Under direction of the Director of Nutrition Services, organize, coordinate, and direct menu development, procurement, distribution and planning of meals for child nutrition programs, maximizing the usage of surplus commodities; serve as a technical resource in matters of production, inventory, food cost and recipe development; monitor nutritional compliance, standards and federal regulations; performs nutritional analysis of recipes and food product specifications to develop and plan menus; schedules tests and recommends foods and related products for purchase; provides technical guidance regarding various food service activities to ensure compliance with Federal/State nutrition program requirements; and performs other related duties as assigned.

The typical duties and employment standards are representative of positions within this classification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties of the specific position.

Plans, coordinates, develops, reviews, and maintains multiple menus (including those requiring special diets) and their production records to ensure accuracy and compliance with Federal, State, and County regulatory agencies.

Orders food, beverages, commodities, and related supplies using nutritional inventory software; monitors the inventory management process.

Conducts nutritional analysis, researches, and analyzes data regarding nutritional adequacy to assure compliance with government regulations.

Maintains nutrient analysis software and standardized recipe development programs.

Assists with the development of standardized recipes, compiles specification sheets, and enters nutritional data into assigned software.

Recommends and implements specifications and quality control procedures used to test new foods and related products prior to purchasing.

Meets with food vendors and brokers to find new items for menus which meet state and federal nutritional guidelines; makes recommendations on the purchasing of new foods and related products and conducts tests to ensure conformance with original samples.

Monitors District food service programs to ensure adherence to federal and state nutritional requirements and maintains appropriate records.

Assists in identifying nutritional needs, developing and implementing goals, objectives, policies and procurement timelines for the Nutrition Services Department.

Assists in the preparation of nutritional guidelines and standards and prepares related documentation for inclusion in bid specifications, requests for bid pricing and quotations for food and supplies; assists in preparing bid documents for submission; reviews bid recommendations and provides input on selection.

Works within established budget in planning nutritional program during each scheduled school year.

Maintain portion and cost controls utilizing surplus commodities and prepares requisitions regarding new food items and related supplies based upon cost projections.

Resolves complaints received on product quality or delivery service to schools, District warehouse, or central production kitchen.

Coordinates USDA food recalls and communicates with appropriate parties to maximize student safety; reports biological, physical, and/or chemical contamination of products to USDA and vendors.

Uses approved formulas to determine if new products are compatible with meal cost limitations and may recommend selling prices.

Assists in planning, developing, and conducting in-service training programs for food service employees and others.

Works with students, teachers, food service personnel, vendors, and others in developing and introducing new foods and related products.

Develops and facilitates nutrition surveys and needs assessments to assure the direction of the food and nutrition programs are on schedule.

Maintains knowledge of current trends and innovations occurring in food service.

Operates a computer, copier, scanner, and other standard office equipment.

Performs other duties and assigned

The Nutrition Services Specialist reports to the Director, Nutrition Services and plans, develops, and analyzes menus and recipes to ensure compliance with federal nutrition program requirements. Organizes and coordinates the procurement of food and related supplies. Acts as technical resource on matters of nutrition, providing technical guidance regarding various food service activities, and maintains nutrient analysis software and district standard recipe development. The Nutrition Services Area Supervisor reports to the Director, Nutrition Services and plans, organizes, and directs the operation of a major departmental facility (such as a central production kitchen or the nutrition warehouse) and a number of school site kitchens within an area of the District. Analyzes information and provides input to the Director regarding workloads, staffing, scheduling, equipment needs, storage, food costs, participation and other nutrition service operations. The Nutrition Services Production Manager reports to the Nutrition Services Area Supervisor and oversees the operation of a central production kitchen facility, including a school site. Incumbents also serve as head production cook and supervises the preparation, packaging and distribution of food items to all assigned satellite sites. The Nutrition Services Site Manager II reports to a Nutrition Services Area Supervisor and coordinates, manages and participates in the food service operation at a middle (non-production) school site kitchen facility. The Manager I and II are distinguished by the latter having a greater number of food programs, employees to manage, entrees served, and points of service (e.g. a la carte stations, food windows etc). In addition, the cash handling for the Manager II is much greater (multiple cash terminals) and food ordering is more complex. The Nutrition Services Site Manager I reports to a Nutrition Food Services Area Supervisor and coordinates, manages and participates in the food service operation at an elementary or K-8 (non- production) school site kitchen facility.

Knowledge of: Principles of nutrition, nutritive value of foods, and dietary guidelines; Federal and state regulations pertaining to child nutrition school programs, nutritional needs of school aged children, substitutions, portion control and container sizes; menu planning; commodity purchasing, processing, and procurement principles, practices, and procedures; quality and quantity food selection, large-scale food preparation and production, including menu and recipe development and analysis; food testing methodology and equipment; methods and principles for training employees, students, and/or parents, correct utilization of food preparation equipment; health, sanitation and safety regulations and practices relating to cooking, storage and serving food; personal computer operations and food technology software; record-keeping procedures; basic mathematics; oral and written communication skills.

Ability to: Organize and monitor the ordering, receiving and distribution process of food related supplies; understand the implementation and preparation functions of a standardized recipe; learn, interpret, apply and explain nutrition services policies and procedures, menu development, inventory, production records and ordering; procure food, supplies and services economically, efficiently, and in accordance with established policies, procedures and guidelines; meet schedules and timelines; plan, prioritize, organize and schedule work; make mathematical calculations; establish cooperative working relationships and rapport with administrators, faculty, students, vendors, and others; analyze and test data; conceptualize and implement new product ideas; operate a computer and learn to utilize specific nutrition program financial and inventory software; prepare and maintain complex records accurately; work independently with little direction and constant interruptions; operate commercial kitchen equipment.

Essential Physical Activities and Work Environment: Sufficient stamina to stand, walk, climb, kneel, reach, twist, crouch, squat, balance and bend in the performance of food service functions; sufficient physical ability to lift, carry, transport, push, or pull moderately heavy objects up to 50 lbs. without assistance and up to 100 lbs. with assistance; sufficient finger dexterity to operate kitchen/office equipment and grasp, push, and pull heavy equipment and objects (e.g. food and serving carts, storage racks, materials, supplies, etc.); sufficient stamina to occasionally perform moderate to heavy manual labor; sufficient hearing and speaking to give and receive instructions; and vision sufficient to observe work areas and read fine print. Work is performed in a central food service production facility and/or food service warehouse and incumbents are exposed to temperature extremes, sharp objects, chemicals, and occasionally outdoor environments; mobility sufficient to drive to assigned District sites to review, inspect and conduct work. Generally the job requires 70% sitting, 15% walking, and 15% standing.

Typical Background: Any combination of training and experience that demonstrates the knowledge and abilities to perform the typical duties. 

A usual way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be graduation from high school or recognized equivalency, preferably supplemented by course work in nutrition and procurement, and four (4) years’ experience in food service or institutional food management involving planning and preparation of food in large quantity, including two (2) years of increasingly responsible technical experience in the field of nutrition, including responsibility involving nutritional and feeding programs for children.  

An Associate’s Degree of higher with coursework in Nutrition and/or Dietetics from an accredited college or university is highly desirable.

Licenses and/or Certificates: Possession of a valid Class C California driver’s license. Valid State of California Servsafe Certificate. May be required to obtain job-related certificates after appointment.

Qualifications: In order to be considered qualified for a vacancy in this classification, a candidate must possess the required background and successfully demonstrate such background, knowledge, skills and abilities through an examination process.

Established 05/01/2016 CS Approved by Personnel Commission on 05/19/2016 Revised 10/2022-AL; Approved by Personnel Commission on 10/27/2022