Deputy General Manager

WSH Group; Elstree; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days holiday including bank

Volunteering days

Grandparent leave 3 days

Enhanced maternity leave 24 weeks

Pension & life insurance

Perkbox discounts

Wellbeing hub & EAP

Free meals while at work

Career development & HIT apprentices

Job summary

Holroyd Howe, a leading UK contract caterer serving independent schools, seeks a Deputy General Manager for Haberdashers' Girls' School in Elstree. You will support the General Manager with day-to-day catering operations, lead teams, ensure food quality and service standards, and foster a hands-on, customer-focused culture.

This role requires supervisory experience in catering, a food-led approach, and a commitment to training staff and maintaining health and safety.

Qualifications

• Supervisory or assistant management experience in catering/hospitality.
• Food-led understanding of kitchen operations and customer service.
• Experience training and developing staff.
• Knowledge of health & safety, food safety and compliance.
• Strong interpersonal and proactive attitude.
• Experience in education or contract catering is desirable but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day catering operations with high-quality service.
• Lead by example to maintain food standards and customer experience.
• Motivate catering teams to work efficiently and proudly.
• Manage stock, orders, and supplier relationships within budget.
• Maintain high standards of food safety and hygiene.
• Plan and execute hospitality events and term-time functions.
• Stand in for the General Manager and manage client communications.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Food service operations

Team leadership

Health & safety knowledge

Customer service

Education sector experience

Job description

Job Title: Deputy General Manager
Location:Haberdashers' Girls' School, Elstree
Contract Type: Full‑time, permeant -52 weeks a year.
Salary:£16.00 per hour + benefits.

Why Join us?

• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 3 volunteering days to give back to causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave for those special family moments
• 24 weeks enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training & development opportunities
• Pension & life insurance
• Discounts on high street brands, cinema & holidays via the Perkbox App
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development & HIT Apprenticeships for all experience levels

About the role:

We are seeking a confident and committed Deputy General Manager to support the effective day‑to‑day running of the catering service at Haberdashers' Girls' School. Working closely with the General Manager, you’ll play a key role in operational delivery, team leadership, and ensuring high standards in food quality and service. This is a hands‑on, customer‑focused position ideal for someone passionate about food, hospitality, and team development.

You will be joining Holroyd Howe, one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh, innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

Our mission is simple: To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the General Manager in overseeing day‑to‑day catering operations, ensuring a high‑quality and consistent service.
• Lead by example in delivering excellent food standards and customer experience.
• Supervise and motivate catering teams to perform efficiently and with pride.
• Help manage stock, ordering, and supplier relationships in line with budgetary targets.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene, and compliance with all relevant policies.
• Assist in planning and executing hospitality events and term‑time functions.
• Deputise in the absence of the General Manager, taking ownership of operations and client communications.

Qualifications

Candidate Profile:

• Previous supervisory or assistant management experience in a catering or hospitality environment.
• A food‑led individual with a good understanding of kitchen operations and customer service.
• Experience managing a team and supporting staff training and development.
• Knowledge of health & safety, food safety, and compliance procedures.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a proactive, can‑do attitude.
• Experience in an education or contract catering setting is desirable but not essential.

Additional Information

We pride ourselves on:

People first
We’re a company of individuals, united in doing our best for our clients.

Great food, always
Using only the best ingredients, our food is fresh, authentic and tailored to each school, age group, and specific needs and preferences.

Food education
We educate pupils through food, encouraging them to understand and develop their own personal tastes and make informed food choices.

Respect in everything we do
Our respectful codes of conduct inform how we behave towards our clients and customers, suppliers and business partners, and each other.

Fresh thinking
New ideas for food, service and ways of working help us maintain our position as creative leaders in school catering.

In order to be considered for this role you must be able to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK.

Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check will be required for all successful applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children.

This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.