Food Service Worker Leader

Summary

Nutrition and Food Service at VA Hudson Valley seeks a Food Service Worker Leader for food production and service at the Montrose VA Medical Center. The role leads Wage Grade staff in food service and production units, using judgment to plan and organize work. The leader must understand all types of diets, including modified and combination diets.

Duties

• Training: Responsible for training Food Service employees in the Food Service and Production Section.
• Trains lower grade employees and provides on-the-job training of new Food Service and Production employees as requested by the immediate supervisor.
• Trains lower grade employees in safe food handling practices, utilizing programs training programs approved by the FDA Food Code, i.e.
• Trains new employees in departmental standard operating procedures.
• Trains in continuing and new education in food safety, service techniques, customer service and Nutrition and Food Service policy.
• Utilizes various training media to deliver necessary training.
• Leading Work: Encourages and coordinates employees to fully utilize their time and to fulfill their assigned tasks in an efficient and satisfactory manner.
• Works with employees in planning and organizing duties to accomplish work objectives and foster a team effort.
• Makes necessary adjustments when there are unforeseen circumstances that may change the staff needs and methods of the operational needs of the service.
• Checks work while in progress and when finished to see whether the instructions on work sequence, procedures, methods and deadlines have been met by lower-grade employees.
• Maintains a wide knowledge of food service operations, is capable of performing all lower graded tasks.
• Ensures a safe clean area to work and working climate where employees function efficiently and effectively.
• Embodies the concepts of customer service and emphasize its importance with employees in the performance of an individual's duty.
• Performs duties of lower grade food service workers if staffing requires.
• Assists and participates in quality improvement projects assigned from the immediate supervisor.
• Communicates significant day-to-day events to the immediate supervisor and receives instructions should changes in established procedures and policies change.
• Ensures all areas of responsibility are clean and orderly and are left that way at the end of tour of duty.
• Follows up on sanitation inspection action items.
• Assures proper food handling techniques are used and good personal hygiene is used according to established policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with the Food Service Supervisors.
• Leads food production and delivery activities in the absence of a Supervisor or Food Production Manager.
• Participates and works with the section's supervisors in obtaining needed information and in decision-making to resolve problems that arise within the service and/or have a significant impact with established policies and procedures.
• Identifies existing or potential safety hazards and promptly notifies the immediate supervisor.
• Takes appropriate action by following established policies and procedures and reports to the immediate supervisor if an employee injury occurs on the job.
• Ensures that all equipment and/or tools are operated in a safe manner.
• Participates in various quality improvement projects such as test tray evaluations, safety and sanitation inspections and/or other projects as assigned.
• Serves as backup timekeeper for the site and maintains service record cards for all employees.
• Posts employees time and attendance on a daily basis utilizing VA computerized timekeeping software.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor.
• Work Schedule: 6am to 2:30pm; 10:30am-7:00pm Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker Leader/PD99918-A Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved.
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

Selective Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Complete all application requirements detailed in the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received. Narrative responses are not required at this time.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. For more information on the “Who may apply” eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement.

Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

• Documents Required: Resume Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Other (1) PCS Orders Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
• Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
• Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
• Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
• Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
• Applications are accepted online.
• Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.