Cook

Role Responsibilities

Do you envision building strong communities where children and youth are valued, nurtured, and supported through nutritious food? Are you seeking opportunities to help provide nourishing meals for the community?

Be a part of a team that will enhance your experience and build your skills working together to develop nurturing and safe environments for children, youth, and families.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Cook at our Yellowhead Youth Centre (PCBC), reporting to the Cook Supervisor. The Cook plays a key role in creating a safe and therapeutic environment for youth through nutritious meal preparation. Being open to Indigenous Ways of Knowing and learning traditional recipes to help youth feel connected and part of their culture. 

As a Cook, you will thrive in a fast-paced setting, with responsibilities and knowledge that include:

• Preparing and planning meals for large group, special events (birthdays, discharge parties, holiday celebrations, etc.)
• Budgeting and ordering food and household supplies
• Managing food and supply inventories
• Maintaining the safety and cleanliness of the kitchen, including sanitation procedures
• Instructing clients on basic life skills, supervising them, and serving as a positive role model.
• Being a part of the Nourish program to incorporate Indigenous food creativity and nourishment in the center.
• Experience working with youth who have emotional needs and require guidance and support in food preparation.

Working with youth to cook favorite meals creates a home-like environment. You will be accountable for delivering safe, fresh, consistent, nutritious, and visually appealing meals to PCBC clients, preparing food for up to 30 people. Drawing on your culinary expertise and strong understanding of kitchen protocols, you’ll work within established kitchen policies and industry best practices. The role presents the challenge of providing these services in a highly dynamic environment, requiring the ability to supervise and collaborate with youth in the kitchen.

Please click on this LINK to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:  https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Drive for Results:  Identifies ways to exceed performance expectations. Sets and accomplishes goals and priorities to deliver outcomes consistent with Government direction, departmental objectives, and public expectations. Factors in the complexity of issues, and strategically aligns decisions and plans based on values, outcomes, and broader organizational needs.
• Creative Problem Solving:  Identifies several analytical techniques and sources of knowledge to break apart complex problems. Find ways to improve complex systems or structures to better meet goals and outcomes. Continuously engages others to scope and solve issues and find the best solutions. Encourages debate and idea generation from across the organization. Assesses and addresses risks while providing guidance to move new ideas forward.
• Agility:  Anticipates changing environmental demands and changes behavior accordingly. Remains calm and compose even in difficult or stressful situations. Is open to new or diverse ideas, and to doing things in a new way. Works creatively within policies and procedures to proactively meet goals.
• Systems Thinking:  Seeks to understand a range of stakeholder perspectives and how they interrelate.
• Develop Networks:  Makes an effort to have informal or casual contact with a range of colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. Build trust by being open to different perspectives while looking for long-term and mutually beneficial outcomes. Communicate regularly with stakeholders, setting up opportunities for mutual sharing of information.
• Build Collaborative Environments:  Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.
• Developing Self and Others:  A commitment to lifelong learning and the desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of yourself and others.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:  https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Qualifications

Requirements: A Journeyman level cook certification is required and 2 years related experience in methods and procedures used in the preparation and cooking of food. 

Equivalency:

• Some high school education and 6 years related cooking experience in a restaurant, institution, camp operation or other related area; OR
• Certificate in Cooking and 5 years related experience; OR
• Diploma in Cooking and 4 years related experience.

Assets:

• Red Seal Certification.
• Experience preparing indigenous traditional recipes.
• Experience in food service including food preparation for large groups.
• Sanitation procedures and the knowledge and ability to prepare and provide meals based on the Canada Food Guide.
• Experience working with emotionally troubled adolescents and the ability to supervise, instruct and apply appropriate safety requirements for the clients.
• First Aid Certificate.
• Food Safe Certificate
  
  

Candidates should also possess good communication and observation skills, the ability to work independently with little supervision, and skills in the use and care of household equipment and materials.  Candidates must be able to lift and move up to 50 lbs. Standard First Aid Certificate will be required.   

Children Services is committed to delivering culturally appropriate services to Indigenous populations and we encourage applications from Indigenous candidates.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Hours of Work:  Operational Needs – Casual Position

Location: Edmonton - PCBC

Final candidates will be required to undergo pre-employment screening including: an academic credential check, Intervention Record check, proof of valid driver’s license and provide a suitable security screening (Criminal Record check with vulnerable sector), A completed CRC with VS within 6 months at time of application is acceptable.  Additional pre-employment may be required dependent on location: medical, drivers abstract.  

Successful candidates must be prepared to complete and maintain training in Standard First Aid with CPR, suicide intervention, high-risk de-escalation and Indigenous cultural understanding.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. 

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
• Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) - https://www.mepp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.