Preservation Assistant

Job Description: Preservation Assistant 

A full-time, hourly-paid position. 40 hours per week. 10 days of accrued vacation annually. 

Our most important function is as a ministry. People come FIRST. No matter what task is at hand, we do everything in our power to make a place for everyone. We stop and listen, we pray, we help encourage gifts, skills, and purpose. We foster relationships with people where they are, whether it is in abundance or in a crisis. 

Our vision comes down to the basics of the early church: “We all have a need, we all have something to give. If we all share what we have, we all have what we need.” 

Job Description 

As the Preservation Assistant, you will contribute to the development, operations, and capacity building of the Grace Klein Community Food Preservation Initiative, where we transform rescued and bulk surplus food into nutritious meals, reducing food waste and feeding food-insecure individuals. You will coordinate with internal teams, volunteers, chefs, and community partners to ensure smooth operations and promote food preservation education. 

Key Responsibilities 

1. Develop and maintain food safety protocols, inventory systems, and recipe documentation procedures. 
2. Coordinate with FeedBHM’s food rescue team to schedule timely delivery of appropriate food for kitchen use. 
3. Assist with mitigating food waste on all levels, including farmer food and compost.  
4. Collaborate with chefs, culinary schools, and food professionals to create meals using rescued food. 
5. Recruit, train, and manage kitchen volunteers, ensuring adherence to safety and hygiene guidelines. 
6. Plan and execute batch cooking days and events to maximize rescued food use. 
7. Build systems to evaluate kitchen workflow, volunteer feedback, and recipe quality for continuous improvement. 
8. Educate the community on food preservation through workshops, social media, and printed/digital materials. 
9. Create and maintain a recipe library featuring affordable and nutritious meals using common surplus ingredients. 
10. Develop take-home preservation kits and DIY meal resources for families in the FeedBHM network. 
11. Track metrics related to meals prepared, food volume rescued, and volunteer hours. 
12. Maintain compliance with health regulations and organizational policies. 
13. Maintain cleanliness and organization.  
14. Support expansion efforts such as mobile kitchens or additional kitchen sites. 
15. Represent the Food Preservation Initiative at community events or partner engagements. 
16. Assist in creating donor and grant reports related to initiative operations and outcomes. 
17. Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications 

• Experience in kitchen management, culinary arts, or food service operations is strongly preferred. 
• Familiarity with food safety practices and nutritional guidelines. 
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills. 
• Experience training and leading volunteers or teams. 
• Comfortable using digital tools for inventory tracking, scheduling, and documentation. 
• Comfortable with the handling of all types of perishable produce.  
• Passion for food justice, waste reduction, and community empowerment. 

Notes 

• The position reports to the Sustainability Liaison. 
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds as needed. 
• Flexibility to work evenings or weekends for cooking days or events is required. 
• Strong initiative and adaptability are essential for developing and scaling kitchen operations.