Catering Manager

Essential Employment; Rotherham; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Essential Employment in Rotherham is seeking an experienced Principal Catering Manager to lead the large School Meals Service across the borough, combining strategic planning with hands-on service management. The role oversees a team and multiple locations to deliver high-quality catering that complies with standards and budget targets.

The post requires senior leadership, strong stakeholder engagement, and a track record of driving service improvements in a multi-site environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multi-site catering operations across the borough.
• Provide direct line management and leadership to Catering Managers.
• Ensure compliance with food safety legislation, allergen management procedures, health and safety requirements and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Manage budgets, financial forecasting, income generation opportunities and cost controls.
• Monitor performance against service standards, KPIs and contractual requirements.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, employee development and succession planning.
• Lead on service improvement initiatives and operational change programmes.
• Manage complex operational issues, customer concerns and service complaints.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with headteachers, academy trusts, partners and other stakeholders.
• Support business growth, service modernisation and future service development.

Job description

Catering Manager needed in Rotherham, £24.46ph PAYE- Reference: 000B 7B7F / 1

Hours: 37 hours per week
DBS Requirement: Enhanced DBS Required

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Principal Catering Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership for a large and diverse School Meals Service across Rotherham.

This senior management role is responsible for leading the operational delivery of catering services across a substantial portfolio of schools, ensuring the provision of high-quality, compliant and financially sustainable catering services. The successful candidate will manage a team of Catering Managers and provide leadership to a workforce of approximately 300 catering employees across multiple locations.

The role requires a strong operational leader who can balance strategic planning with hands‑on service management, building effective relationships with schools, academy trusts, partners and stakeholders whilst driving service improvements and maintaining high standards of performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multi-site catering operations across the borough.
• Provide direct line management and leadership to Catering Managers.
• Ensure compliance with food safety legislation, allergen management procedures, health and safety requirements and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Manage budgets, financial forecasting, income generation opportunities and cost controls.
• Monitor performance against service standards, KPIs and contractual requirements.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, employee development and succession planning.
• Lead on service improvement initiatives and operational change programmes.
• Manage complex operational issues, customer concerns and service complaints.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with headteachers, academy trusts, partners and other stakeholders.
• Support business growth, service modernisation and future service development.

This is a full time role on a temporary contract basis.

Essential Employment is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

All our roles may be subject to pre-employment checks including references so please beprepared.

Due to high volumes of CVs received we are not able to respond to all unsuccessful applications. You will always however hear from us by phone if we are able to take your CV forward to the next stage.