Summary:

Talbot House Ministries was established as a place of hope for people who had lost hope: the hungry, the homeless, and the poor. Planting the seeds of hope is something we do with everyone who comes through our doors. We are hiring for the 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday & Sunday shift. The Support Services Professional/Cook is responsible for managing the routines, rules, and policies of Talbot House Ministries Center for Women & Children. We serve a population who may be experiencing homelessness due to substance abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, family disruption, legal issues, or other types of traumas. Grounded in the principles of trauma‑informed care, this role supports each individual with empathy, consistency, and respect—helping them build trust, regain stability, and move toward a renewed sense of hope and possibility. As the Support Services Professional/Cook, you will also be responsible for cooking and serving our residents and guests nutritious meals daily. Must have creativity and the ability to menu plan and think on your feet. Must also have prior knowledge in full-service restaurant kitchen procedures, safety, and cleaning standards and hold a food handlers' certification. The ability to delegate and coach is a plus. This position is part of the Emergency Response Team and is expected to be available on-site during weather-related emergency situations (e.g., tropical storms, hurricanes). In the event of a weather-related emergency, you will report to the Director of the Center for Women and Children for specific instructions. Special circumstances will need to be approved by your immediate supervisor.

Core Responsibilities/Essential Functions:

• Contacts local law enforcement and EMS in cases of emergencies.
• Writes incident reports, and data entry for required statistical record-keeping.
• Completes shift report documenting incidents, meal usage, medical incidents and more
• Follows the procedures outlined in the 24-hour building schedule.
• Provides information to the public and assists donors and volunteers accordingly.
• Ensure resident work details are completed and staffed at all times.
• Assists in the janitorial upkeep of the facility as needed.
• Completes multiple facility and perimeter rounds to ensure compliance with Talbot House Ministries policies and procedures.

Ensure food preparation areas are clean and hygienic. Washes utensils and dishes and store them properly after use. Sorts, stores, rotates, all donated ingredients using the FIFO system. Preps and cooks various donated food items. Cleans and sanitizes equipment, floors, kitchen tools, and kitchen area. Works with the Food Service Manager to streamline kitchen procedures. Coaches and teaches residents in delivering quality food in a clean, safe, and sanitary environment. Prepares meals in consideration of varying health and cultural needs of our residents. Conducts daily temperature checks of coolers and freezers and logs results to ensure proper operation. Assists as necessary with food pantry distribution, receipt of donations, and inventory.

• Performs other duties that may be assigned.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Client (Guest/Resident)

Satisfaction:

Level of satisfaction among residents and guests regarding the quality of services provided, staff support, resources, and overall experience when entering the shelter.

Employee Efficiency:

Time taken to complete tasks or projects. Incident reports completed within time frame, shift reports completed daily, office supplies monitored and stocked.

Cost Efficiency:

Ensure best practices are followed to monitor Operations budget.

Monitor usage of supplies:

cleaning, maintenance, facility operations to prevent waste and loss.

Operational Efficiency:

Communicate to Food Service Manager any equipment issues, food outages, or supplies. Produce appropriate amount of food to reduce waste: obtain previous day's number of meals served from Food Service Manager or Shift Supervisor Maintain THM standards: Only use fresh products; adhere to food freshness standards as posted in Kitchen.

Menu Development:

Research and introduce new menu items based on frequently obtained food donations.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively with residents, guests, other social service and public service personnel as well as the general public, maintaining a professional demeanor.
• Prioritize and work under a high-stress environment/crisis management.
• Attention to detail and self-motivated; able to work with limited supervision or no supervision and make appropriate decisions.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Demonstrates respectable boundaries and work ethic.
• Walking/standing for most of the duration of shift.
• Must be flexible to cover any shift any day, including holiday coverage, emergency situations, and call-offs.

Ability to safely and effectively operate standard food service equipment. Must be able to understand, read, and speak English. Adaptability. Planning, problem-solving, and teamwork. High energy level.

Education and Background:

• High School Diploma or equivalent (Experience commensurate with education considered).
• Basic computer skills required.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Must hold a food handlers' certification, ServSafe, or have successfully completed a sanitation course within the past year. Minimum 1 year of restaurant, hospital, or institutional cooking experience to include food preparation.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to remain in a stationary position 25-50 percent of the time.
• Ability to move throughout the work area to access equipment.
• Ability to position self to maintain and operate equipment.
• Ability to operate kitchen equipment, computer, and other office and kitchen machinery.
• Ability to observe details at close range, communicate and exchange accurate information and express oneself so others will understand.
• Ability to position self to maintain files and operate equipment.
• Ability to move and transport items weighing 30 pounds alone and up to 100 pounds with assistance.
• Ability to ascend/descend a ladder.

All positions at Talbot House Ministries require mandatory ongoing training and every employee is required to be available for all scheduled training. In addition, employee attendance is required at all mandatory staff meetings.

Pay:

$17.00 per hour

Experience:

restaurant, institutional, or hospital cooking: 1 year (Required)

License/Certification:

Food Handler Certification (Required)

Work Location:

In person