Job Overview

You can find a full job description here 

Job Purpose

• To manage a compliant and efficient school catering service in line with agreed standards.
• Ensuring the catering service contributes effectively to the general health and wellbeing of children and young people including provision of special diets and nutritional requirements, in an appealing and sustainable manner.

Statutory Responsibilities

• Active engagement, participation and compliance with any other statutory responsibilities applicable to the role, as amended from time to time.

Job Specific Outcomes

Leadership

• Develop school menus in consultation with the designated food provider as well as feedback from children and young people to ensure meals are appetising, nutritious, and complementing to any specific dietary needs such as gluten free, vegan.
• Recruit, train and retain staff ensuring they are suitably qualified and competent to complete catering duties in a school environment.
• Undertake management actions such as: sickness, annual leave, conducting return to work interviews and referring staff to the Occupational Health Service where necessary, training, performance management including carrying out the connect performance process and HR processes.
• Deliver services within allocated budget, providing value for money services which meet the school needs and customer (children and young people) requirements whilst identifying and implementing innovative solutions to reduce costs, including calculating and comparing costs for required goods or services, and planning for future service developments.
• Stakeholder engagement including teachers, parents, children and young people and elected Members to ensure all feedback is captured and considered for the delivery of school catering services which contribute to children and young people being fit and ready and learn whilst not exceeding available resources.

Governance

• Education lead for food safety compliance and environmental health management including policy writing and training of staff to ensure children and young people safety as well as legal compliance.
• Carry out all work in line with safeguarding guidance (including Keeping Children Safe in Education) and the schools safeguarding policies.

People management

Manage all the catering assets to ensure they are fit for purpose and replaced as and when required in line with capital replacement programme. Ensure catering environments are fit for purpose and operating safely and efficiently.

Qualifications

• Level 5 management or equivalent senior experience in a catering management role.
• Level 4 Food Hygiene and Safety or equivalent experience.

Knowledge

Essential

• Thorough knowledge of creating and implementing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements.
• Training methodologies to ensure staff are compliant in food safety and other appropriate qualifications.
• Understanding of all applicable laws and regulations.

Desirable

• Experience with cook chill methodology, IPAC (Infection Prevention and Control) requirements.

Technical Work Based Skills

Essential

• Good understanding of a large kitchen environment with multi-site management requirement 

Desirable

• A good working knowledge of IT systems

General skills / attributes

Essential

• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders across the organisation.
• Ability to communicate with impact - excellent verbal and listening skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills able to build relationships internally and externally.
• Able to demonstrate an innovative approach in providing cost effective solution

Desirable

Ability and proven track record to generate revenue

Experience

• Evidence of 5 years’ senior catering management experience, to include managing a team.

Personal Attributes

• Up to date with mandatory training.
• Aware of safeguarding procedures and protocols for both adults and children.