Catering Manager

Teaching Vacancies; Wirral; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A local school in Wirral is seeking a Catering Manager to oversee all catering services while maintaining high-quality meals and strict budgetary standards. The successful candidate will lead a dedicated team, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and create diverse menus catering to various dietary needs. This role provides an opportunity to work in a welcoming school environment with a focus on professional development and the welfare of students.

Benefits

Positive school culture

Access to professional development

Supportive leadership structure

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a catering environment is essential.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations is required.
• Ability to create diverse and nutritionally balanced menus.

Responsibilities

• Manage all catering services to meet school specifications.
• Lead, motivate, and train the catering staff.
• Plan and implement a balanced multi-choice menu.
• Maintain food safety and hygiene standards.
• Organize promotions to grow catering sales.

Skills

Culinary Excellence

Team Leadership

Menu Planning

Operational Control

Health and Safety Standards

Job description

What skills and experience we're looking for

As the Catering Manager, you will manage and control all catering services according to school specifications. You will lead and motivate a team of catering staff to deliver high-quality, pupil‑focused meals while maintaining strict budgetary and safety standards.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Culinary Excellence: Ensuring prompt preparation of all meals, breaks, and hospitality requirements using high‑standard "scratch cooking".
• Menu Innovation: Planning balanced, multi‑choice menus that meet nutritional standards and cater to diverse dietary and cultural needs.
• Team Leadership: Managing, recruiting, and training the catering team, including conducting performance management and organising staff cover.
• Operational Control: Managing raw materials, portion control, and all administrative returns (weekly and monthly) accurately and on time.
• Service Growth: Organising theme days and promotions to actively encourage pupils to use the service and grow catering sales.
• Safety & Standards: Maintaining legal and school standards for health, safety, and hygiene, including the daily use of "Safer Food Better Business" (SFBB).

What the school offers its staff

What We Offer:

• A positive, welcoming school culture built on mutual respect and shared values
• Pupils who are eager to learn, kind, and full of potential
• A collaborative staff team and a highly supportive leadership structure
• Access to trust‑wide professional development and wellbeing support
• A school where every team member is valued, encouraged and empowered
• Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical, online and social media prohibition from teaching, right to work, satisfactory references, suitability to work with children. You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.