Food & Beverage Counter Assistant

Magdalen College; Oxford; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Membership of contributory pension

30 days holiday per year

Free lunch may be provided

Car parking may be available

Use of sports facilities

Optional contributory HealthcareScheme

Bus pass purchase scheme

Car benefit scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Job summary

Magdalen College in Oxford seeks a Food & Beverage Counter Assistant to join our catering team, delivering breakfast, lunch and dinner services for fellow members and events. The role supports high profile conferences and daily service in a busy university environment.

The position offers permanent, full-time employment with a competitive salary (£24,215 - £28,778 per year) and additional benefits, including annual leave, lunch provisions, and parking options.

Qualifications

• Reliable with excellent time management skills.
• First-class standard of personal presentation.
• Be a team player.
• Have a professional attitude and flexible approach.
• Be motivated and consistent.
• Ambition to develop and improve.
• Willingness to be flexible to ensure the Department attains high standards.
• Understanding or willingness to learn about health and safety of food handling.
• Ability to converse fluently in English.

Responsibilities

• Providing counter, plate and buffet services to the highest standard when and where required.
• Preparing and assembling food service equipment when and where needed.
• Preparing food service areas as and when required.
• Cleaning and maintaining the service areas to the prescribed College standards and to meet legislation.
• Providing guidance to part time and casual labour.
• Preparing tables for service in all areas of the College.
• Working in any area of the Catering Department to meet the needs of the College.
• Undertaking any other tasks, duties, and responsibilities not listed above which can reasonably be expected to be performed or undertaken by a Food & Beverage Counter Assistant as required by the Operations Manager.

Skills

Food service

Team player

Time management

Health and safety

English fluency

Job description

Food & Beverage Counter Assistant

Application Deadline: 29 October 2026

Department: Catering

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Central Oxford

Reporting To: Operations Manager

Compensation: £24,215 - £28,778 / year

Description

As a Food & Beverage Counter Assistant you will join our skilled and experienced team who are dedicated to delivering a wide range of services, from high end private dinners to large scale and high-profile conferences and events. community. It’s a great time to join Magdalen, with the future development of the Riverside bringing exciting changes.

Day to day, the Buttery provides Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for Middle Common Room and Junior Common Room members in Hall. We also service the Senior Common Room, providing lunch and High Table dinners. The College is a busy conference venue during the summer months and is also a popular destination for visitors to Oxford during the vacations.

Accommodation is provided to over five hundred graduate and undergraduate students. The College also houses several residential Fellows and provides teaching and meeting rooms, offices and common rooms that are serviced seven days a week. The Old Kitchen Bar provides a snack bar service throughout the day as well as a licensed bar during the evenings, also providing a venue for students bops and functions.

Key Responsibilities

Food Service

• Providing counter, plate and buffet services to the highest standard when and where required.
• Preparing and assembling food service equipment when and where needed.
• Preparing food service areas as and when required.
• Cleaning and maintaining the service areas to the prescribed College standards and to meet legislation.
• Providing guidance to part time and casual labour.
• Preparing tables for service in all areas of the College.
• Working in any area of the Catering Department to meet the needs of the College.

People Skills

• Providing a courteous and professional service to all College customer groups.
• Readily accepting mentoring and training when and where required.
• Understanding the benefits of teamwork and mutual respect.

Professional Obligations

• Having an open mind to change, and to the development of the Department.
• Providing a quality of service which meets the Catering Code of Practice.
• Feeding back operational information to Line Manager and peers.
• Being prepared to work in any area of the College, to cover emergencies and special business needs from time to time.
• Being commercially aware in terms of service standards and the need to reduce waste.
• Gaining an understanding of legislation and striving to implement it as required.

Administration

• Filling out health and safety and administration paperwork as required.

Health and Safety

• Taking responsibility for your own and your colleagues’ health and well-being.
• Commitment to working in a safe and responsible manner at all times.
• Commitment to understanding your responsibilities under the Food Hygiene Laws.
• Maintaining COSHH standards in line with legislation.
• Taking responsibility for personal hygiene and wearing and maintaining the appropriate uniform at all times.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Reliable with excellent time management skills.
• First-class standard of personal presentation.
• Be a team player.
• Have a professional attitude and flexible approach.
• Be motivated and consistent.
• Ambition to develop and improve.
• Willingness to be flexible to ensure the Department attains high standards.
• Understanding or willingness to learn about health and safety of food handling.
• Ability to converse fluently in English.

Undertaking any other tasks, duties, and responsibilities not listed above which can reasonably be expected to be performed or undertaken by a Food & Beverage Counter Assistant as required by the Operations Manager.

Benefits

The salary for the post will be on the scale £24,215 – £28,778 per annum (Grade 3 of the College Unified Pay Scale), depending on skills and experience, plus Oxford Location Allowance of £1,730 per annum.

• Membership of contributory pension scheme.
• 30 days holiday per year.
• Free lunch may be provided.
• Car parking may be available.
• Use of sports facilities.
• Optional contributory Healthcare Scheme.
• Bus pass purchase scheme.
• Car benefit scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme.

The College provides for maternity leave on a basis that exceeds the statutory provisions. This is a day one entitlement and there is no qualifying period, women are eligible for 26 weeks’ maternity leave on full pay, followed by 13 weeks of leave on Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and 13 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. Arrangements for Adoption Leave, Shared Parental Leave, and Paternity Leave. Magdalen College has a priority claim for University nursery places.

Hours of Work

The hours of work will be 80 hours per fortnight on a two-week roster with some split shifts to include weekends.

The College is committed to maintaining a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all staff, students and visitors are respected. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds, including those under-represented within higher education. Recruitment, and progression within employment, will be determined according to personal merit and the duties and requirements of the post. In all cases, the ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration.