Jessica DeFossett
Brookville,IN
Summary
Proven leader in the food service industry, adept at driving significant improvements in customer satisfaction and operational efficiency at Franklin County School Corporation. Skilled in strategic planning and staff leadership, I increased employee engagement and reduced costs by optimizing inventory management. My approach blends strong problem-solving abilities with effective staff training, fostering a culture of excellence and teamwork.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Food Service Director
Franklin County School Corporation
10.2023 - Current
- Maintained high standards of cleanliness and sanitation, ensuring compliance with all health department regulations.
- Managed budgets effectively, controlling costs through efficient inventory management.
- Oversaw operations in the kitchen, ensuring timely meal preparation and delivery for busy dining periods.
- Monitored food quality and freshness during all stages of preparation, storage, and service to ensure consistently excellent dining experiences for customers.
- Developed strategies for minimizing waste during food preparation processes by utilizing proper portioning techniques and reusing ingredients when appropriate.
- Increased employee engagement by fostering positive relationships among team members and addressing concerns proactively.
- Optimized workflow processes by analyzing data on staff performance, customer feedback, and sales trends to make informed decisions about staffing levels and work schedules.
- Conducted regular performance evaluations for food service employees, promoting professional growth and development opportunities.
- Maintained sound financial footing by overseeing department profit, loss and budgeting.
- Provided ongoing mentorship and coaching to kitchen staff members, fostering professional growth while maintaining a positive workplace environment.
- Designed creative menus that catered to various dietary needs while maintaining an appealing aesthetic for clients.
- Achieved cost savings by negotiating contracts with suppliers, reducing food waste, and streamlining operations when possible.
- Purchased food and cultivated strong vendor relationships.
- Monitored and adjusted pricing, discounts and promotions to maximize profitability.
Bus Driver
Franklin County School Corporation
09.2013 - Current
- Kept bus interiors clean and tidy to provide comfortable passenger environments.
- Completed pre- and post-trip bus inspections for safe passenger transportation.
- Maintained a clean and sanitary bus interior by regularly inspecting for cleanliness, removing trash, and reporting necessary repairs to management.
- Operated bus and navigation equipment in alignment with company safety, DOT, and local traffic standards and regulations.
- Adhered to scheduled routes and accomplished timely drop-offs and pick-ups to comply with preset route criteria.
- Transported passengers safely along prescribed routes according to tight schedules.
- Conducted pre-trip inspections of bus for safe operation.
- Acted calmly, productively and professionally under pressure for helpful emergency response.
- Ensured timely arrivals and departures by strictly adhering to schedules and effectively managing unforeseen circumstances.
- Communicated regularly with central dispatch teams to report delays and route changes.
High School Cafeteria Manager
Franklin County School Corporation
08.2022 - 10.2023
- Managed and motivated employees to be productive and engaged in work.
- Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
- Maintained professional, organized, and safe environment for employees and patrons.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
- Resolved staff member conflicts, actively listening to concerns and finding appropriate middle ground.
- Maximized performance by monitoring daily activities and mentoring team members.
- Onboarded new employees with training and new hire documentation.
- Cross-trained existing employees to maximize team agility and performance.
- Improved safety procedures to create safe working conditions for workers.
- Launched new products and services with thorough market research, leading to increased revenue growth.
Cafeteria Staff Member
Franklin County School Corporation
09.2013 - 10.2018
- Prepared meal that where homemade and healthy
- Ran register
- Was the back up Manager
- Did Inventory
Education
Associates - Hospitality
IVY TECH
Muncie, IN12.2024
Skills
- Ordering and Purchasing
- Staff Training and Development
- Sanitation Standards
- Staff Leadership
- Food Safety Compliance
- Strategic Planning
- Staff Supervision
- Meal Planning
- Inventory Management
- Quality Assurance
- Sales Planning
- Employee Scheduling
- Facility Management
- Policy Implementation
- Menu development
- Process Improvements
- Waste Reduction
- Recipe creation
- Nutrition knowledge
- Portion Control
- Cost Control
- Portioning
- Process updates
- Policy Development
- HACCP Protocols
- Customer Service
- Problem-Solving
- Reliable and Responsible
- Collaboration and Teamwork
- Critical Thinking
- Team Leadership
- Money Handling
- Safe Food Handling
- Calm and Pleasant Demeanor
- Delegating Assignments and Tasks
- Work Planning and Prioritization
- Supply Ordering and Management
- Monitoring Food Preparation
- Coaching and Mentoring
- Conflict Resolution
- Recruitment and hiring
- Customer Retention
- Purchasing
- Menu Pricing and Writing
- Labor and Overhead Cost Estimation
Certification
ServSafe Certified
6 Sigma Green Belt Certified
Timeline
Food Service Director
Franklin County School Corporation
10.2023 - Current
High School Cafeteria Manager
Franklin County School Corporation
08.2022 - 10.2023
Bus Driver
Franklin County School Corporation
09.2013 - Current
Cafeteria Staff Member
Franklin County School Corporation
09.2013 - 10.2018
Associates - Hospitality
IVY TECH
ServSafe Certified
6 Sigma Green Belt Certified
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