, teamwork, and continuous improvement. A key focus is the management of meal participation rates, quality control, and maintaining exemplary audit standards with zero follow-up findings on internal inspections.

This role demands strong leadership skills, an aptitude for problem-solving, and a passion for promoting student health and wellness. The Cafe Manager serves as a key ambassador for the food program, engaging with the school community to encourage healthy eating, optimize meal participation, and uphold IDEA's commitment to excellence in student nutrition. The successful candidate will share IDEA's core values of mission focus, accountability, urgency, and continuous development, contributing to an environment where students and staff alike thrive in health and academic success.

Job Requirements

High school diploma required
2+ years in food service, restaurant, or hospitality industry required
1+ years having worked in a supervisory role or leading a team required
valid Texas driver's license required
valid Food Handler's Card preferred (willing to obtain within first 30 days)

Job Qualifications

High school diploma required, some college preferred
2+ years in food service, restaurant, or hospitality industry required
1+ years having worked in a supervisory role or leading a team required
valid Texas driver's license required
valid Food Handler's Card preferred (willing to obtain within first 30 days)

Job Duties

Direct the team to execute the approved menu 100 percent every day
ensure every student participating in the meal program takes a reimbursable meal
ensure all methods of counting and claiming are compliant
observe that counting and claiming is happening at time of service
check that all counts of student meals are accurate
enter all counts correctly into internal trackers and PrimeroEdge
recruit top notch Food Service Specialists and substitutes from the area
hold weekly employee huddles
review and submit employee timesheets every Tuesday
use the Staff Development Cycle to provide formal, timely and appropriate feedback on individual work performance and growth opportunities
develop Cafeteria Assistant Manager with goal of preparing them for potential promotion
develop Food Service Specialists with leadership potential into candidates for promotion
ensure each meal is delivered on time and serving lines are ready and fully stocked for all meal periods
conduct and coordinate Breakfast in the Class audits with a target compliance accuracy of 100 percent
prepare all recipes as designed by HQ Child Nutrition Program and report recipe/menu errors and suggested enhancements to the Nutrition Team
ensure all menu items are available to all students
create a welcoming and friendly environment in cafeteria, kitchen and at each point of service
execute recipes and follow food storage best practices to ensure items have desired taste and are served at proper temperatures
follow best practices for presenting menus and promoting participation
use campus parent functions to speak to parents about the advantages of participating in meal program
refer to the Healthy Kids Here self-assessment checklist for recommendations and techniques
promote more consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables through food preparation and display
rotate milk to ensure freshest product is available
decorate the serving line with signage that provides nutritional information
implement and maintain salad bar to College Prep students where approved
follow designated menu every day and do not serve items outside advertised menu
follow established policies and procedures for a food service operation per state guidelines
track changes in compliance and internal policies and implement as needed
correct issues identified as non-compliant
reach out to HQ Child Nutrition Program for guidance in finance, nutrition, and operations
complete food production records daily
maintain high level of conduct, professionalism and behaviors as models for colleagues and students