Casual Food And Beverage Counter Assistant

Magdalen College; Oxford; On-site; GBP 16,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff food provided

College shirt provided

Apron provided

Job summary

Magdalen College in Central Oxford is seeking a Casual Food & Beverage Counter Assistant for a seasonal full-time role within the Catering Department. You will provide counter, plate and buffet services and help maintain high standards across meals, the Old Kitchen Bar, and related service areas.

Flexibility to work evenings and weekends is required; hours may vary. The weekly rota is issued and shifts can extend into late evenings, with potential for up to around 40 hours per week.

Qualifications

• Must be fluent in both spoken and written English.
• Previous experience in catering, hospitality or customer service is desirable but not essential.
• Reliable and punctual with a professional demeanour.

Responsibilities

• Providing counter, plate and buffet services to the highest standard when and where required.
• Preparing and assembling food service equipment when and where needed.
• Preparing food service areas as and when required.
• Cleaning and maintaining the service areas to the prescribed College standards and to meet legislation.
• Preparing tables for service in all areas of the College.
• Working in the washing up areas as required
• Working in any area of the Catering Department to meet the needs of the College.

Skills

Team player

Interpersonal skills

English fluency

Reliability

Time management

Communication skills

Computer literacy

Tools

Word

Excel

Outlook

Database operations

Job description

Casual Food And Beverage Counter Assistant

Application Deadline: 23 October 2026

Department: Catering

Employment Type: Seasonal - Full Time

Location: Central Oxford

Compensation: £14.06 / hour

Description

Magdalen College is one of the most beautiful of the Oxford colleges with a hundred-acre site of ancient and modern buildings including the landmark Great Tower beside Magdalen Bridge. Accommodation is provided to over five hundred graduate and undergraduate students. The College also houses several residential Fellows and provides teaching and meeting rooms, offices and common rooms that are serviced seven days a week. The catering team also service the Senior Common Room, providing lunch and High Table dinners. The Buttery provides Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner provision for Middle Common Room and Junior Common Room members in Hall. The Old Kitchen Bar provides a snack bar service throughout the day as well as a licensed bar during the evenings, also providing a venue for students bops and functions. The College is a busy conference venue during the summer months and is also a popular destination for visitors to Oxford during the vacations.

Key Responsibilities

Food Service

• Providing counter, plate and buffet services to the highest standard when and where required.


• Preparing and assembling food service equipment when and where needed.


• Preparing food service areas as and when required.


• Cleaning and maintaining the service areas to the prescribed College standards and to meet legislation.


• Preparing tables for service in all areas of the College.


• Working in the washing up areas as required


• Working in any area of the Catering Department to meet the needs of the College.

People Skills

• Providing a courteous and professional service to all College customer groups.


• Readily accepting mentoring and training when and where required.


• Understanding the benefits of teamwork and mutual respect.

Professional Obligations

• Providing a quality of service which meets the Catering Code of Practice.


• Feeding back operational information to Line Manager and peers.


• Being prepared to work in any area of the College, to cover emergencies and special business needs from time to time.


• Being commercially aware in terms of service standards and the need to reduce waste.


• Gaining an understanding of legislation and striving to implement it as required.


• Any other tasks, duties and responsibilities not listed above which can reasonably be expected to be performed or undertaken by a casual food & beverage counter assistant.

Health and Safety

• Taking responsibility for your own and your colleagues’ health and well being.


• Commitment to working in a safe and responsible manor at all times.


• Commitment to understanding your responsibilities under the Food Hygiene Laws.


• Maintaining COSHH standards in line with legislation.


• Taking responsibility for personal hygiene and wearing and maintaining the appropriate uniform at all times.

The above list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive and you may be required to carry out alternative tasks as instructed by your Supervisor to ensure the department can operate an efficient service at all times.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Personal Specification

• The ability to work effectively in a busy, fast-paced environment is important.


• Reliability; an excellent timekeeper and good standards of personal presentation.


• Previous experience in catering, hospitality or customer service is desirable but not essential.


• Good interpersonal and communication skills, being a \"Team Player\".


• Computer literacy; working knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook and Database operations.


• Professional attitude, motivated developer, consistent yet pragmatic.


• Must be fluent in both spoken and written English.


• Any other task, duties and responsibilities not listed above which can reasonably be expected to be performed or undertaken by a Casual Food & Beverage Assistant.

The above list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive and you may be required to carry out alternative tasks as instructed by your manager to ensure the department can operate an efficient service at all times.

Benefits

• Staff food provided while on duty


• College shirt provided


• Apron provided

Hours of Work

Flexibility to work evenings and weekends is required. As this is a casual position, hours may vary depending on operational requirements.

The weekly rota will be sent out every Friday for the following week, starting the next Monday.

Late shifts are approximately 5:30pm till 10:00pm. We would ideally offer around 30 hours per week but for the right candidate, there may be an opportunity to increase the hours to up to 40 hours per week.

Staff are required to wear a total black outfit, including classic black trousers and total black, shoes not trainers (College Shirt and Apron will be provided).