Cafeteria Worker

Role Overview

The Cafeteria Worker is tasked with preparing and serving food for the school community while adhering strictly to the School Food and Nutrition Policy. Daily interaction with students and pre-primary children from diverse backgrounds requires upholding respect, confidentiality, and dignity for every individual. This role demands initiative and alignment with the School Lunch Program values, focusing on promoting healthy eating, food equity, and the use of local, minimally processed products. Operating efficiently in a fast-paced school environment, the Cafeteria Worker reports to the Lead Cafeteria Worker.

Key Duties

• Maintain daily logs including temperature checks, cleaning activities, and records of food quantities prepared, consumed, and composted.
• Place orders with approved food and supply vendors as needed.
• Engage positively with students during meal service without judging their food choices.
• Consistently follow food safety standards.
• Perform food preparation and serving tasks.
• Carry out kitchen responsibilities including dishwashing, compost and waste removal, cleaning, restocking, and organizing workspaces.
• Serve students quickly, efficiently, and courteously.
• Foster effective communication and teamwork within the school environment.
• Comply with the School Food and Nutrition Policy and menu guidelines for Nova Scotia Public Schools.
• Support recycling initiatives within the school.
• Undertake additional duties as assigned.
• Delivery role responsibilities include transporting cafeteria orders to neighboring schools based on the food service model.

Qualifications and Competencies

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Basic Food Safety Training is mandatory and can be provided during orientation.
• Preferred experience or training in food service.
• Awareness of food allergies and related conditions.
• Physical ability to perform tasks requiring walking, standing for extended periods, and lifting weights up to 50 pounds in environments with temperature fluctuations.
• Strong communication skills with capability to comprehend written and verbal directions.
• Excellent interpersonal abilities to interact with diverse student populations in a fast-moving setting.
• Commitment to food equity and non-stigmatizing food access.
• Client service orientation promoting high-quality frontline customer interaction.
• Knowledge of race relations, cross-cultural issues, human rights, and diversity.
• Effective teamwork and communication skills within the broader education community including staff, students, parents, and external partners.
• Upholds confidentiality standards.

Additional Information

This job is classified under the Education Entities Non-Union Compensation Framework at Band 1 with a salary range from $37,939 to $47,423 annually. Employment depends on satisfactory Criminal Records Check with Vulnerable Sector and Child Abuse Registry searches.

The Halifax Regional Centre for Education strives to create a diverse and inclusive workforce and strongly encourages applications from people of African Nova Scotian, African Canadian, African ancestry, Mi’kmaw/Indigenous ancestry, and other under-represented groups. Accommodations during recruitment are available upon request. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.