Catering Assistant

jlp; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 14,000 - 15,000; Part time

Job summary

John Lewis Partnership is hiring Catering Assistants to work in our Magna Park Distribution Centre in Milton Keynes. You will join a team delivering friendly, high-quality service in a fast-paced environment, with responsibilities including stock replenishment and adhering to food safety standards.

This permanent, part-time role offers 20 hours per week, Sunday to Thursday 23:15–03:15, with pay of £13.05 per hour rising to £13.30 after 90 days, plus evening and night premiums as applicable.

Qualifications

• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.
• Previous catering experience.
• Worked in a forward thinking customer facing environment.

Responsibilities

• Work as a team to ensure a smooth catering service.
• Provide positive Partner interactions with a friendly and welcoming attitude.
• Follow Health and Safety at Work Act and Food Safety Act when completing tasks.
• Ensure stock is replenished and available for our customers.
• Reduce food wastage by ensuring care and due diligence when rotating food stock.
• Act promptly and use your initiative to resolve issues arising in the operation.
• Maintain personal hygiene standards.

Skills

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Previous catering experience

Customer facing environment

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

Our Catering Assistants work in our Partner (employee) dining rooms in various Partnership locations.

Wherever you work, you'll offer the great service we're known for, to fellow Partners. It can be fast-paced but by taking great pride in your food preparation and presentation standards, you'll ensure the best possible catering experience.

You'll also support with other catering related tasks, including stock replenishment and storage of deliveries.

In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 18:00 - 22:00 will attract an Evening Premium at a rate of £2.75 per hour, and any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract a Night Premium at a rate of £3.75 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.

Due to working time regulations, applicants must be 18 years or over to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Work as a team to ensure a smooth catering service.
• Provide positive Partner interactions with a friendly and welcoming attitude.
• Follow procedures and instructions using the 'Health and Safety at Work Act' and 'Food Safety Act' when completing all relevant tasks.
• Ensure stock is replenished and available for our customers.
• Reduce food wastage by ensuring care and due diligence when rotating food stock.
• Act promptly and use your initiative to resolve any issues that arise in the operation.
• Maintain personal hygiene standards.

Essential skills/experience you'll need

• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.
• Previous catering experience.
• Worked in a forward thinking customer facing environment.

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Food Safety level 2 & 3.
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.

Closing Date: September 1, 2026

Pay: £13.05 (£13.30 After 90 days)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours of Work: 20 hours of per week, working Sunday to Thursday between the hours of 23:15 - 03:15.

Job Level: Partnership Level 10

Where You'll Be Working: Magna Park Distribution Centre (John Lewis & Partners), Fen Street, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK17 8EW

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

We're the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We're not just employees, we're Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there's never been a more exciting time to join us.

We're ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we're free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note

It's important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you'll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or short hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.