Catering Operations Manager (Grade E)

NHS; England; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Catering Operations Manager to lead their dynamic Catering Team. This rewarding role involves enhancing patient experiences through effective service delivery and team management. You will oversee operations, manage budgets, and ensure compliance with food safety standards. Join a passionate team dedicated to making a difference in the lives of patients and colleagues. With a focus on quality and best practices, this position offers the opportunity to make a significant impact in a supportive environment. If you have a background in catering management and thrive in dynamic settings, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

26 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

24/7 Employee Assistance Line access

Options to buy and sell annual leave

Access to 4 Staff Networks

Onsite Children's Nursery

NHS Discounts

Qualifications

• Proven experience in catering management with a focus on large teams.
• Strong background in budget management and policy implementation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all catering operations, ensuring effective service delivery.
• Manage a diverse team, including training and onboarding new staff.

Skills

Catering Management

Budget Management

Team Leadership

Food Safety

Business Planning

Education

Degree or equivalent management experience

Management/professional qualification

Postgraduate qualifications in catering or facilities management

Job description

Are you looking for a role that is rewarding, a role that gives you the satisfaction of knowing you've made a difference to someone's day? Then we may have the role for you. Our Catering Team is currently undergoing transformation, and we are recruiting for an additional colleague to join our Management team as a Catering Operations Manager on a permanent basis.

Our Catering Team is passionate about enhancing our patients' experience and developing our service to meet the needs of patients, colleagues, and service users. We work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, building on the trust's foundations and right care values.

You will play an active role in improving our Patients and Colleagues Experience, ensuring effective service delivery and data management, and maintaining our service level agreements.

The role includes supporting the onboarding of new colleagues, including local induction, training, and recurrent training delivery. Other responsibilities include meal time assurance checks and managing a large, diverse team of catering staff, including patient meal services, ward-based hostesses, housekeepers, and retail colleagues.

Interviews will take place on Monday 12th May 2025.

Previous applicants need not re-apply.

Main duties of the job

This role is offered as AGHS Grade E, primarily Monday to Friday, 08:30-16:30, with flexibility required to support service needs.

The postholder will oversee all catering operations, have direct responsibility for the catering teams, including budget management, and be responsible for policy implementation and service development.

As the professional lead, you will provide operational direction for effective catering services for patients, staff, and visitors, focusing on quality, best practice sharing, and delivering support services within budget.

About us

Benefits include:

• 26 days holiday plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata)
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Line access
• Options to buy and sell annual leave
• Access to 4 Staff Networks - Enable, Gender, Race Equality, and Rainbow Networks
• Onsite Children's Nursery
• NHS Discounts

Job responsibilities

For full details, see the attached full job description and person specification.

This position is not currently eligible for a certificate of sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa list.

If you hold a different UK work visa, we welcome your application. If your visa status changes, employment may be reviewed and could be terminated to comply with immigration laws.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent management experience
• Management/professional qualification or senior catering management experience
• Continuous Professional Development evidence
• Food Safety Level 3, willing to work towards Level 4
• Recognised management qualification
• Postgraduate qualifications in catering or facilities management or equivalent experience

Experience

• Significant catering management experience
• Management of large-scale, multi-site teams of 30+ personnel
• Experience managing supervisors and team leaders
• Business planning, report writing, and action plan development
• Financial management and achieving budget targets
• Innovative management practices and change delivery in complex environments
• Extensive NHS or health-related field experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This role requires a DBS check due to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.