General Assistant

OCS; Reading; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Awarded employer

Digital learning

Wagestream pay

Professional growth

Flexible pay options

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland is hiring a General Assistant to support food preparation, cleaning, and customer service in a busy kitchen and dining environment in Reading. You will help with sandwiches, salads, and food handling, while ensuring cleanliness of equipment and storage areas.

The role involves serving customers, supporting event service when needed, and maintaining organisation under pressure. A Right to Work in the UK is required, with training provided for food handling and safety.

Qualifications

• Must have the Right to Work in the UK.
• Commercial kitchen experience is valued but not essential.
• A basic Catering and Hospitality certificate such as Food Handling or equivalent is desirable but not essential as we can provide this.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to work under pressure.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Ability to stand for extended periods due to the physical nature of the job.

Responsibilities

• Help with food preparation tasks such as peeling, chopping, trimming, and making sandwiches and salads.
• Maintain cleanliness in the kitchen area and equipment, including utensils, tableware, and catering stations.
• Assist with receiving and unpacking deliveries and organising food and supply storage areas.
• Serve food items to customers according to the menu prepared by the Chefs; may act as host/waiter at events.

Skills

Right to work

Time management

Organisational skills

Customer service

Stand for long periods

Education

Food Handling

Catering & Hospitality certificate

Job description

About The Role

We are looking for a team member to help with food preparation, cleaning, pot washing, customer service, serving customers, and operating the till. A positive attitude and willingness to help are essential.

As part of your role, your key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Help with food preparation tasks such as peeling, chopping, trimming, and making sandwiches and salads
• Be responsible for maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen area and equipment. This includes cleaning utensils, tableware, and catering stations
• Assist with receiving and unpacking all deliveries, ensuring that the food and supply storage areas are organised
• You will be required from time to time to serve food items to customers in accordance with the menu prepared by the Chefs. Our General Assistants may also act as a host/waiter when needed in events

What are we looking for?

• Must have the Right to Work in the UK
• Commercial kitchen experience is highly valued but not essential
• Ideally you will possess a basic Catering and Hospitality certificate such as Food Handling or equivalent is desired but not essential as we can provide this for you
• Excellent time management skills and can work under pressure
• Excellent organisational skills are also important
• Can stand for extended periods is often necessary due to the physical nature of the job

About The Company

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve.

Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values - Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS?

• Award-Winning Employer : Ranked 36th on Glassdoor's Best Companies to Work For 2025 - we value and motivate our people.
• Digital Learning : The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
• Retail Perks With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.
• Professional Growth : 600+ live learners across UK&I - Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
• Flexible Pay : Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.