Canteen Assistant

Woden Community Service; Canberra; On-site; AUD 30,000 - 41,000; Part time

Job summary

Woden Community Service (WCS) is seeking a reliable Canteen Assistant to join our team. This part-time, casual-available role supports school-site canteens with food prep, service and high standards of hygiene.

You will work with the Canteen Coordinator, assist volunteers and help maintain a welcoming, safe canteen across our ACT sites. The role operates during school hours, term-time only, with location flexibility across our service sites.

Qualifications

• Experience in customer-facing roles is desirable.
• Understanding of basic food safety and WHS requirements.
• Good written documentation and record-keeping skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team and support volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Assist with food preparation and over-the-counter service with high customer service standards.
• Support daily canteen operations including rostering volunteers and reconciling delivery dockets.
• Maintain a clean, safe, hygienic canteen environment and equipment.
• Assist with stock control, receiving supplies and stocktakes.
• Follow food handling, safety, WHS and privacy requirements.
• Support training for new staff and volunteers and foster a positive workplace culture.
• Maintain canteen security, including money, keys and alarms.

Skills

Customer service

Food safety

Communication

Privacy/confidentiality

Job description

Location: Australian Capital Territory (ACT region)

Job Category: Canteen & Catering

Woden Community Service (WCS)is a for-purpose organisation that has been providing community-based services for over 50 years. Our vision of ‘A caring community where everyone belongs’ is achieved through our values of Inclusion, Compassion, Hope, Responsiveness, Integrity and Social Justice.

We deliver services across the ACT covering children, families, young people and seniors including housing and mental health services.

Job Description

We are currently seeking reliable and motivated Canteen Assistant to join our team. The position is primarily available for part-time basis; casual positions may be available. The location is flexible across our sites that we provide services to. This role is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operation of the canteen by assisting with food preparation, customer service and maintaining high standards of food safety, hygiene and cleanliness. The position involves working closely with the Canteen Coordinator, supporting volunteers, and ensuring a safe, welcoming and well-organised canteen environment for the school community.

This role is between school hours, and for school terms only.

Key responsibilities:

• Assist with food preparation and over-the-counter service while providing a high standard of customer service.
• Support daily canteen operations including rostering volunteers, record keeping and reconciling delivery dockets.
• Maintain a clean, safe and hygienic canteen environment, including cleaning equipment, benches, shelves and fixtures.
• Assist with stock control, receiving supplies, checking invoices and delivery dockets, stock rotation and monthly stocktakes.
• Follow food handling, food safety, work health and safety, privacy and confidentiality requirements.
• Support training for new staff and volunteers and contribute to a positive, respectful and inclusive workplace culture.
• Maintain canteen security, including money, keys, alarms, doors, windows and appliances.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will bring a practical, team-focused approach and a commitment to delivering high-quality service in a busy canteen environment.

You will have:

• Demonstrated ability to provide quality customer service.
• Knowledge of food safety and work health and safety requirements.
• Strong communication skills and a willingness to contribute to continuous improvement.
• Good written skills, including the ability to complete documentation accurately and on time.
• An understanding of professional boundaries, privacy and confidentiality.
• A current driver licence and access to a roadworthy, registered and comprehensively insured vehicle for work purposes.

Desired Skills and Experience

To be eligible for employment

• Ongoing employment is subject to a satisfactory police check and maintaining a current ACT Working with Vulnerable People registration.
• The successful applicant will also be expected to demonstrate a commitment to WCS’ purpose, values, Code of Conduct, workplace diversity and equity principles, and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations

Closing Date: COB 30 September 2026

Applications may close early if a suitable candidate is found.

For more information about WCS and services that we provide, including Children’s Services, Youth & Family, Community Development, Housing and Homelessness, Mental Health, Social Enterprise and Aged Care, please visit our website at www.wcs.org.au

WCS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and encourage applications from people of all abilities and life experiences. We also encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to apply.