Catering Assistant

Old Moat; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 12,000 - 14,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement

Employee discounts

Flexible working where possible

Job summary

The Catering Assistant role at Manchester City Council's Manchester Enterprise Academy (MEA) requires a reliable team player to work part-time (20 hours per week) in a busy school environment. You will prepare, serve and present meals, help set up dining areas, and maintain high hygiene standards in line with COSHH guidelines.

Experience in food preparation and service is desirable. The successful candidate will contribute to excellent customer service for students and staff while supporting

Qualifications

• Has experience in food preparation and service (school or catering experience desirable).
• Is reliable, enthusiastic, and a great team player.
• Demonstrates excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Works efficiently while maintaining high hygiene standard.

Responsibilities

• Preparing food, making sandwiches and operating tills.
• Assist with the setting up and serving of meals.
• Cleaning kitchen equipment and dining furniture.
• Ensuring compliance with Food Hygiene and COSHH regulations.
• Providing excellent customer service to students and staff.
• Supporting equal opportunities and inclusivity in our workplace.

Skills

Food preparation

Food service

Team player

Communication

Customer service

Hygiene standards

Job description

About The Role

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Hours: Part Time, 20 hours per week

Number of Positions: 1

Start Date: 16th November 2026

Salary: £12,1287 per annum

We currently have an exciting opportunity for Catering Assistant to join our fantastic team at Manchester Enterprise Academy (MEA)

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys working in a busy, customer-focused environment and takes pride in delivering high-quality service.

As part of our catering team, you will play a key role in supporting the smooth running of our school catering service helping to prepare, serve, and present meals that keep our students and staff nourished and ready to learn.

You’ll work as part of a supportive team to provide an efficient and effective catering service. This includes preparing and serving food, setting up and cleaning dining areas, and maintaining high standards of food hygiene and safety.

You’ll also be involved in:

• Preparing food, making sandwiches and operating tills
• Assist with the setting up and serving of meals
• Cleaning kitchen equipment and dining furniture
• Ensuring compliance with Food Hygiene and COSHH regulations
• Providing excellent customer service to students and staff
• Supporting equal opportunities and inclusivity in our workplace

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has experience in food preparation and service (school or catering experience desirable)
• Is reliable, enthusiastic, and a great team player
• Demonstrates excellent communication and customer service skills
• Works efficiently while maintaining high hygiene standard

About the Candidate

Working for Prospere Learning Trust

Great schools thrive because of the great people in them. We invest in our staff to achieve their full potential and offer a range of benefits including.

• High quality CPD for all roles
• Bupa Level 1 Health Plan - annual cash back allowance for a range of every day health care expenses
• Generous Pension Contribution - over 26% for teachers and 15% for support staff
• Good holidays – teachers as per School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document; non-teachers receive 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 31 days with 5 years' service
• Cyclescheme - save up to 39% on a bike and accessories and get Strava for free
• Employee Assistance Programmes - including access to free counselling and 24/7 helplines
• Credit Union - regular savings, Christmas saving scheme and access to affordable loans
• Flexible working options - we're happy to talk flexible working where possible
• Mental Health First Aid in every school
• Blue Light Card - discounts on holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones, and many more
• bYond cashback card - spend smarter with a prepaid cashback card for your everyday purchases

Visit our website to learn more about our Trust: prospere.org.uk

About Us

Working for Manchester City Council is a chance to make a real difference in a diverse city. You’ll help improve lives and support our local communities. Working together, we can create better public services for everyone.

Benefits we offer

• Up to 26 days’ annual leave, rising to 31 days after five years’ service
• Buy up to two extra weeks’ leave
• Up to 3 days’ volunteering leave
• A 35-hour work week for full-time roles
• We review pay each year and recognise three trade unions
• A defined benefit pension scheme
• Enhanced parental and carers leave
• Employee discounts and perks

Learn more at Careers - Manchester City Council

We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, younger learners and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. The above post will be subject to enhanced DBS checks, satisfactory references and will be exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here

This post is also subject to satisfactory references, proof of right to work in the UK in accordance with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 and other pre-employment checks where applicable.

We strive to create a fair and inclusive workplace that is as diverse as the communities we serve. We positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.