Catering Supervisor

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Equal opportunities employer

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a General Catering Assistant to support efficient, cost-effective food service for patients, staff and visitors. You will supervise staff, help with meal preparation, despatch meals, and respond to ward requests, while ensuring hygiene and safety.

We welcome flexible working and encourage applications from under-represented groups, with emphasis on quality service and compliance with NHS policies.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering customer service
• Full understanding of Natasha Law/Allergen awareness
• Ability to motivate staff – leadership, decision making, delegation, handling conflicts, resolving staff issues, listening, negotiating.

Responsibilities

• Assist manager to run an efficient, cost-effective service
• Supervise General Catering Assistants and day-to-day restaurant/ward operations
• Prepare light meals per guidelines and ensure safe hygiene
• Coordinate meal despatch and respond to ward/patient requests
• Record patient meal orders in the computer system
• Report equipment/building defects and incidents
• Maintain safe storage and handling of cleaning materials

Skills

Customer service experience

Leadership

Decision making

Delegation of work

Handling conflicts

Negotiation

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Education

Excel and Word proficiency

Strong organisational and communicational skills

Job description

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

Essential criteria

Experience

Essential criteria

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations.

As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job Overview

• To assist the manager to run an efficient and cost-effective service, offering a wide variety of food products to patient / staff or visitors in a professional and friendly manner.
• To assist with the day-to-day running of the restaurant/ward service or food production facility in accordance with current legislation and Trust policies and procedures.
• To prepare light meal items as per menu/official guidelines and supervise the mealtime food and beverage provision, ensuring that the food is prepared in a safe and hygienic manner using standard recipes with all practices fully meeting relevant legislation.
• To be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of all General Catering Assistants within the Restaurant and associated areas.
• To assist the restaurant/ Food Production / Ward service managers (Depending on the area worked) with the smooth running of the department.

Main duties of the job

• To ensure all meals and sundries for patients meet the orders requested, are despatched on time and in the correct manner in accordance with agreed guidelines.
• To supervise and ensure that all staff working within the meal despatch area are fully conversant with their duties.
• To safely prepare light food items such as salads and sandwiches etc. and ensure the correct labeling and storage according to guidelines.
• To respond to ward and patient requests and enquiry’s regarding the food service.
• To ensure all patient meal requests are collated and processed via the computer system.
• To report any defects to buildings or equipment on the relevant reporting system to Estates. To immediately report any incidents of pests to a senior member of staff.
• To ensure the safe storage and handling of cleaning materials and equipment.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

• Full knowledge of Excel / Microsoft word
• Possess strong organisational and communicational skills

Desirable criteria

• Hold Level 2 administration Qualification

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Proven experience of delivering customer service
• Full understanding of Natasha Law/Allergen awareness
• Ability to motivate staff – be able to demonstrate key skills – leadership, decision making, delegation of work, handling conflicts, resolving staff issues, listening, negotiating.

Experience

• Fully understand HACCP regulations
• Have proven experience in managing large teams of people
• Ability to work alone and manage own workload

Personal qualities

• Able to work alone
• Manage stressful situations
• Ability to solve and deep dive any analyse data within the procurement process

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Important

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.