Program Associate Trainee at Food For Education

Position Overview

The Associate Trainee – Program is a 6-month entry-level position within the Decentralized operations team. This role offers a structured learning pathway designed to develop the skills, mindset, and leadership qualities required for future county-level program and operational management roles.

The trainees will be expected to:

• Support and lead one or more Field Program Officers to drive operational excellence in assigned kitchens.
• Learn and apply best practices in report writing, data tracking, and performance metric analysis.
• Identify and resolve on-ground operational issues in a timely and sustainable manner.
• Gain exposure to and understand the unique challenges across various kitchen environments and regions.

This role is designed to equip you with hands-on experience, leadership development, and the foundational knowledge needed for a long-term career in program operations within decentralized teams.

Trainees will:

• Be exposed to kitchen operations oversight, data monitoring, production planning, and team leadership support.
• Participate in weekly training sessions covering analytical tools, Lean/Kaizen methods, SOP compliance, and financial planning.
• Complete weekly assessments to track progress and readiness for the Associate role.
• Upon successful completion and evaluation, trainees may be promoted to Program Associate, based on performance and organizational needs.

Key Responsibilities

Learning and Operational Exposure

• Shadow Program Analysts and Associates to gain hands-on experience in kitchen performance review, data analytics, and operational troubleshooting.
• Assist in analyzing daily meal production data, flagging inconsistencies or deviations in Looker/Tableau under supervision.
• Support the implementation of SOPs and learn to conduct compliance checks.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations across a designated number of kitchens, ensuring adherence to set guidelines for meal preparation, hygiene, and food safety.
• Provide support to kitchen teams to resolve operational challenges and ensure consistent execution of daily meal plans.
• Monitor meal production and consumption data, ensuring kitchens meet daily targets and quality standards.
• Support the enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for food safety, hygiene, and meal production in all kitchens.
• Conduct regular spot checks on kitchens to ensure compliance with program guidelines, Assist in identifying areas of non-compliance and work with kitchen teams to implement corrective measures..

Reporting

• Assist in collecting operational data from kitchens and Field Associates, ensuring data accuracy and timeliness.
• Prepare and submit reports to the Program Analyst on kitchen performance, meal production, and any operational challenges encountered

Team Collaboration and Communication

• Work with Program Associates to understand county team structures, performance management approaches, and internal reporting expectations.
• Support coordination of feedback loops between kitchens, regional teams, and compliance functions.
• Coordinate and distribute tasks to Field Associates to ensure all kitchens are visited and monitored regularly.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for Field Associates, providing operational guidance and addressing any issues they escalate.
• Supervise and provide guidance to a team of Field Associates, ensuring they effectively support kitchen teams within their assigned areas.
• Assist in building and maintaining relationships with local authorities and community leaders to foster collaboration and program support.
• Act as the first point of contact for any operational issues that arise at kitchen sites, escalating them to the Program Analyst if necessary.
• Monitor the resolution of any problems, ensuring that corrective actions are implemented and sustained.

 Financial Planning Exposure

• Learn the basics of kitchen budgeting, purchase scheduling, and cost-per-meal analysis.
• Support budget justification processes and review sample quotations with guidance.

Training and Assessments

• Attend all scheduled weekly training sessions led by the Regional Program team and Operations leads.
• Complete weekly practical and theoretical assessments on operational workflows, data analysis, financial tracking, and leadership readiness.
• Reflect and document key learnings throughout the program.
• Support the training of kitchen staff and Field Associates to enhance their skills in operational excellence, food safety, and data management.
• Help organize and facilitate capacity-building workshops for kitchen teams, ensuring they are up to date with the latest procedures and guidelines.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a current employee at Food for Education.
• Demonstrated strong performance in current role, especially in kitchen-level operations and team coordination.
• Strong interest in growing into a leadership role within the Program team.
• Basic proficiency in digital tools such as Excel, Google Sheets, or Looker.
• Proven commitment to F4E’s values: excellence, ownership, continuous improvement, and curiosity.