Catering Assistant

Education Authority; Royal Hillsborough; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A public educational organization in Northern Ireland is seeking a Catering Assistant to support daily operations in the catering unit. The role requires effective communication, teamwork, and a commitment to providing excellent food services to students. Responsibilities include preparing food, serving meals, and maintaining cleanliness. Candidates will need to demonstrate relevant experience and a willingness to undergo training. This position offers a chance to contribute positively to the service and interact with children and young people.

Benefits

Training opportunities

Potential for career advancement

Positive work environment

Qualifications

• Willingness to undertake job-related training.
• Experience in catering or customer service role is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the daily operation of the Catering Unit.
• Prepare food and beverages including basic cooking.
• Organize food service points and serve meals.
• Maintain cleanliness in the kitchen and dining area.

Skills

Effective communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Team working skills

Organizational skills

Customer service motivation

Job description

Job Title

Catering Assistant

Reports To

Senior/Unit Catering Supervisor

Responsible To

Catering Manager through appropriate Area Catering Manager

Job Purpose

To actively participate in the daily operation of the Catering Unit under the direction of the Senior/Unit Catering Supervisor. Team participation is essential to provide an efficient hygienic service, to achieve customer satisfaction and to promote sales within the unit.

Responsibilities

1. Basic preparation of food and beverages, including the preparation of vegetables and snacks using appropriate equipment.
2. Simple cooking, including the reconstitution of prepared food.
3. Organising and controlling food service points.
4. Transferring and serving meals and snacks including transported meals.
5. Assisting with the promotion of meals to pupils, parents and principal.
6. Maintaining regular contact with the central kitchen, if applicable, with regard to all aspects of service delivery.
7. Preparing the dining area:
   1. Setting out dining room tables, chairs, benches and serving points as required by the meals service.
   2. Setting tables, laying out of cutlery, water jugs, etc.
8. Completing general kitchen and dining room duties including washing up, clearing away equipment including tables, chairs and benches*.
9. Cleaning the kitchen/servery, dining room and equipment including floors and walls*.
10. Recording temperatures for control purposes as required.
11. Securing premises as required.
12. Completing duties as delegated in connection with service provision.
13. Carry out all duties to comply with:
    1. Acts of Parliament, Statutory Instruments and Regulations and other legal requirements;
    2. Codes of Practice.
14. Carry out all duties in the working conditions normally inherent in the particular job.
15. Complete all necessary administration.
16. Carry out duties for jobs up to and including those in the same grade, provided such duties are within the competence of the employee.
17. Promote and adhere to the Values/ethos of the School.

* Note: Where part of the school premises are used for the dual purpose of consumption of food and educational purposes, non catering staff are responsible for the cleaning of the room. This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here.

Notes to Job Applicants

• You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.
• You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.
• The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.
• Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
• Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.
• In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet any desirable criteria.

Essential Criteria

Factor: Willingness to undertake job related training

Method of Assessment: Shortlisting by Application Form

Essential Criteria (Interview)

• Effective communication skills to support team working, taking of instruction and engagement with customers.
• Excellent interpersonal and team working skills.
• Effective organisational and planning skills and the ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Motivation towards providing excellent food and customer service for our children and young people.

Values Orientation

Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values. You will find information about our Values here.

Desirable Criteria

Factor: Experience

Method of Assessment: Shortlisting by Application Form

Experience of working in a customer service or catering role

Disclosure of Criminal Background

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.

In the event that you are recommended for appointment to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you will be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre‑employment stage.

Applicant Guidance Notes

To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here.

To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here.

Equal Opportunities

The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer