Catering Manager

Holroyd Howe; Guildford; On-site; GBP 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering company in the UK is seeking an experienced Catering Manager to lead operations at Tormead School in Guildford. The role demands strategic leadership and exceptional culinary standards, along with financial management skills. Successful candidates will demonstrate a passion for delivering outstanding food and hospitality experiences. The position offers a competitive salary of £45,000 per annum and the opportunity to join a dynamic team dedicated to quality and innovation in food services.

Benefits

28 days holiday (including bank holidays)

3 volunteering days

3 days grandparent leave

24 weeks enhanced maternity leave

Bespoke training & development opportunities

Pension & life insurance

Discounts on high street brands

Wellbeing hub

Free meals while at work

Career development & HIT Apprenticeships

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in a senior catering or hospitality role.
• Strong financial management and budget control skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of current trends in food, nutrition, and sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic plans for catering operations.
• Lead and inspire multi-site teams, ensuring high food quality.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance.
• Drive innovation in menu planning and sustainability initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and health policies.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and suppliers.

Skills

Leadership experience

Financial management

Communication

Negotiation

Knowledge of food trends

Customer experience

Job description

Company Description

Job Title: Catering Manager
Location: Tormead School, Cranley Rd, Guildford GU1 2JD
Contract Type: Term-time plus (40 working weeks + 4 weeks holiday)
Salary: £45,000 per annum

Why Join us?

• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 3 volunteering days to give back to causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave for those special family moments
• 24 weeks enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training & development opportunities
• Pension & life insurance
• Discounts on high street brands, cinema & holidays via the Perkbox App
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development & HIT Apprenticeships for all experience levels

About the role

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Catering Manager to lead the catering services at Tormead School. You will be responsible for strategic leadership, financial management, and the continuous development of exceptional food and hospitality offerings. This role requires strong commercial acumen, inspirational leadership, and a passion for delivering outstanding culinary experiences.

You will be joining Holroyd Howe, one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

Our mission is simple: To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic plans for catering operations aligned with organisational goals.
• Lead and inspire multi-site teams, ensuring high standards of food quality, service, and hygiene.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance across all catering operations.
• Drive innovation in menu planning, sourcing, and sustainability initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant food safety, health and safety, and safeguarding policies.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and stakeholders.
• Champion staff development, training, and wellbeing

Qualifications

Candidate Profile:

• Proven leadership experience in a senior catering or hospitality role, ideally in an independent or B&I environment.
• Strong financial management and budget control skills.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of current trends in food, nutrition, and sustainability.
• Passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Additional Information

Holroyd Howe is one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of our thinking; always mindful of the ethics of our sourcing and how we prepare our meals.

Nutrition

We take nutrition seriously and understand the impact a healthy diet has on the fundamental years of development. Meals are always freshly prepared from scratch and packed with nutritious ingredients.

Food Innovation

We offer a wide portfolio of training opportunities and experiences, which attracts chefs who are passionate about culinary excellence and menu innovation to our team.

From tasting tables, theme days and food theatre, to chef demonstrations and supplier showcases, we create engaging and fun dining experiences for our students. We work together to make mealtimes exploratory, quirky, and fun for our pupils, helping them build strong and healthy relationships with food.

Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check will be required for all successful applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children.

This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.