Catering Manager

ESSENTIAL EMPLOYMENT LTD; Rotherham; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

ESSENTIAL EMPLOYMENT LTD is recruiting a Principal Catering Manager to lead a large School Meals Service in Rotherham. The role focuses on strategic and operational leadership across multiple sites, with responsibility for a ~300-strong workforce and budgets.

This full-time temporary position offers £24.46 per hour PAYE, with opportunities to drive service improvements, ensure food safety compliance, and build strong relationships with schools, academy trusts and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Extensive senior-management experience in large school meals or catering services.
• Proven ability to lead multi-site operations and teams (~300 staff).
• Strong knowledge of food safety, allergen management and safeguarding.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-site catering operations across the borough.
• Direct line management of Catering Managers.
• Ensure food safety, allergen handling, and safeguarding compliance.
• Oversee budgets, forecasting, income generation and cost controls.
• Monitor performance against KPIs and contractual standards.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, and development.
• Lead service improvements and change programmes.
• Handle complex operational issues and complaints.
• Build relationships with headteachers, academy trusts, partners and stakeholders.
• Support business growth and future service development.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Operational leadership

Budgeting

People management

Food safety compliance

Allergen management

Stakeholder engagement

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.