Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, Inc. (HACAP) is a diverse, community-focused nonprofit dedicated to empowering and improving the lives of families living with the everyday barriers of poverty.

What we are proud to offer you:

• Health and Dental Insurance
• Retirement Savings (IPERS and/or 403(b))
• Paid time off and 9 company paid holidays
• Short Term Disability after 1 year of employment
• Basic Life and AD&D coverage
• Employee Assistance Program
• Optional benefits: Flexible Spending, Long Term Disability, Voluntary Life and Voluntary Accident, Vision

POSITION GOAL

 The Cook is responsible for food preparation for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)/Head Start. 

SCHEDULE AND WAGE

Monday-Friday 8:00 am- 4:00 pm; $12.82

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Ensure compliance, program records, and documentation required for HACAP programs, child-care licensing regulations, CACFP, Head Start Performance Standards, Head Start Act, and funding requirements.
2. Follows Food Service Establishment Food Codes, CACFP, and DHS standards and HACAP policies and procedures regarding the maintenance of a sanitary and organized kitchen, including food storage procedures, and health, sanitation and safety practices in the preparation of food.
3. Is responsible for food preparation according to provided menus, including special diets, using standardized recipes and quantity cooking techniques as well as commercially prepared foods.
4. Is responsible for ensuring that mealtimes are observed with food being served on time and at the proper temperature.
5. Follows the menu change approval process and make appropriate documentation.
6. Is responsible for the accuracy and promptness of all required reports and records as assigned, including daily production forms and on-going inventory.
7. Shares in the responsibility of food requisitioning and the purchasing process.
8. Receives deliveries and reconciles delivery invoices.
9. Participate in program assessments.
10. Provides child ratio coverage in the classroom on an emergency basis to meet state licensing and/or federal compliance regulations.
11. Performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

EXPECTATIONS

1. Support the organization's mission, vision, values, policy, and procedure by exhibiting the following behaviors: excellence and competence, collaboration, innovation, respect personalization, commitment to our community, and accountability and ownership.
2. Demonstrates a personal commitment to HACAP through quality job performance, a sense of responsibility for high achievement, professional appearance, awareness of current events throughout HACAP, and positive promotion of HACAP.
3. Consistently work in a positive and cooperative manner with fellow Team Members.
4. Consistently demonstrate the ability to respond to changing situations in a flexible manner in order to meet current needs, such as reprioritizing work as necessary.
5. Consistently come to work on time, working as scheduled, and leaving at the scheduled time.
6. Maintain appropriate attire and good grooming habits to support HACAP’s desire for safe and efficient operations, providing greater service and better customer relations.
7. Must possess high integrity and ensure confidentiality of any information concerning an employee, client, family, financial condition, or personal peculiarities is strictly maintained.
8. Ensure that personal health information is protected during its collection, use, disclosure, storage, and destruction within HACAP as required by HIPAA.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

1. High School Diploma or GED, or working towards obtaining GED.
2. One year of food service experience.

Skills

1. Ability to read, comprehend and implement procedures;
2. Ability to use good judgment;
3. Ability to work independently as well as part of a team;
4. Ability to work with a diverse population;
5. Ability to relate to low-income people;
6. Strong organizational skills;
7. Ability to work effectively with age-appropriate activities in the classroom and relate with children in a positive way;
8. Detail orientated.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, feel, and grasp; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally use the repetitive wrist, hand, and finger movements to operate a computer keyboard. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, stoop, bend, kneel, squat, twist, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally climb stairs or steps. The employee is occasionally required to sit and taste or smell. The employee must be able to work/play with children on their level, specifically on the floor level. The employee must regularly lift, move, push, or pull up to 10 pounds; frequently lift, move, push, or pull up to 25 pounds; and occasionally lift, move, push or pull up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

1. Receive clearance by the Iowa Department of Human Services on child abuse and criminal checks prior to hire and resubmit every two (2) years.

2. Receive clearance through National FBI fingerprint checks. Fingerprints must be submitted for national check prior to hire or start date at the center.  Resubmit every four (4) years.

1. Pass a pre-employment health examination and subsequent health examinations every two (2) years thereafter.
2. Provide TB screening clearance upon hire and every two (2) years thereafter.
3. Complete Bloodborne Pathogen (Universal Precautions) within ten (10) days of employment and update annually.
4. Complete ServSafe online Food Handler Certificate of Achievement within ten (10) days of employment and update every three (3) years.
5. Complete Child Abuse Mandatory Reporting Training within three (3) months of employment and update every two (2) years.
6. Obtain first aid training within three (3) months of employment and update every two (2) years.
7. Obtain CPR training within three (3) months of employment and update every two (2) years. Complete CCDBG Essentials training within ninety (90) days of employment and update every five (5) years.
8. Attend a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of in-service training annually.
9. Training activities must be accomplished within work hours scheduled or training hours approved by HACAP.
10. Paid time and mileage calculated from the nearest HACAP service site to the population cluster to be served by the employee or from the employee’s residence whichever is nearer.