Apply By: Monday, January 26, 2026 11:59 pm EST

Food Services Officer

Job ID:239718

Posting status: Open

Organization: Ministry of the Solicitor General

Division: Kenora Jail Food Services

City:  Kenora

Position(s) language: English

Job term: 1 Temporary (irregular, on-call up to 6 months with possible extension)

Job code:  C50214 - Cook 2 (COR)

Salary: $25.62 - $27.70 Per hour*
*Indicates the salary listed as per the OPSEU Collective Agreement.

Apply now

Accessibility support

Are you an experienced food service professional ready to apply your skills in a large volume cooking operation? If so, bring your culinary expertise to this position at the Kenora Jail with the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

Please note:
• This position is irregularly scheduled, on-call working from 0 to 40 hours per week with no guaranteed minimum amount of hours per week
• This position requires working with and providing direction to inmate helpers (and will be eligible for an Custodial Responsibility Allowance)

About the job

• Prepare, cook and serve meals for an offender population of approximately 260 and staff on an assigned shift
• Train, instruct, and supervise offender helpers
• Check temperatures and ensure equipment is functioning properly
• Ensure safety and security of the kitchen
• Maintain an inventory of supplies
• Maintain proper sanitary conditions in the kitchen area

Discover more about our work locations and opportunities by clicking Opportunity Overview. Although the meal schedule is consistent, our menus are diverse and tailored to meet various dietary needs.
Discover more about the Food Service Officer role and the working environment at Kenora Jail in our 1-hour online Job Preview Information Session on Wednesday, January 21 at 12 PM. Click Job Preview Information Session to register. Attendance is voluntary and will not affect your candidacy. We look forward to seeing you there!

What you bring to the team

Mandatory requirements

• You have a Journeyman Chef's Certificate as issued by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, or sufficient acceptable experience in volume cooking
• You have a valid First Aid and Heartsaver Certificate or the ability to obtain

Food Services Knowledge and Skills

• You have knowledge of general and volume cooking/baking methods and procedures
• You have experience with food preparation and storage procedures/methods
• You have knowledge of portion control standards
• You have experience preparing a variety of foods and restricted diets
• You know food safety practices and proper use of kitchen equipment
• You understand and can apply health and safety practices and standards (such as Occupational Health and Safety Act, WHMIS, Public Health Act, Health Protection and Promotion Act, Sanitation Code for Canada's Food Industry, etc.)
• You have demonstrated ability to understand and follow organizational policies/protocols in order to acquire knowledge of institutional policies and maintain safety and security of kitchen

Communication Skills

• You can provide instruction and direction to kitchen helpers and inmate helpers in cooking methods and kitchen cleanliness and appraise performance
• You have demonstrated tact and diplomacy to work with staff, inmate helpers, and service providers to address issues
• You have written communication skills to prepare various reports

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills

• You have analytical and problem-solving skills to identify, assess, and resolve workplace hazards, equipment malfunctions, and food service issues

Don't meet every qualification?

If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!

How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer  accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please  contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

Additional information:

Apply by:

Monday, January 26, 2026 11:59 pm EST

Position details:

• 1 English Temporary - Irregular On-Call, duration up to 6 months, 1430 River Dr, Kenora, North Region, Vulnerable Sector Check, Credit History Check, Local Police Databases Search

Compensation group:

Ontario Public Service Employees Union

Work hours:

Schedule 4-7

Category:

Corrections and Enforcement

Posted on:

Monday, January 12, 2026

Note:

• About security checks:
  A criminal or other federal offence record does not automatically disqualify you from the position. We consider each situation based on the position's responsibilities.
  If a check is needed and you've lived outside of Canada in the past 5 years for 6 or more months in a row, or if you are not a Canadian resident, you'll need to provide an out-of-country police clearance certificate from the country you lived in.
  Employment screening checks are only reviewed and evaluated by the Transition and Security Office, which also maintains them and keeps them strictly confidential.
• The information that you provide for the purpose of this competition and the results from this competition may be used to fill other positions. These positions may be of various tenures including short-term assignments. Your information and the results from this competition will be retained for the purpose of filling vacancies in accordance with the applicable collective agreement or policy provisions.
• Employees working in congregate living settings may be required to provide proof they are fully vaccinated, meaning they are fully vaccinated as defined by the Ministry of Health (refer to: COVID-19 Fully Vaccinated Status in Ontario), including 14 calendar days have passed since receiving their final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Furthermore, employees working in congregate living settings may be required to undergo regular rapid antigen testing, regardless of vaccination status, as determined by the Employer.

How to apply:

1. You must apply online.
2. Your cover letter and resume combined should not exceed five (5) pages. For tips and tools on how to write a concise cover letter and resume, review the Writing a Cover Letter and Resume: Tips, Tools and Resources.
3. Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements for this job. We rely on the information you provide to us.
4. Read the job description to make sure you understand this job.
5. OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.
6. If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please Contact Us to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team will contact you within 48 hours.

Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.

Strengthening Ontario, together

Apply now