Catering Manager

Manchester City Council; Manchester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CPD for all roles

Health Plan

Pension Contribution

26 days annual leave

Cyclescheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Flexible working options

Mental Health First Aid

Blue Light Card

Prepaid cashback card

Job summary

Manchester City Council is seeking a Catering Manager for Chorlton High School. This permanent, full-time role (37.5 hours) leads a busy kitchen team, ensures high standards of service, quality and compliance, and manages day-to-day operations including finances and records.

The role requires NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking (or working towards), substantial catering experience, and strong leadership and IT skills.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking (or working towards).
• Significant operational experience within a professional catering environment.
• Proven experience leading and managing a large team.
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Good IT skills including Microsoft Office and maintaining electronic records.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a catering team of ~20 staff, including recruitment, induction and performance management.
• Deliver a high-quality, cost-effective catering service in line with SLAs and legislation.
• Ensure compliance with food hygiene, health and safety and COSHH regulations.
• Follow pre-planned menus to meet nutritional standards and customer needs.
• Complete cash reconciliation, payroll returns and financial administration.
• Maintain accurate electronic records and use MS Office to support operations.
• Drive customer service excellence and respond to school community needs.
• Support service development through new initiatives and menu trials.

Skills

People leadership

Team management

Communication

Food safety

Office IT skills

Education

NVQ Level 2

Foundation Food Hygiene

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About The Role

Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week
Number of Positions: 1
Qualifications Required: NVQ Level 2 Food Preparation and Cooking, Foundation Food Hygiene Certificate or an equivalent qualification
Start Date: 9th November 2026
Salary: £30,023 - £33,119 per annum

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a Catering Manager to join our fantastic team at Chorlton High School

This is a permanent post working 37.5 hours per week, Monday - Friday, 6:30am - 2:30pm, term time only plus 5 INSET days. The starting salary is £27,668 per annum (full-time equivalent £30,023, Grade 5)

Main purpose of the job

Reporting to the Head of Catering and working closely with school leaders and colleagues across the Trust, you will be responsible for the safe, effective and efficient operation of all aspects of the catering service.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop a catering team of approximately 20 staff, including recruitment, induction, training, attendance management and performance management.
• Deliver a high-quality, cost-effective catering service in line with Service Level Agreements, contractual requirements and relevant legislation.
• Ensure compliance with food hygiene, health and safety and COSHH regulations at all times.
• Follow pre-planned menus to meet nutritional standards, legislative requirements and customer needs.
• Complete cash reconciliation, payroll returns and financial administration in accordance with Trust procedures.
• Maintain accurate electronic records and use Microsoft Office systems confidently to support operational and administrative requirements.
• Drive excellent customer service across the catering provision and respond professionally to the needs of the school community.
• Support service development by participating in new initiatives, menu trials and continuous improvement activities.

Applicants must have

• NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking (or be working towards the qualification).
• Significant operational experience within a professional catering environment.
• Proven experience of leading and managing a large team, with the ability to motivate, develop and hold staff accountable.
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to build positive relationships at all levels.
• Good IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience of maintaining electronic records and completing administrative returns.
• Strong understanding of food safety legislation, allergen management and health and safety requirements.
• The ability to work under pressure, prioritise competing demands and manage a busy catering operation effectively.

To find out more about the full responsibilities of the role and/or to ensure you meet the essential criteria, please refer to the attached job description and person specification.

About the Candidate

• An experienced and confident people leader to manage one of the Trust's largest school catering operations. This role is about much more than delivering excellent food.
• You will lead and inspire a busy kitchen team of approximately 20 catering staff, ensuring high standards of service, performance and compliance while creating a positive and collaborative working environment.
• You will be comfortable motivating others, managing performance, supporting staff development and dealing confidently with attendance, recruitment and day-to-day people management matters.
• You will hold, or be working towards, NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking (or equivalent) and possess a sound understanding of food safety legislation, allergen management and health and safety requirements.
• A strong customer focus is essential. We are looking for someone who is approachable, professional and able to communicate effectively with colleagues, students, senior leaders and external partners.

The successful candidate will have substantial experience of managing staff in a fast-paced catering environment and be able to demonstrate excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.

Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will oversee the daily operation of the school kitchen, ensuring that high standards of food quality, hygiene and customer service are consistently maintained.

As an integral part of the role, you will also be responsible for financial administration and must be confident using IT systems. You should have good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and experience of maintaining accurate electronic records, completing payroll returns and producing financial and operational reports.

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 everyday 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 that leads change and improves lives.

Whether you’re supporting communities or improving public services, you’ll help create opportunities and shape a better future 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
• TheUK’s largest local government pension scheme
• Enhanced parental and carers leave
• Employee discounts andperks
• Good Employment Charter member

For more information about working for Manchester Council, please visit 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.