Assistant Catering Manager

OCS; Stanford-le-Hope; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Digital Learning

Retail Perks via Wagestream

Award-Winning Employer

Flexi pay options

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland is looking for an experienced Catering Operations Assistant to help manage daily catering across the site. You will support planning, preparation and service of food and beverages to set standards, and ensure service areas stay clean, organised and welcoming.

Join a role focused on supervision, staff training, rotas, and delivering excellent customer service while maintaining compliance with food hygiene and safety requirements.

Qualifications

• Previous experience within catering, hospitality, or food service environment.
• Experience supervising or leading a team.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Good organisational and time management abilities.
• Knowledge of food hygiene and health & safety requirements.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the daily management of catering operations across the site.
• Support planning, preparation and service of food and beverages to agreed standards.
• Ensure service areas are presented to a high standard and remain clean, organised and welcoming.

Skills

Leadership

Customer service

Communication

Organisational skills

Education

Food Hygiene Level 2 or 3

Tools

Stock control systems

Stock rotation

Job description

About The Role

• Assist in the daily management of catering operations across the site.
• Support the planning, preparation, and service of food and beverages to agreed standards.
• Ensure service areas are presented to a high standard and remain clean, organised, and welcoming.
• Monitor stock levels and support ordering processes to maintain adequate supplies.
• Assist with inventory control, stock rotation, and minimising food waste.
• Supervise catering staff during shifts and provide guidance and support as required.
• Assist with staff training, induction, and ongoing development.
• Support the management of team rotas, attendance, and shift allocation.
• Promote a positive team culture and maintain high levels of staff engagement.

Shift Pattern: Monday to Friday

Key Responsibilities

Operational Management

• Assist in the daily management of catering operations across the site.
• Support the planning, preparation, and service of food and beverages to agreed standards.
• Ensure service areas are presented to a high standard and remain clean, organised, and welcoming.
• Monitor stock levels and support ordering processes to maintain adequate supplies.
• Assist with inventory control, stock rotation, and minimising food waste.

Team Leadership

• Supervise catering staff during shifts and provide guidance and support as required.
• Assist with staff training, induction, and ongoing development.
• Support the management of team rotas, attendance, and shift allocation.
• Promote a positive team culture and maintain high levels of staff engagement.

Customer Service

• Ensure customers receive a consistently high standard of service.
• Respond professionally to customer feedback, queries, and complaints.
• Identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction and service delivery.

Compliance and Safety

• Ensure compliance with Food Safety legislation, HACCP requirements, and company policies.
• Maintain excellent standards of food hygiene and cleanliness.
• Support health and safety compliance and ensure safe working practices are followed at all times.
• Assist with audits, inspections, and record keeping.

Financial Responsibilities

• Support the Catering Manager in achieving budgetary targets.
• Assist with cash handling procedures where applicable.
• Monitor wastage and identify cost‑saving opportunities without compromising quality.

Person Specification

Essential

• Previous experience within a catering, hospitality, or food service environment.
• Experience supervising or leading a team.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Good organisational and time management abilities.
• Knowledge of food hygiene and health & safety requirements.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Desirable

• Food Safety Level 2 or Level 3 qualification.
• Experience within contract catering, education, healthcare, or commercial catering environments.
• Experience with stock control and ordering systems.
• Relevant hospitality or catering qualification.

Key Competencies

• Leadership and team management
• Customer focus
• Communication skills
• Problem‑solving
• Attention to detail
• Organisational skills
• Flexibility and adaptability

Commercial Awareness & Administration

• Complete daily administrative and record‑keeping tasks.
• Maintain accurate compliance and operational documentation.
• Support stock control and reporting activities.
• Monitor costs, wastage, and efficiency to support commercial performance.

About The Company

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award‑winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve.

Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values - Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS

• Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.
• Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
• Retail Perks With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.
• Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
• Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.