Catering Assistant

Manchester Arndale; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 9,643,000 - 11,021,000; Full time

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland is hiring a kitchen assistant to support food preparation and service during term-time hours at our Birmingham site. You will help prepare sandwiches and salads, keep the kitchen clean, and assist with deliveries and stock control.

The role requires basic knife skills and good time management, with the ability to work under pressure and stand for extended periods. Right to work in the UK and DBS/check may be required.

Qualifications

• Commercial kitchen experience is valued but not essential.
• Basic Catering and Hospitality certificate such as Food Handling or equivalent is desired but not essential as we can provide this for you.
• Must have basic knife skills, food preparation skills, and time management skills.
• Can work under pressure and excellent organisational skills are also important.
• Can stand for extended periods due to the physical nature of the job.

Responsibilities

• Help with food preparation tasks such as peeling, chopping, trimming, and making sandwiches and salads
• Be responsible for maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen area and equipment. This includes cleaning utensils, tableware, and catering stations
• Assist with receiving and unpacking all deliveries and ensure that the food and supply storage areas are organised
• Serve food items to customers in accordance with the menu prepared by the Chefs
• Top up the vending services daily

Skills

Knife skills

Food prep

Time management

Organisation

Pressure handling

Education

Food handling certificate

Job description

About The Role

Working Pattern

10am to 2pm

Monday to Friday, term time only, 38 weeks per year

As part of your role, your key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Help with food preparation tasks such as peeling, chopping, trimming, and making sandwiches and salads
• Be responsible for maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen area and equipment. This includes cleaning utensils, tableware, and catering stations
• Assist with receiving and unpacking all deliveries and ensure that the food and supply storage areas are organised
• Serve food items to customers in accordance with the menu prepared by the Chefs
• Top up the vending services daily

What are we looking for?

• Commercial kitchen experience is highly valued but not essential
• Possess a basic Catering and Hospitality certificate such as Food Handling or equivalent is desired but not essential as we can provide this for you
• Must have basic knife skills, food preparation skills, and time management skills.
• Can work under pressure and excellent organisational skills are also important
• Can stand for extended periods is often necessary due to the physical nature of the job

The ideal candidate should meet the following criteria:

• Must have the Right to Work in the UK
• Must be prepared to undergo a DBS or Enhanced security check
• Good time-management and organisational abilities

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.