Deputy Catering Manager

Integrated Care System; Royal Tunbridge Wells; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading healthcare organization as a Deputy Catering Manager in a dynamic team. This role focuses on delivering exceptional catering services while ensuring compliance with health regulations and dietary requirements. Ideal candidates will bring creativity and leadership to improve patient and staff dining experiences, as well as manage a skilled team.

Benefits

At least 27 days of annual leave plus public holidays.

Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme with 20.6% employer contribution.

Blue Light card eligibility.

Flexible working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar food preparation environment.
• Ability to manage a diverse environment focusing on patient service.
• Knowledge of HACCP documentation and hygiene standards.

Responsibilities

• Oversee catering services ensuring hygiene and safety standards.
• Manage and train a diverse team of catering staff.
• Coordinate food production aligned with dietary needs.

Skills

Organisational skills

Time management

Customer care

Stock management

Ability to work under pressure

Proactive approach to service improvement

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Food Hygiene or equivalent

Food Production Qualifications, City and Guilds 706 1/2 / NVQ Level 3

Basic Health and Safety

Job description

Are you ready to take your catering career to the next level? If you are passionate about food, people, and creating standout service experiences, we have the role for you!

We're looking for a Deputy Catering Manager to join our vibrant and evolving Catering Team. You will play a key role in shaping and transforming our catering services, bringing fresh ideas and energy to our staff restaurants and patient meal service.

From managing a diverse team of catering colleagues to ensuring mealtime excellence across the board, this is a fantastic opportunity to lead a team that makes a real difference to the patient & staff experience every day. You will support the Catering Manager in all aspects of catering and delivering meals that meet dietary and nutritional needs, all within a caring and professional hospital environment.

Main duties of the job

• Delivery of catering services, ensuring consistent standards of hygiene, safety, and customer satisfaction.
• Managing a team of catering staff, overseeing training, rotas, performance, and day-to-day management.
• Ensuring compliance with food hygiene and health & safety legislation, including HACCP and Natasha's Law.
• Working closely with dietetics and clinical teams to ensure meals meet individual dietary requirements of patients.
• Overseeing kitchen operations, food production, and meal distribution with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Managing stock control, ordering, and supplier relationships to maintain cost-effectiveness and service quality.
• Supporting the delivery of audits, inspections, and quality assurance frameworks including PLACE, CQC, and EA.
• Maintaining accurate records and documentation for compliance and governance—ERIC.
• Promoting a culture of professionalism, respect, and care throughout the team.

About us

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.

We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff, we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

Looking for flexible working?

We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it's adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:

• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits.
• Blue Light card eligibility.
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below.

Job responsibilities

We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Also, check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.

Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check at Enhanced Level, which now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children.

All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date has been agreed.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 in Food Hygiene or equivalent.
• Food Production Qualifications, City and Guilds 706 1/2 / NVQ Level 3.
• Basic Health and Safety.

Experience & Knowledge

• Relevant experience of working in a similar food preparation environment.
• Experience in preparing, altering, and costing menus.
• Ability to manage a diverse environment focusing on patient and customer service.
• Knowledge of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) documentation for food temperatures, fridge/freezer, and cleaning processes.
• Awareness of hygiene and cleanliness standards within a healthcare setting.
• Understanding of products and ingredients.
• Previous experience training chefs.

Skills

• Good organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to prioritise and organise kitchen work.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Positive and proactive approach to customer care and service improvement.
• Personal responsibility to deliver work to a high standard.
• Stock management and ordering skills.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A submission for Disclosure will be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) to check for previous convictions.