CJT Instructor

Description

About Second Helpings At Second Helpings, we envision a community where everyone has enough nourishing food and ample opportunities to thrive. Our mission is to address hunger today and build self-sufficiency to prevent hunger tomorrow.? Founded in 1998 by three chefs, Second Helpings remains true to its core mission while the ability to serve our community has continued to grow. To date we have rescued nearly 55 million pounds of food and distributed nearly 21 million meals through our 200 + area partners.? The Second Helpings building is a vibrant and active one, fostering a collaborative work environment. The organization relies on a steady and dedicated volunteer corps that is in the building during most open hours, and it sees present and former culinary job training students coming and going regularly. Food and food culture are ever-present.?

JOB SUMMARY

The Culinary Job Training instructor serves as a teacher and role model, teaching key foodservice industry skills and preparing students for jobs upon graduation. Works with the Job Training Executive Chef ensuring that the necessary supplies and equipment are available, and the cleanliness of the training kitchen, classroom, coolers, and freezer.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assist in developing and implementing all culinary job-training procedures and curriculum. Keep abreast of culinary and employment trends for preparing the culinary job training students for the workplace.
• Interview applicants and choose enrollees in cooperation with the Culinary Job Training Manager, Executive Chef and Chief Program Officer.
• Use a variety of teaching techniques to prepare students for above-entry level positions in the culinary field. Ensure that the students are supervised at all times.
• Communicate regularly with the Culinary Job Training team to address student barriers. Identify and solve behavior or performance problems daily as they occur in the classroom.
• Participate in supervising students on field trips and off-site learning activities. Participate in Second Helpings fundraising activities.
• Work with the Employment Specialist and Manager of Culinary Job Training to place all graduates in employment upon graduation. Network, develop and maintain relationships in the community that aid the Training Department and graduate placement.
• Assist in recruiting and scheduling guest instructors and off-site student experiences.
• Ensure all kitchen and food handling procedures are followed.
• Follow grading criteria and evaluate each student weekly.
• Assign and collect assignments as well as maintain an up-to-date gradebook.
• Teach ServSafe® Food Safety certification course to Culinary Job Training students, graduates, and the public as scheduled by Second Helpings.
• Recruit applicants for the program using speaking engagements and personal connections where possible.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Customer Service: Responds promptly to customer needs and resolves conflict appropriately; solicits customer feedback to improve service; treats others with respect; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments; communicates effectively.
• Teamwork: Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views; gives and welcomes constructive feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of team above own interests; supports everyone’s efforts to succeed by assisting colleagues willingly and by meeting own commitments; able to build morale and group commitments to reach goals and objectives.
• Reliability: Keeps absenteeism and tardiness to a minimum; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; manages time effectively to meet schedules.

Requirements

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma required. Culinary education or degree preferred or relevant experience.
• Must be able to successfully complete ServSafe® certified food handling instructor program.
• Computer literate – able to understand and use databases, the Internet, Word, and Excel.
• Professional knowledge of theories, principles and practices of food service management.
• Experience in food service preparation, administration and training, sanitation and nutrition.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

• Must possess good communication skills and have the ability to give easy to follow, unambiguous directions. Must have a demonstrated ability to work well with people of all backgrounds, cultural groups and economic levels. Must be genuinely interested in human services and advancing others to their full potential. Multilingual a plus.
• Must have persuasive leadership skills and possess extreme patience and persistence. Must be compassionate, yet able to command respect and maintain discipline, responding to all behavior and performance issues quickly and appropriately.
• Should enjoy working with, getting to know, and mentoring others, yet have the ability to work independently. Needs to work well under pressure, have initiative, and have the ability to stay organized while multi-tasking. Must enjoy routine yet respond quickly to change.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

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 stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear and taste or smell.
• The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of the job, the employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and/or extreme heat.
• The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes, flame, airborne particles, moving mechanical parts, and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

Second Helpings embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Second Helpings maintains a policy that Equal Employment Opportunities be available to all persons without regard to race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, genetic information, and any other legally protected status. The organization does not discriminate in any aspect of employment based on any of these characteristics.?

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. ?We are unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of any employment visa at this time.

Second Helpings is proud to be a certified Good Wages employer.? This is an hourly non-exempt position with a compensation of $26/hour. The position will initially begin at 30 hours/week and is benefits eligible.

?Applications accepted through 9:00 AM Monday November 23, 2026.