Food & Life Skills Manager
What We Do
YESS is a not-for-profit agency working with youth facing difficult realities. Based in Edmonton, our Youth Support Centre provides immediate and low-barrier 24/7 sleep support and individualized wrap-around supports for young people aged 15 -24.

We work collaboratively within a network of care, focused on the prevention of youth homelessness by providing youth with the necessary supports to stabilize their housing, improve their wellbeing, build life skills, connect with community, and avoid re-entry into homelessness.

We are committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to cultivating an environment where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported. YESS is an equal chance employer and always strives to ensure all employment decisions are grounded in equity, fairness, and merit.

What You Will Do
Reporting to the Chief Programs Officer, the Food & Life Skills Manager leads YESS' food services and practical life-skills programming. The role ensures safe, reliable, nutritious, and culturally responsive meals while using cooking, budgeting, cleaning, hospitality, and shared responsibilities to build youth confidence, capability, and readiness for adulthood.

Hours of Work: Full-Time, onsite, 40 hours per week as assigned, with flexibility for operational needs.

Key Responsibilities
Program Leadership & Service Excellence
Provide leadership, direction, and accountability for YESS' Food & Life Skills programming across approved service locations
Develop operating plans, schedules, budgets, service standards, and measurable outcomes aligned with organizational priorities
Ensure programming is trauma-informed, youth-centered, culturally responsive, accessible, and developmentally appropriate

Food Services, Safety & Resource Stewardship
Ensure reliable access to safe, nutritious, high-quality, and culturally responsive meals, including dietary and allergy accommodations
Oversee menus, food production, service, hospitality, sanitation, receiving, storage, inventory, procurement, equipment, and continuity planning
Maintain compliance, required records, inspection readiness, corrective actions, facilities coordination, and escalation under AHS,



food-safety, OHS, WHMIS, privacy, and agency requirements
Manage the approved budget, purchasing, vendors, inventory, donations, cost per meal, waste, spoilage, and sustainability opportunities

Life Skills, Youth Development & Employment Pathways
Develop structured learning in cooking, nutrition, grocery budgeting, food safety, cleaning, household routines, hospitality, and shared responsibility
Use supported practice to assess and document demonstrated capability, not attendance alone
Coordinate culturally responsive cooking, certifications, and work-preparation activities with staff, volunteers, cultural knowledge holders, and partners
Connect demonstrated skills and youth interests to career exploration, placements, internships, references, and employment opportunities

Staff, Volunteer & Partnership Leadership
Recruit, onboard, schedule, supervise, coach, and evaluate Kitchen Staff and other assigned team members
Set expectations for safety, daily kitchen leadership, youth engagement, documentation, teamwork, boundaries, hospitality, and resource stewardship
Develop a coordinated volunteer and partnership model with clear orientation, safeguards, supervision, recognition, and mission-aligned relationships

Integration, Data & Continuous Improvement
Coordinate with Safety & Stabilization, Wellness, and Transition & Follow-Up so food, household skills, certifications, and employment activities support one youth-owned plan
Ensure accurate, timely documentation of programs, services, competencies, certifications, volunteer contributions, inventory, incidents, and corrective actions
Use data, youth feedback, staff observations, and accessibility information to improve quality and report to leadership, funders, auditors, and accreditors

Key Outcomes
Reliable, safe, nutritious,



culturally responsive food service with consistent safety, sanitation, and dietary-accommodation standards
Increased youth capability in cooking, budgeting, household routines, hospitality, certifications, and employment readiness
Strong staff capability, operational continuity, responsible resource stewardship, accurate documentation, and youth-informed improvement

Core Competencies & Expectations
Demonstrates integrity and confidentiality; communicates clearly and respectfully; delivers results; provides compassionate service; applies sound judgment; and fosters teamwork while valuing diverse perspectives.

Qualifications & Experience
Diploma, degree, or recognized credential in Culinary Arts, Food Service Management, Nutrition, Hospitality, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and substantial relevant experience may be considered.
2+ years of progressively responsible food-service, community-food, or hospitality experience, including staff leadership in a commercial, community, or high-volume kitchen
Experience with practical training, menu planning, food production, food safety, inventory, procurement, cost control, budgets, vendors, records, and operational reporting.
Knowledge of food insecurity, youth homelessness, trauma-informed practice, cultural responsiveness, accessibility, and barriers to adulthood; youth-service, volunteer, CARF, or Red Seal experience is an asset

What You Bring
Current recognized Food Safety certification and robust knowledge of Alberta public-health requirements, Occupational Health and Safety legislation, and WHMIS
Valid Alberta Class 5 driver's licence, driver's abstract, proof of vehicle insurance, and clear PIC and CIRC checks obtained within the last six months
Ability to safely lift up to 50 pounds and work around common kitchen hazards; First Aid, ASIST, NVCI or TCI, and trauma-informed-care training are assets

YESS is an equal opportunity employer, committed to an inclusive and safe work environment for people of all backgrounds.

We thank all applicants for your interest; however, only those shortlisted will be contacted.

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📌 Food & Life Skills Manager (Alberta)
🏢 Yess
📍 Alberta