The Kitchen Assistant Manager works in a commercial kitchen located on the NOLS Rocky Mountain campus in Lander, Wyoming. Alongside the Kitchen Manager, they plan, create, and serve delicious and nutritionally balanced meals to students and faculty. During the busier summer months, they take on a leadership role supporting several seasonal kitchen assistants. This position presents the opportunity to work on a team, create meals catered to diverse needs, learn new cooking techniques, and get creative! 

Key Logistical Information:

• Applicants must have legal working rights in the United States.

• Start date: May or June 2024

• Questions? Please email katie_craig@nols.edu

What does the Kitchen Assistant Manager do?

As the Kitchen Assistant Manager, you'll work on a small close-knit kitchen team as part of the bigger Rocky Mountain campus operations team. You’ll be involved in the following: 

• Contribute to the efficient and productive operations in a commercial kitchen and adjacent dining room.

• Work as a shift cook and supervisor to prepare and serve meals to 10-75 people. 

• Work with the Kitchen Manager to plan menus, purchase food and supplies, and schedule shifts according to the campus operating calendar.

• Assist in training and supervising temporary and seasonal Kitchen Assistants.

• Ensure proper handling of food to avoid cross-contact of allergens.

• Cater to a range of dietary needs with care and excellence.

• Clean all food service areas at the end of each shift. This includes sweeping, mopping, dishes, and sanitizing surfaces in the kitchen, dining room, BBQ area, and storage areas.

• Promote practices that seek to reduce waste, reuse items, and recycle as much as possible.

What makes a great Kitchen Assistant Manager at NOLS Rocky Mountain? 

We are looking for people who share our values and are keen to learn and develop their expertise. We are looking for candidates with the skills listed below. We expect to provide training and development support in some of the areas.

• Experience, education, and/or interest in food service and kitchen management, especially for large groups and for people with food allergies and other dietary needs. 

• Positive, friendly approach to student service. 

• Supervisory and communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate needs and receive/provide thoughtful, timely feedback.

• Able to work independently and as part of a team in meal planning and preparation of meals.

• Ability to work early mornings and weekends

• Ability to adhere to a budget and keep track of receipts and purchases. 

• Committed to serving people with special dietary needs (e.g. Celiacs, vegan, peanut allergy) with care and excellence. 

• Able to lift and carry 50+ lbs (items such as bags of flour, full pots, and boxes of produce).

• Able to work while standing for extended periods of time, and able to function well in a variety of outdoor conditions (e.g. grilling outside on a hot summer afternoon).

• Committed to obtaining and maintaining food safety training through ServeSafe (this is a paid online training).

Who are we and what can we offer you?

NOLS is a nonprofit global wilderness school that seeks to help people step forward boldly as a leader.

We believe that anyone can be a leader; it is our role to provide the environment and training to help people discover their full potential. We do that in classrooms close to home and in remote wilderness areas around the world. We are an organization with heart, expertise, and wildness, and these qualities help us support powerful, authentic experiences.

NOLS really is a great place to work:

• We have locations in seven U.S. states, and six countries; and courses in all 50 U.S. states and over 10 countries.

• We have fantastic employee discounts on top outdoor gear brands

• We offer discounts on NOLS Courses for you and your family

• All employees can benefit from free outdoor equipment rentals at our various locations

• Insurance Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision benefits are available at a special NOLS rate to seasonal employees. 

• Wellness Time: Accrued leave that may be used for many HR-approved reasons throughout the season.

• Employee Assistance Program: Access to counselors that are available 24/7 to assist employees with work-life balance concerns.

Next steps

To apply for this position, click the "Start your application" button at the top of this screen to get started. You'll be asked a couple of questions about your interest in this position, and you'll be prompted to upload your resume.

The Applied platform also asks some demographic questions before you start your application. We at NOLS never see the responses to these demographic questions with your application. We only see summary statistics to help us check if our candidate pool is balanced and if everyone has an equal chance to get hired irrespective of their background. If you prefer, you can easily opt out of answering these questions.

Additional Information

Pre-Employment Check

• A criminal background check is required from all NOLS employees.

• NOLS participates in E-verify for U.S. employees, and other relevant employment verification systems based on location. Applicants must have legal working rights in the United States.

• Current NOLS employees please note it is NOLS policy to conduct an internal reference check with human resources and/or your current supervisor as part of the reference check process. If you have any questions or concerns about this process please contact peopleteam@nols.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity

NOLS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetics information, disability unrelated to job or admission requirements, or status as a protected veteran. The school’s nondiscrimination policy applies to all phases of its employment process, its admission and financial aid programs, and to all other aspects of its educational programs and activities. Retaliation directed to any person who pursues a discrimination complaint or grievance, participates in a discrimination investigation, or otherwise opposes unlawful discrimination is prohibited.

Reasonable Accommodation

NOLS values community and fosters a sense of belonging for our employees and applicants. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations in the workplace because they embody these values, as well as our operating principle of promoting a positive, safe, and learning environment. Reasonable accommodations may be requested for disability; limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition; religion; and domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or harassment. Reasonable accommodations may be requested at any point of the employment process, including during recruitment. Please email peopleteam@nols.edu with your request.