Catering Assistant & Distribution Coordinator

NHS Professionals; Hucknall; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare staffing organization is seeking Catering Assistants & Distribution Coordinators to join their team in Hucknall. You will be responsible for providing high-quality catering operations, including cooking, packing, and delivering meals across City Hospital and Queens Medical Centre. Required skills include experience in catering, a Level 2 Food Safety Certificate, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. This temporary role offers competitive pay and flexible working options.

Benefits

Competitive pay rates

24/7 support

Training and development opportunities

Stakeholder pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in a high-volume catering/food production environment or transferable logistics experience.
• Must be able to work in cold environments including freezer conditions.
• Knowledge of special diets preferred.

Responsibilities

• Prepare ingredients and cook menu items to standard recipes.
• Pack meals in line with menu cycles and diet codes.
• Deliver meals to wards, ensuring temperature compliance.

Skills

Experience in high-volume catering or food production

Level 2 Food Safety Certificate

Ability to handle ingredients up to 25kg

Teamwork and flexibility

Job description

Job Title: Catering Assistant & Distribution Coordinator

Trust: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Location: Must be happy to work across City Hospital and Queens Medical Centre

Shift Pattern: Mon- Sun hours between 6:30am-6:30pm (37.5 hours a week)

Pay: £12.21 - £20.95 per hour (shift dependant)

We are looking for two Catering Assistant & Distribution Coordinators to join our friendly team. You will be responsible for providing safe, efficient and high‑quality, end‑to‑end catering operations for patients, staff and visitors—covering ingredient prep, cooking, portioning/packing, order picking, and distribution between departments & sites.

This is a temporary role.

Duties

• Food production & prep: Prepare ingredients and cook hot/cold menu items to standard recipes, allergen controls and portion specifications, maintaining batch records and HACCP documentation.
• Operate kitchen equipment safely (e.g., ovens, blast chillers, dishwashers), completing start‑up, shutdown and cleaning routines.

Packing & Order Fulfilment

• Portion, label and pack meals in line with menu cycles and diet codes; ensure correct temperatures, packaging integrity and traceability.
• Pick patient meal orders and ward provisions accurately using NUH's catering systems, producing pick lists and labels as required.

Distribution & Ward Service Support

• Marshal, load, and deliver meals and ward provisions to Receipt & Distribution Unit/wards to schedule, ensuring temperature compliance during transit and handover.
• Liaise with ward teams, nursing/dietetic staff and catering colleagues to meet clinical nutrition needs, preferences and special.

You’ll have the following skills/experience.

Skills & Experience

• Experience in a high‑volume catering/food production environment (hospital, CPU, education, airline, etc.) or transferable logistics experience.
• Must have Level 2 Food Safety Certificate and Allergen training, knowledge of special diets preferred.
• Must be able to read and record food safety information accurately.
• Must be able to safely handle ingredients and products up to 25kg in weight.
• Must be able to work in cold environments including freezer conditions.
• Must be able to work at a fast‑paced environment when required, where team work and flexibility is essential.
• Cross‑site working between City and Queens Medical Centre may be required.

As a member of NHS Professionals, you have fantastic benefits:

Benefits

• Competitive pay rates – work this week, get paid next week.
• Essential support when you need it – 24/7 365 days – call us anytime.
• Multi locational – work across neighbouring Trusts.
• Manage your shifts and timesheets on the go – access your “My Bank” shift portal anywhere, anytime online or through your smartphone.
• Varied working options to suit your lifestyle – access to the Bank gives you options of ad hoc shifts or longer‑term placements.
• Training and development opportunities – Keep up with the essentials and more.
• Build holiday allowance for every shift you work – your work life balance is important to us.
• Stakeholder pension scheme available – a flexible future for you and yours.

Who are NHS Professionals?

We specialise in putting people in place to care. Every year we help thousands of dedicated candidates and highly skilled NHS workers enjoy better career opportunities, access to more shifts and a healthier work‑life balance, giving more choice and control to our members. As an equal opportunities organisation, NHSP is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective Bank members and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender reassignment, or marriage and civil partnership.

We believe there is a strong case for the Equality, Diversity and inclusion agenda and we strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a range of backgrounds to apply.

Contract Length

6 months

Licence/Certification

• Food Safety Level 2 Certificate (required)