General Summary

As part of our team in Multnomah County, the Program Assistant will assist in providing in-person lunch service and home delivery meal service at multiple locations. Daily duties vary based on county-wide and center specific needs.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

• Manage and oversee meal preparation, including ethnic meals and scratch cooking
• Assist with the preparation and delivery of meals to home-bound seniors, following all standards developed by Meals on Wheels People
  • Schedule volunteer drivers for daily routes
  • Maintain route books with accurate delivery information on MOW participants; adjust as needed
  • Follow up on home delivery participant concerns
  • Perform home delivery duties for routes lacking volunteer coverage
• Follow all Meals on Wheels People Food Service Manual procedures and Health Department regulations
• Supervise volunteers and assist with the recruitment, screening, registration, training, and recognition of volunteers
• Assist with responsive hunger relief services such as:
  • Supplemental meals for clients with food insecurity
  • Meal services for partnerships and contracts
  • Developing and preparing ethnic meals
  • Programming in response to isolation
• Maintain high sanitation and safety standards, following all regulations
• Complete all required assigned administrative tasks
• Learn Meals on Wheels People agency-wide events and fundraising initiatives
• Participate in in-service training and attend required meetings
• Support a positive, welcoming atmosphere for all participants and volunteers
• Support Meals on Wheels People, Inc's mission, vision, values, and strategic plan.

• Other duties as assigned

Education & Knowledge

• High School Diploma or Equivalent required
• Associate Degree or certification in Culinary Arts or Social Services preferred
• Valid Food Handler's Certification or ability to obtain within two weeks of hire
• Valid driver's license, auto insurance, and vehicle are required to perform job duties

Skills, Abilities & Experience

• Minimum one-year experience in food service, volume, and scratch cooking
• Language proficiency in English/Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Asian, or African languages is highly valued. Successfully passing a fluency exam in any of these languages qualifies candidates for an extra $1 per hour pay rate.
• Ability to work with, manage, and lead volunteers
• Effective organizational, record-keeping, time management, and multi-tasking skills, with a keen sense of setting priorities and being flexible to last-minute changes
• Ability to work in a team environment and effectively communicate with diverse populations, including minority, low-income, and persons with disabilities
• Strong ability to problem solve and implement solutions
• Strong and effective verbal and written communication skills
• Proficient in computer applications and MS Office, including, Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Ability to quickly learn new computer programs; experience with client data management systems a plus

Any satisfactory combination of experience, training and/or education which ensures the ability to perform the work may substitute for the above qualifications.

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

• Fast-paced kitchen environment, with significant people interaction
• Ability to lift a minimum of 50lbs and 20-30lbs repetitively
• Frequent reaching, bending, stooping, and grasping
• Frequent use of knives, cooking utensils, stove, oven, and other kitchen equipment.
• Candidate must successfully pass the Meals on Wheels People pre-employment screening.

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise; employment in this job is an "at will" employment relationship.