Chef Manager

Chartwells Independent; Heywood; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal development & training

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Holiday allowance

Wellbeing programme

Employee assistance programme

Discounts & savings

Job summary

Gather & Gather, part of Compass Group UK&I, is hiring a Chef Manager for the Haywood site. You will oversee a busy 24/7 catering operation, delivering quality meals for hundreds of staff daily and leading a team of about 10. The role requires strong budgeting, people leadership and food-safety focus.

The position offers a competitive salary of £35,000–£38,000 per annum with Monday–Friday pattern, 40 hours per week, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Catering Manager in contract catering or workplace dining.
• Experience leading a team in a high-volume site (10+ staff).
• Strong commercial awareness with budgeting and client-relations skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day catering operations in a busy distribution centre.
• Deliver high-quality food and service for 400–450 covers per day.
• Motivate and develop a team of around 10 colleagues.
• Manage stock, labour, costs and waste to meet budget targets.
• Plan varied breakfast and lunch menus for a diverse workforce.
• Maintain food safety, health & safety and compliance standards.
• Build strong client and stakeholder relationships to drive satisfaction.

Skills

Catering management

Team leadership

Budgeting

Client relationships

High-volume operations

Food safety & service standards

Organisational skills

Job description

Great food in the workplace isn’t simply about fuel. It’s about increasing productivity and improving performance; it’s about happy, motivated people and inspiring environments. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do – we live to bring food and people together.

We are brave, bold and curious adventurers in food and drink. Never shy of being different, always challenging the conventional.

Our passionate team of chefs, baristas, servers, nutritionists and much more, love nothing more than creating memorable moments that enrich the everyday.Come and join our award-winning teams – we are currently recruiting for a Chef Manager to join our team at Haywood.

Salary:£35,000 - £38,000 per annum

Working Pattern: Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week

Location: Haywood, OL10 2TN

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day catering operation within a busy 24/7 distribution centre.
• Deliver a high-quality food offer and excellent service for 400-450 covers per day.
• Lead, motivate and develop a team of around 10 colleagues, creating a positive and high-performing culture.
• Manage stock, ordering, labour, food costs and waste to achieve budget targets.
• Plan and deliver fresh, varied breakfast and lunch menus for a diverse workforce.
• Ensure the highest standards of food safety, health & safety, hygiene and compliance.
• Build strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, driving customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.

Ideal Candidate

• Previous experience as a Catering Manager within contract catering, workplace dining or a similar high-volume environment.
• Distribution centre, logistics, manufacturing or large-scale operational site experience would be highly desirable.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience managing budgets, costs and client relationships.
• Proven ability to lead and develop teams of around 10 people.
• Confident managing a high-volume operation while maintaining excellent food and service standards.
• Organised, hands-on and able to thrive in a fast-paced 24/7 environment.
• Passionate about delivering great food, exceptional service and a positive customer experience.

What's in it for you?

Working with Gather &Gather has its perks! People are at the heart of everything we do, so we've developed a range of benefits to keep you happy.

• Personal Development and Training opportunities
• Life assurance scheme
• Pension scheme
• Holiday allowance
• A great wellbeing strategy – including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance
• Access to Healthcare Support App which includes Annual health check, Digital GP, Mental Health Consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinion
• Family friendly support
• A holiday purchase scheme
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders
• Volunteering days
• Recognition schemes and people award
• Long service awards
• Access to some great high street discount vouchers

About Us

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/2809/43921001/52781787/SU #Gather and Gather

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!