Casual Food Service Assistant

The Queen's College; Oxford; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Part time

Job summary

The Queen's College seeks a Casual Food Service Assistant to join the hall waiting team on Oxford's High Street. You will be responsible for serving meals, laying tables, maintaining hygiene and assisting the Senior Common Room as needed.

Successful candidates will work flexibly, including evenings, weekends and holidays, and must be eligible to work in the UK with a good standard of general education and strong English. Salary is paid hourly at £14.06 with Oxford Living Wage alignment.

Qualifications

• Eligible to work in the UK.
• Fluency and accuracy in written and spoken English.
• Good level of numeracy.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Flexible attitude to work and attention to hygiene.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of a friendly team of Hall waiting staff.
• Serve food and beverages as required and lay tables for events.
• Maintain personal hygiene and PPE, and report faults.
• Restock food and beverages between sessions and clean areas.
• Attend training courses and carry out tasks as requested by supervisor.

Skills

Customer service

English fluency

Numeracy

Flexibility

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Education

General education

Level 2 food safety (desirable)

Job description

CASUAL FOOD SERVICE ASSISTANT

The Queen's College

The Queen's College is one of the oldest Colleges in Oxford University and is conveniently and prominently situated on Oxford's High Street. It was founded in 1341 and now consists of splendid 17th- and 18th-century buildings which replaced those of the medieval foundation. It has about 330 Undergraduates, 160 Graduates, and about 40 Fellows (in various categories - tutorial, professorial, research, etc.).

The College provides board and lodging for the majority of its students, both graduate and undergraduates. A small number of Fellows live in College throughout the year. In addition to rooms for students and Fellows, the College maintains extensive library facilities, seminar and meeting rooms, music rooms, common rooms, and many other facilities to support the academic and cultural life of the College. During the Easter and summer vacations, there is an active conference business, including the provision of full board to a high standard.

The Position of Food Service Assistant

This role will involve working as part of our friendly team of Hall waiting staff. Successful candidates will have as many as possible of the skills and characteristics detailed below.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Arrive at work and report to the supervisor on duty in good time, dressed according to College policy
• Wear clean and ironed black and white uniform at all times, and closed, black, sensible shoes
• Maintain personal hygiene standards (minimal make up, and long hair to be tied back at all times, finger nails should be short in length.)
• Be courteous to all customers and fellow workers at all times
• Lay tables correctly for specific type of event
• Serve food and beverages as required
• Assist the Senior Common Room when necessary
• Sweep floors and mop floors, highlighting areas with appropriate signage
• Provide additional support in the plate washing area as required
• Ensure chemicals are used correctly and with the necessary PPE
• Report any breakages to the supervisor on duty
• Restock food and beverages between food service sessions
• Ensure all equipment is cleaned and put away, and the area left clean at the end of each shift, reporting any faults to the manager on duty
• Dispose of all rubbish into the correct refuse bin
• Attend any training courses if requested to do so
• Carry out all reasonable tasks as requested by the supervisor on duty

The above list is not an exhaustive list of duties and this job description may be subject to change due to organisational need.

Person Specification

Essential

• Eligible to work in the UK
• Good standard of general education
• Fluency and accuracy in written and spoken English
• Good level of numeracy
• Excellent customer service skills
• Flexible attitude to work
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work under instruction and in harmony with colleagues
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to achieve and maintain required levels and standards of service and hygiene
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends and Bank holidays
• Adaptability and flexibility to manage a variable workload
• Ability to prioritise and undertake tasks in a logical and methodical manner
• Willingness to support colleagues

Desirable

• Level 2 in food safety in catering
• Experience in food allergen and special dietary requirements

SUMMARY OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Full terms and conditions of employment will be provided in writing to the successful candidate.

The information below is for guidance only and does not constitute the contract of employment.

Salary

The salary will be £14.06 per hour.

The College has paid the Oxford Living Wage (OLW) since 2022; this rate of pay is linked to the Living Wage Foundation's Real Living Wage and ensures that wages do not fall below a level of liveable earnings. Increases in the OLW are not determined by the College.

Contract /Duration

This is a casual contract and services will be required according to business needs. The College is under no obligation to offer you work and you are under no obligation to accept any work from the College

The deadline for the receipt of applications is Friday 30th October 2026.

Interviews will be ongoing and the posts will be filled as soon as suitable candidates are found.

Further Information for Candidates

Data protection

All data supplied by applicants will be used only for the purposes of determining their suitability for the post and will be held in accordance with the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

Privacy Policy

The College Privacy Policy can be viewed here: https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Applicants-for-office.pdf

All data supplied to us during the application process will be processed and stored in accordance with this policy.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity at The Queen's College

The Queen's College is committed to equal opportunity and to fostering an inclusive community. We recognise how the diversity of our community strengthens our ability to achieve excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship.

We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds, including those under-represented within higher education. No applicant or member of staff shall be unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Recruitment, progression within employment, and retention will be determined according to personal merit and the duties and requirements of the post.

The College invites all applicants to familiarise themselves with its equal opportunities policy, also available on its Equality Information page: www.queens.ox.ac.uk/equality-information The College also shares the university's commitment 'to equal opportunity, and to being an inclusive institution where everyone belongs and is supported to succeed'. The university's full policy is available at: https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/equality-policy

We are committed to the principles of equal opportunities and respect for individuals in creating and maintaining an inclusive environment that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We value and celebrate diversity and feel that is critical to achieving our strategic aims and long-term success. Our commitment to equality and diversity goes hand in hand with our commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech. We work to increase the diversity of the backgrounds from which our employees and students come by removing barriers to access and by promoting an inclusive culture in which:

• everyone feels that they are valued and can work to achieve their potential;
• opportunities are open to everyone, and decisions are based on merit and are free from bias;
• all our current and prospective students, staff, and visitors are treated fairly and with dignity and respect, and do not face discrimination;
• academic freedom and freedom of speech are valued and upheld.

All College meetings include consideration of its duties under the Equality Act 2010 as they pertain to the meeting's actions and decisions. In formal and informal settings alike, the College endeavours to make decisions that afford equal opportunities to, and foster good relationships between, different groups of people. This commitment, supported by data and routinely monitored, extends to all aspects of our activities: in our outreach activities, in admissions, and in financial support, for undergraduates and postgraduates alike; in the procedures related to hiring and retaining academic and non-academic staff members of the highest calibre; in student support; and in all aspects of fostering an inclusive community in which everyone feels respected, valued, and heard.