Catering Manager at Hillary Primary School

Oakwood School; Walsall; Vor Ort; GBP 32.000 - 46.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Hillary Primary School is seeking an experienced Catering Manager to lead a large-scale catering operation, ensuring nutritious and appealing meals for pupils and staff. You will drive service improvements, manage a sizeable catering team, and oversee food safety, budgeting, and stakeholder engagement.

The role focuses on delivering high standards of food quality and customer experience while aligning with school priorities and regulatory requirements.

Qualifikationen

• Extensive catering management experience in a school or similar environment.
• Strong leadership and people development skills.
• Good financial literacy and ability to manage budgets.
• Knowledge of food safety, HACCP, and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent communication and customer service focus.

Aufgaben

• Lead the school catering service, delivering nutritious, appealing meals.
• Develop and implement menus aligned with School Food Standards; maximise meal uptake.
• Manage staffing rotas, recruitment, induction, and ongoing staff development.
• Monitor budget, purchasing, stock control, and supplier relationships.
• Maintain robust food safety, hygiene, and compliance across the operation.
• Produce regular reports on catering performance, uptake, and improvements.
• Collaborate with school leadership to support wider school improvement.

Jobbeschreibung

About this Role

AboutHillary Primary School

HillaryPrimary School is a large, vibrant, and inclusive primary school committed toproviding the very best experiences for our pupils. We recognise the importantrole that healthy, nutritious meals play in supporting children's wellbeing,learning, and achievement. Serving approximately 450-500 meals each day, our catering operation is assignificant and highly valued part of school life. This role presents anexciting opportunity for an experienced catering professional to lead asuccessful service, manage a large-scale catering operation, and make a genuinedifference to the daily lives of our pupils.

JobPurpose

To lead and manage a thriving school catering service, ensuring thedelivery of high-quality, nutritious, and appealing meals that support pupils'health, wellbeing, and readiness to learn. The Catering Manager will beresponsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the kitchen,ensuring excellent food quality, financial efficiency, regulatory compliance,and an outstanding customer experience for pupils, staff, and visitors. The Catering Manager will beaccountable for delivering a safe, compliant, financially sustainable cateringservice that contributes positively to pupil wellbeing and schoolimprovement."

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

• Lead thedevelopment of the school's catering strategy to increase meal uptake, promotehealthy eating and ensure long-term financial sustainability.
• Provide professional leadership and direction forthe catering team, creating a positive and high-performing culture.
• Lead, supervise, motivate, and develop cateringstaff through effective coaching, support, and performance management.
• Organise staff rotas and deploy staffing resourcesefficiently to meet operational needs.
• Ensure all team members receive appropriateinduction, training, and development opportunities.
• Promote a culture of high expectations, customerservice, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Identify and implement service improvements toenhance efficiency, food quality, and customer satisfaction.

Catering Operations

• Plan, prepare, and oversee the delivery ofhigh-quality, nutritious meals in line with School Food Standards.
• Ensure food is prepared, cooked, and presented toconsistently high standards.
• Develop attractive and innovative menus whichencourage healthy eating and maximise meal uptake.
• Ensure safe and effective management of dietaryrequirements, allergens, and medical needs.
• Monitor customer feedback and introduceimprovements where appropriate.
• Support special events, theme days, celebrations,and other school activities through catering provision.

Financial andResource Management

• Manage the catering budget effectively, ensuringvalue for money and financial sustainability.
• Monitor expenditure and income against agreedbudgets and targets.
• Produce regular budget monitoring information andidentify opportunities for efficiencies and cost savings.
• Manage purchasing, stock control, and supplierrelationships effectively.
• Minimise waste through effective stock rotation,portion control, and procurement practices.
• Ensure resources, equipment, and supplies are usedefficiently.

Food Safety and Compliance

• Maintain the highest standards of food safety,hygiene, and cleanliness throughout the catering operation.
• Ensure full compliance with Food Safetylegislation, HACCP requirements, COSHH regulations, and Health and Safetylegislation.
• Maintain all required records, includingtemperature monitoring, cleaning schedules, deliveries, and safety checks.
• Prepare for and support inspections, audits, andmonitoring visits.
• Ensure all kitchen equipment is maintained,serviced, and operated safe­ly.

Administration and Reporting

• Maintain accurate catering, financial, andcompliance records.
• Utilise catering management and IT systemseffectively.
• Produce reports relating to catering performance,meal uptake, budget management, and service improvements.
• Contribute to whole-school operational planningwhere required.

General Responsibilities

• Support the vision, values, and strategicpriorities of the school.
• Promote equality, diversity, inclusion, and respectfor all.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with GDPR anddata protection requirements.
• Participate in training and professionaldevelopment.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with thegrade and responsibilities of the post.

Safeguarding

The postholder is responsible for safeguarding andpromoting the welfare of children and young people and must comply with allsafeguarding policies and procedures. The postholder is expected to contributeto a culture of vigilance, maintain professional standards, and report concernsin line with statutory guidance and school procedures.