Job Description

Posting number: 26-SC129-07

Department: Human Services Department

Job classification: Cook Supervising

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Food Services, Human Services

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of injustice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oakland's Human Services Department, Early Childhood and Family Services Division

Are you searching for a fulfilling career that allows you to make a difference and have a positive impact on the local community? Look no further! The City of Oakland's Human Services Department, Early Childhood and Family Services Division, is seeking highly skilled individuals to join our team as a Cook Supervising. Come join a dynamic team of enthusiastic professionals dedicated to providing important services to a community with a rich history. You'll work with great colleagues in the Early Childhood and Family Services Division who are fiercely passionate about public service and community.

We are looking for someone who is:

• A strong leader with team-building skills You will supervise kitchen staff, delegate responsibilities, and promote a positive and productive work environment.
• Passionate about food quality and consistency You will ensure all meals are prepared according to established recipes, quality standards, and presentation guidelines.
• Committed to food safety and sanitation. You will oversee compliance with health regulations and ensure proper food handling and storage practices.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented. You will coordinate kitchen operations, manage inventory, and maintain efficient workflows throughout meal service.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment. You will balance multiple priorities, adapt to changing demands, and ensure timely meal preparation.
• An excellent communicator and has strong interpersonal skills. You will collaborate with staff, management, and other departments to support smooth daily operations.
• Dependable and accountable. You will play a key role in maintaining kitchen standards, monitoring performance, and ensuring operational excellence.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Overseeing daily kitchen operations and ensuring meals are prepared, stored, and served safely and efficiently for large groups.
• Supervising, training, and scheduling kitchen staff, providing guidance on food preparation, sanitation, safety procedures, and customer service.
• Maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local food-service regulations, including nutrition standards and food safety requirements.
• Managing food inventory, monitoring supply levels, and maintaining accurate records of purchases, usage, and expenditures.
• Ensuring kitchen equipment, utensils, and work areas are properly cleaned, maintained, and operated according to health and safety standards.
• Preparing reports, tracking operational data, and using computer applications to maintain records and support program administration.
• Working collaboratively with staff, vendors, and program personnel to ensure timely meal service and effective food-service operations.

Read the complete job description by clicking this link City of Oakland -Cook Supervising

*Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland!

Working for the City of Oakland

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You enjoy leading a dedicated team and helping drive innovative, community-focused work.
• You enjoy working with colleagues who take pride in uplifting Oakland as a dynamic, forward-thinking, and vibrant community.
• You enjoy bringing fresh perspectives and being empowered to turn great ideas into real impact.
• Food, culture, and community inspire you — and you’re excited to help carry that forward.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You will need to work hard to meet early morning production deadlines.
• You will need to rely on teamwork and adapt plans as needed when deliveries are late or incomplete.
• You will need to demonstrate exceptional attention to detail.

Competencies Required:

• Allocating Resources: Prioritizing the use of fiscal and material resources to maximize organizational effectiveness
  
• Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectations of customers
  
• Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
• Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results
• Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
• Managing Performance: Ensuring superior individual and group performance
• Mathematical Facility: Performing computations and solving mathematical problems
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Reading Comprehension: Understanding and using written information
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing

Qualifications

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.

This is a public contact position. The City highly encourages all bilingual candidates to apply! Some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Under the authority of Civil Service Rules Section 5.03, if a position requires bilingual language skills, only those candidates who have indicated they are bilingual in the required language(s) will be referred. Bilingual candidates will be required to successfully pass a language proficiency test if selected for hire.

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable:

Education:

High school diploma or equivalent. Coursework or training in culinary arts or food service is highly desirable.

Experience:

Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in ordering, preparing, cooking, and serving meals in a large institution, large commercial, or hotel kitchen. Previous lead or supervisory experience is highly desirable.

License or Certificate / Other Requirements

California Food Handler Certificate: Incumbents must obtain a California Food Handler card from an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited training provider that meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International E2659-09 Standard Practice for Certificate Programs within 30 days of the date of hire. The California Food Handler card must be maintained throughout the tenure of employment.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Must be at least eighteen years of age.

Must pass a thorough background investigation

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with USDA Child Nutrition Programs
• Bilingual

Supplemental information

The Recruitment Process:

20250813132238_Recruitment Process.png

The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the “minimum qualifications” listed for each position.

Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas.

Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications.

In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final.

For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to the job simulation exercise (sometimes referred to as a performance exam) (100%). The tentative date of the performance exam is the week of August 24, 2026.

Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it: https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Request-for-Reasonable-Accommodation-in-Testing-2.9.22-Fillable.pdf Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Christina Dennis at cdennis@oaklandca.gov.

Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you’re applying to a “restricted” posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass.

The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

What’s in it for you?

• 15 paid holidays
• Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
• Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
• Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
• Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
• Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
• Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.

*Benefits described here do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found here: Working for Oakland | City of Oakland, CA

Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.

Disaster Service Workers

All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

How to Apply

Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at:

http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca

If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).

Our online application system is provided by GovernmentJobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact GovernmentJobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Christina Dennis at cdennis@oaklandca.gov.