This position is located within the Nutrition & Food Service at the VA Medical Center in Topeka, Kansas. The primary purpose of this position is to perform and lead employees in food service operations including food handling, preparation, storage and delivery.

Duties

Duties are but not limited to: Food Service Worker - Deliver meal trays to the patients' bedsides and report the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian - Prepare beverages according to the number of servings required - Prepare fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts in specified quantities - Sort, wash, peel and cut cold foods using knives or other equipment - Provide assistance to cooks in the food preparation area, such as weigh, measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipes - Prepare uncooked food items, such as sandwich spread and salad dressings - Operate and break down and clean all equipment assigned to food service and related areas - Portion other food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware - Prepare boxed/to go meals - Make final check of diet trays assembled by lower grade workers for completeness, correct food temperatures - Verify that food items on the tray are appropriate for the prescribed diet - Identify obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu - Other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the Medial Center Leader Duties Leader duties are, but not limited to: - Communicates instructions and information about getting work started and accomplished to other employees - Communicates with supervisors, managers and employees about problems and events, and actively participates in the implementation of problem resolution after obtaining needed information or decisions from supervisors and/or managers. - Maintains a current knowledge, and answers questions of other workers on procedures, policies, written instructions, and other directives. - Leads the activities of the production and service areas. Leads food production activities in the absence of a Supervisor or Food Production Manager. May work along with employees so that proper work methods are demonstrated, and the pace of the work can be established and sustained. - Adheres to facility customer service standards with all staff and patient interactions. In the absence of a Supervisor, follows up on patient feedback as needed, to assure high quality patient/customer service is maintained. - Provides on the job training to lower graded food service workers and documents training provided. - Completes safety and sanitation inspection check lists of the food service and food production areas, documents problems, and initiates action to resolve them. This includes advising and communicating to employees' instructions for accomplishing corrective actions. - Reviews the daily work assignment sheets and makes adjustments in assignments and work sequence as necessary so that work coverage is provided, and employees are kept busy and productive. This involves setting priorities, possessing the knowledge about the number and types of employees needed, and knowledge about the materials and equipment required. - Assigns tasks to individual members of the group(s) of employees. - Checks work in progress and ensures that when finished it complies with instructions on work sequence, procedures (SOP's), quality, and deadlines. - Ensures that the food production and service areas are properly set up with all food and/or supplies in a timely manner to avoid delays in service. - Works food service positions as needed. Incumbent may receive food and supply deliveries when necessary. - Reviews diet changes prior to tray line, making appropriate adjustments on individual patient tray tickets. Performs final check of trays for proper temperature and accuracy as indicated on tray ticket. - Observes the daily activities and work performance of employees and provides information to supervisors for performance appraisals and other evaluations. Recommends training needs of employees and reports disciplinary problems. - Assures that safety regulations are being followed. Assists first line supervisors in completing accident reports. - Assures proper food handling techniques are used and all employees use good personal hygiene. Ensures sanitation policies and procedures are followed and all NFS work areas are clean and orderly at the end of the tour worked. - Communicates with supervisors leave requests made by employees. Coordinates coverage for unscheduled sick leave, emergency annual leave to ensure that the most essential and necessary work is accomplished in all areas of food production and service. Verifies attendance as needed. - Other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the Medial Center Leader Duties Work Schedule: Full-time - may be rotating, as Service operates 5a-7p. Expect night/weekend/holiday Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker Leader/PD99919S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/07/2023. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Dexterity and SafetyInterpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)Lead or SuperviseMaterialsTechnical PracticesUse and Maintain Tools and EquipmentWork Practices Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: The Work leader performs work requiring light to moderate physical effort. They may be required to perform heavy work, such as scouring and scrubbing large size cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts and trucks in unloading, storing, and delivering supplies. They are subject to continuous sitting, standing and walking, and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. They frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally lift or move objects weighing more than 40 pounds with the assistance of others. The work is performed in kitchen areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause uncomfortably high temperatures and humidity. The work area is well-lighted but usually noisy from food service activities, and there is danger of slipping on floors where food or beverages have been dropped. Food service workers are regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces, and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration or freezing units. May be unknowingly exposed to patients who have contagious disease.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Contacts

• Address VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System 2200 SW Gage Blvd Topeka, KS 66622 US
• Name: Travis Ware
• Phone: 816-861-4700 X51751
• Email: [email protected]