Catering Assistant

Bedford ESOL; Biggleswade; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 28,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

People’s pension

Retail and Leisure Discounts

Development opportunities

Access to college courses

Pro-Rata salary

Job summary

The Bedford College Group is seeking a Catering Assistant for Shuttleworth College – Old Warden. The role covers food preparation, service at counters, and supporting hospitality orders and events, with an emphasis on professional customer service and high standards of presentation.

It is a part-time, permanent post, 25 hours per week for 36 weeks per year. Right to work in the UK is required; the role includes benefits and development opportunities within a UK-based contract.

Qualifications

• Customer service and payment handling experience using POS/PDQ systems.
• Experience in food preparation and catering operations.
• Strong awareness of health and safety in catering environments.
• Ability to work well in a team and use Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to varied working hours.

Responsibilities

• Food preparation and service; set up, serve, and clear counters and support events.
• Deliver friendly, professional customer service and promote the College image.
• Maintain kitchen, restaurant and dining areas; ensure hygiene and safe equipment use.
• Assist with stocktaking, deliveries and store, and support promotions and sales.
• Support safeguarding, health & safety training and development.

Skills

Customer Service

Catering & Food Prep

Food Hygiene & Safety

Teamwork & IT Skills

Flexibility & Initiative

Job description

Role: Catering Assistant

Location: Shuttleworth College – Old Warden

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £26,510 and £28.482 per annum (Pro-Rata) DOE and Qualifications, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 25 hours per week – 36 weeks per year

Contract Type: Permanent – Part Time / Term Time

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role:

We are currently seeking a Catering Assistant to join our Leisure, Catering & Events Services department at The Bedford College Group.

• Food Preparation & Service - Assist with food preparation and cooking, set up and clear service counters, serve food and beverages professionally, and support hospitality orders, functions and additional catering services.
• Customer Service & Professional Standards - Deliver friendly and efficient customer service, create a welcoming environment, resolve customer concerns professionally, and promote a positive image of the College at all times.
• Kitchen Hygiene & Facilities - Maintain clean and organised kitchen, restaurant and dining areas, operate catering equipment safely, complete cleaning duties, and uphold high standards of food hygiene and personal presentation.
• Stock, Finance & Operational Support - Assist with stocktaking, deliveries and storage, ensure financial transactions follow College procedures, support promotions and sales activities, and provide flexible assistance during busy periods or staff shortages.
• Safeguarding, Safety & Development - Promote safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, follow health and safety and food safety requirements, and participate proactively in relevant training and professional development.

About you:

• Customer Service & Payment Handling - Experienced in customer care and handling payments using POS and PDQ systems, with the ability to provide an efficient and professional service.
• Catering & Food Preparation Skills - Knowledge and experience of food preparation and cooking, with an understanding of catering operations and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Food Hygiene, Health & Safety - Strong awareness of health and safety procedures within catering environments, with a commitment to maintaining high standards of kitchen cleanliness and safe working practices.
• Teamwork, Organisation & IT Skills - Able to follow instructions, multitask effectively, work positively as part of a team, and confidently use Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Flexibility, Initiative & Development - Demonstrates enthusiasm, initiative and a flexible approach to working hours and physical duties, with a willingness to continually develop skills and knowledge to meet service requirements.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: TBC

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire:Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College andTreshamCollegein the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough;ShuttleworthCollege,a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for MotorsportalongsideSilverstonerace circuit.To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.