Catering Team Leader

Merseywestlancs; Sefton; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a Catering Team Leader to oversee day-to-day catering operations at Southport Hospital. You will lead a team, ensure high standards of food hygiene and patient/customer service, and manage rosters and records.

The role requires supervisory catering experience, advanced food hygiene certification, and strong communication under pressure, with a commitment to cost control and excellent service.

Qualifications

• Supervisory experience in catering or NHS environment.
• Advanced Food Hygiene Level 4 certification.
• City & Guilds Level 7061 and 2 or equivalent.
• HACCP training.
• ECDL or equivalent.
• Basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise the catering team on a day-to-day basis.
• Allocate duties and organise rosters to ensure adequate cover.
• Ensure food is prepared presented and served to a high standard.
• Maintain excellent customer service for patients, staff and visitors.
• Ensure all Food Hygiene and allergen procedures are followed.
• Monitor food schedules, cleaning schedules and relevant catering records.
• Support stock control ordering and storage of food and catering supplies.
• Minimise food waste and help maintain effective cost control.
• Train, support and motivate catering teams.
• Work closely with managers and departments to ensure efficient Catering service.
• Lead by example promoting Trust values and a supportive team environment.

Skills

Team leadership

Customer service

Food hygiene knowledge

Under pressure

Communication

Motivation

Education

Advanced Food Hygiene Level 4

City & Guilds Level 7061 and 2

HACCP Training

ECDL or equivalent

Job description

We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL, with us you can learn, grow and develop yourself and your career, realising your true ambitions and aspirations.

Whatever you’re looking for in your career, you’ll find it here at MWL.

Main area Estates and Ancillary Grade NHS AfC: Band 4 Contract Permanent: 37.5 hours per week Monday - Friday Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday 10.00 - 6.00pm) Job ref 409-8253205

Site Southport Hospital Town Southport Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 19/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 29/10/2026

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to "name of trust" transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Job overview

We are looking for a highly motivated, experienced and reliable Catering Team leader to join our friendly team.

You will help lead day-to-day cateing operation support staff, maintain high standards of food hygine and safety, and provide excellent patient and customer service.

We are are looking for someone who:

• Has experience within the Catering industry.
• Can confidently lead and support a team
• Has excellent customer care skills
• Works well under pressure
• Understands food hygiene and health and safety
• Is reliable and oranised and enthuiastic

Main duties of the job

• Maintain all operational procedures
• Maintain all computerised records as appropriate
• Auditing wards and departments in line with food safety legislation
• Involvement in the review of departmental work instructions and procedures
• Enforce compliance with Waste Management Policy to meet the changing requirements as segregation requirements increase
• Ensure all catering staff are fully aware and comply with Hygiene and Food Safety Legislation

Working for our organisation

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

Our services:

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Lead and supervise the catering team on a day-to-day basis
• Allocate duties and organise rosters to ensure adequate cover
• Ensure food is prepared presented and served to a high standard
• Maintain excellent customer service for patients, staff and visitors.
• Ensure all Food Hygiene and allergen procedures are followed
• Monitor food schedules, cleaning schedules and relevant catering records.
• Support sock control ordering and storage of food and catering supplies
• Minimise food waste and help meaintain effective cost control
• Train, support and motivate catering teams
• Work closley with managers and departments to ensure efficeint Catering service
• Lead by example promiting Trust vallues and a supportative team enviroment.

Person specification

Our Values

• We are Kind
• We are Open
• We are Inclusive

Qualifications

• Supervisory Experience
• Advanced Food Hygiene Level 4
• City & Guilds level 7061 and 2 or equivalent
• Basic computer skills
• HACCP Training
• ECDL or equivalent

Knowledge and Experience

• Working with quality systems and hygiene monitoring
• Retail Experience
• NHS Experience

Skills

• Ability to lead change
• Ability to work under pressure
• Provision of a patient/customer focussed service
• Principles of Risk Management
• Communication
• Ability to motivate a team

Other

• Professional and hygiene awareness/appearance
• Varied shifts working in hot humid environment
• Weekend and Bank Holiday Working
• Cross site cover
• Physically demanding role
• Varied deadlines and ad hoc pressures, concentration required when entering data
• Varied deadlines and ad hoc pressures
• Dealing with staff issues

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups