DREAMING OUT LOUD INC is hiring: Culinary Production Manager in Washington

Job Title: Culinary Production Manager

FLSA Status: Full-time, Exempt

Reports to: Food Hub Director

Work Location: Requires regular travel to various indoor and outdoor worksites throughout DC

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Dreaming Out Loud’s mission is to create economic opportunities for the DC metro region’s marginalized community members through building a healthy, equitable food system. Dreaming Out Loud is rebuilding urban, community-based food systems through social enterprise, helping to increase access to healthy food and improve community health, develop low-income entrepreneurs and cooperatives, and train at-risk adult residents for sustainable, family-supporting wages.

D.R.E.A.M. ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Dreaming Out Loud’s Ready for Entrepreneurship Accelerator Modules (D.R.E.A.M.) Entrepreneurship Program is a cohort program that provides a multi-session curriculum and end-to-end support to low-income and socially disadvantaged food entrepreneurs.

The Culinary Production Manager will work with the Food Hub Director and senior organizational leaders to nurture and grow the ecosystem of support that provides the program graduates (DREAMERS) with access to the human, financial, and social capital needed to create economic opportunity for themselves and their communities.

CULINARY PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The DREAM Culinary Program was created, in part, to become the extension of the DREAM Entrepreneurship Program in seeking, refining, and matching DREAM Entrepreneurship culinary talent to income-producing opportunities for our DREAMERS who successfully meet the requirements of our program. DOL continuously vets community partners for culinary opportunities in catering, pop-ups, corporate, community outreach, etc., for providing varied income streams for our DREAMERS.

The DREAM Culinary Program is also tasked with supporting DOL’s Ecosystem in creating value-added products for distribution via DOL’s Food Hub and other retail and wholesale markets. This involves new product development, scaling, production, manufacturing, testing, packaging, etc.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Staff Management

1. Assist in maintaining the personnel structure and staffing level to accomplish the goals of DOL’s Emergency meal relief, value-added food production, and CSA produce distribution efforts.
2. Assist Food Hub Director with overseeing staff, creating work plans, monitoring staff performance, providing coaching, and taking disciplinary actions, as necessary.
3. Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to document revised and newly created practices, policies, processes, and procedures, as requested.

Food Production

1. Collaborate with senior leadership to develop production, distribution, and marketing plans for DOL-branded products.
2. Support expansion of in-house production opportunities.
3. Complete in-house production duties, as needed (e.g., cut fruit, product packaging, etc.).
4. Connect DREAM Culinary Program participants with career opportunities.
5. Develop plans to reduce total waste across the food distribution enterprise.
6. Rotate and replenish supply and raw material inventory.
7. Collaborate with the Market Manager on ordering and purchasing.
8. Supervise a production crew.
9. Conduct site visits and consult with the sales team to ensure transport, merchandising, and customer satisfaction are optimal.
10. Attend scheduled meetings as necessary.

Compliance

1. Ensure that DOL food production services and distribution workers are appropriately certified and/or licensed, trained, and able to safely perform their duties.
2. Remain adept in applicable laws, rules, and regulations relating to proper food handling, sanitation, safety, SOPs, preparation techniques, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Program (HACCP) and other related topics; communicate requirements to staff orally and/or in writing as appropriate; monitor operations to ensure staff compliance at various DOL food production and distribution sites.
3. Support the creation of systems for monitoring food quality and safety, operational efficiency, and financial accountability of DOL’s distribution operations.
4. Contribute to and positively build community partnerships pertinent to DOL’s mission.
5. Ensure that records are kept in case of a food recall, work injury, or other situation that may require investigation.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

1. At least 3 years of commercial kitchen or restaurant experience (cooking, inventory, managing kitchen personnel and food resources).
2. Experience in a leadership and/or management role.
3. Commitment to the advancement of marginalized communities in the district.
4. Love of fruits and vegetables in their natural state. Keen knowledge of seasonality and willingness to expand knowledge of food.
5. Partial or full completion of a culinary degree or training program (e.g., AS in Culinary Arts).
6. Servsafe Certification or other Standard Industry Food Handling Certification.
7. Proficiency in Google Suite and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
8. Ability to lead, delegate to, and coach others.
9. High attention to detail and personal accountability for completing assignments/duties against work deadlines.
10. Ability to juggle multiple responsibilities and maintain a demeanor of a team player in a very fluid environment.
11. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with all stakeholders.
12. Driver's license and ability to travel to DOL’s multiple food distribution sites when required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Moderate to heavy physical work required such as lifting, bending, pushing, pulling, and/or carrying up to 50 lbs.
2. Food preparation will require standing for long periods and use of various kitchen tools.

COMPENSATION:

The annual salary range is $70,000 to $75,000 based on experience and qualifications. This position is eligible to receive benefits.

DOL provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, DOL complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the organization has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.