Alzar School is seeking an energetic Director of Community Food to support the school’s meal preparation and daily operations.  This involves building and improving menus, ordering food, managing a budget, putting food orders away, preparing meals, and organizing food for expeditions. 

The successful candidate will have a proven professional track record, including work leading similar organizations or companies (such as managing a restaurant or institutional food program). Exceptional candidates will have experience working with and around teenagers, commercial food preparation and catering to large crowds.

This is a dynamic and demanding position, important to the long-term success of the school.  As such, the Director of Community Food must be prepared to be a flexible, committed member of a team working to establish the school.  It is a full-time position.  There are periods of time when food service is not needed (generally November 15 to March 1), and the Director of Community Food could take time off or join Alzar School’s facilities team.

This position would start immediately (or as soon as a selected candidate is available, but ideally no later than March 1st, 2023) with an annual pre-tax salary that will likely range from $40,000 to $45,000, depending on experience.  As a full-time employee, there are several benefits available, including health insurance, retirement contributions, and stipends for professional development and cell phone plans. 

Roles at school:

The Director of Community food will have several roles at the school.  In general, they will support the efforts of the school’s larger faculty and staff team. As a rough estimate, of their efforts, the Director of Community Food will devote:

• 65% for food program coordination and daily food preparation.

• 10% for daily operations support.

• 15% for campus upkeep.

• 10% for office work (when classes aren’t in session)

Description of the Alzar programs:

Alzar School is a semester school for students in 10th and 11th grades, with typically 40-45 students in a semester.  Students are highly motivated teenagers who want to make a difference in the world.  Alzar School’s main campus is in Cascade, Idaho, but each semester includes the students and teaching faculty on an extended cultural immersion in Chile, approximately 6-7 weeks each semester (the Director of Community Food does not travel to Chile).  We accomplish our mission to ‘build leaders who positively impact the world’ through the intersection of academics, outdoor adventure, and cultural immersion.  As a school community, we value diverse experience, perspectives, identities, and skill sets. 

Additionally, Alzar Gap is a program for post-high school students.  Generally, these students spend most of their time off campus on expeditions, but there are short windows when the group stays (and eats) at the Idaho Campus.  These groups are smaller than our semester program, typically between 5 and 20 students at a time.

Lastly, Alzar School owns and operates Confluences River Expeditions (CRE), a commercial rafting company on the Main Salmon River.  CRE offers 5-6 day trips on the Salmon from June through August, and Alzar’s food team has supplied the food packing for those trips.  

Important Dates to Consider

Director of Community Food position begins as soon as filled.

Duties and responsibilities

The Director of Community Food will be expected to:

1. Articulate and understand the vision, mission, and goals of Alzar School.

2. Lead and supervise the food preparation team to execute breakfast, lunch and dinner for roughly 40-75 people. 

3. Complete food purchasing and packing for commercial raft company’s trips.

4. Recruit and hire additional kitchen staff to implement food service needs.

5. Have the ability to build and accurately execute recipes. 

6. Creatively contribute to and understand dietary restrictive menus (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free.)

7. Exude an understanding of healthy and responsibly sourced food. 

8. Maintain the highest standard of kitchen and facility cleanliness. 

9. Limit food waste.

10. Work cooperatively and respectfully with both staff and students. 

11. Build community through our overall food program.

12. Manage an annual budget and ordering of supplies, equipment and ingredients.

Membership in larger faculty

The Director of Community Food is responsible for working with the other faculty and staff of Alzar School to maintain a culture of learning and leadership development. 

The Director of Community Food will be expected to:

1. Maintain professional standards and to help develop constructive working relationships amongst other staff members.

2. Participate in department directors meetings, and join staff meetings when asked. 

3. Work in small groups of staff members to work on school improvement goals.

4. Train staff members with regards to the overall food program.

Membership in school community and larger community

The Director of Community Food will be a part of the larger Alzar School community.  First and foremost, they will act as an adult role model and mentor for the students.  They must behave in a manner that exemplifies the principles of the school.  

The Director of Community Food will be expected to:

1. Help maintain a school culture which takes account of the richness and diversity of the school’s communities.

2. Promote positive strategies for challenging prejudice and dealing with harassment.

3. Seek opportunities to invite parents, community figures, businesses or other organizations into the school to enhance and enrich the school and its value to the wider community.

Outdoor Skills and Competencies

Alzar School spends a significant portion of its time in the wilderness and front-country for adventure programming.  While the Director of Community Food will likely have no formal outdoor leadership responsibilities, they will help in the food preparation for these outdoor activities.  If a qualified candidate has previous trip leading experience, there may be opportunities for the Director of Community Food to infrequently join school expeditions.

Traits and Qualities

The Director of Community Food must be a dynamic, engaging, and self-motivated person.  They must be effective at working independently and in collaboration with other staff.

The Director of Community Food must have the ability to:

1. Use effective communication skills.

2. Spend and enjoy extended periods of time with youth in a variety of settings.

3. Self-manage.

4. Prioritize, plan and organize on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis.

5. Multi-task and work extremely efficiently. 

6. Work as part of a team, sharing responsibilities.

7. Lead a small team in the commercial kitchen.

8. Supervise faculty members during food-packing for expeditions.

9. Seek advice and support when necessary.

10. Work under pressure and to deadlines.

11. Maintain a sense of humor and positive attitude in the face of adversity.

Qualifications & Experience

The Director of Community Food shall possess and/or demonstrate:

1. At minimum, a high school degree.

2. Experience working in a commercial kitchen or catering to large crowds.

3. Experience engaging and working with teenagers.

4. Proficiency with computer software and applications, to include some of the following (but not limited to): `

1. All Google apps, including Docs and Sheets

2. Web browsers

Physical Requirements & Work Conditions

The Director of Community Food must be willing to work in a fast paced environment that requires physical agility and the ability to lift 45 lbs. They can expect extended and irregular hours some weeks out of the year.
 

Salary, Compensation, and Benefits

This position is a full-time, exempt salaried position, with an annual pre-tax salary that will likely range from $40,000 to $45,000, depending on experience.  As a full-time employee, there are several benefits available, including health insurance, retirement contributions, and stipends for professional development and cell phone plans.

To Apply

To apply for this position, please apply at https://forms.gle/JJDmuntac1vCJSd36