General Manager

Holroyd Howe; Royal Tunbridge Wells; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering service provider is seeking a Catering Manager for Bethany School in Kent. This role involves overseeing daily catering operations, leading a team, and ensuring high standards of food service while managing budgets. The ideal candidate has significant experience in senior catering roles and a passion for quality food. The position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits.

Benefits

28 days holiday

52-week contract

Pension and life insurance

Discounts via Perkbox

Free meals on duty

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior catering management or head chef role.
• Strong leadership and team development skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship management capabilities.
• Experience in financial and budget management.
• Passion for quality food and service.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily catering operations.
• Lead and develop the catering team.
• Ensure compliance with food hygiene and safety standards.
• Deliver customer-focused food experiences.
• Manage budgets and cost control.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Financial management

Food quality

Client relationship management

Education

Proven experience in catering management

Job description

Company Description

Catering Manager – Bethany School
Location: Goudhurst, Kent – TN17 1LB
Salary: Up to £48,000 per annum

Benefits:

• 52-week contract with limited out-of-term operations

• 28 days holiday

• 3 volunteering days

• 3 days grandparent leave

• 24 weeks’ enhanced maternity leave

• Bespoke training and development opportunities

• Pension and life insurance

• Discounts via our Perkbox benefits app (retail, travel, cinema & more)

• Access to wellbeing hub and employee assistance programme

• Free meals on duty

• Career development pathways and HIT Apprenticeships for all experience levels

About Bethany School:

Bethany is a thriving independent day and boarding school for pupils aged 11–18, set in the beautiful Kent countryside. We are proud to deliver a nurturing, inclusive and inspiring environment for both students and staff.

We are currently recruiting a Catering Manager to lead our food service operations. This is an exciting opportunity to oversee a quality-focused catering service that includes daily meals for students and staff, residential boarders, and hospitality for events and functions.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day catering operations across the site

• Lead and develop the catering team to deliver consistent high standards

• Ensure full compliance with food hygiene, health & safety and allergen procedures

• Deliver a welcoming, inclusive, and customer-focused food experience

• Uphold strong working relationships with school stakeholders

• Gather feedback to evolve and improve services

• Lead a dedicated team of chefs, kitchen assistants and front-of-house staff

• Conduct team appraisals, manage rotas, training and performance development

• Foster a positive and supportive working environment

• Manage budgets, purchasing, and cost control

• Monitor food waste and stock levels

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in a senior catering management/head chef role(education or similar)

• Strong leadership with a passion for developing teams

• Excellent communication and client relationship management skills

• Financial and budget management experience

• Passion for quality food, service, and innovation

• A clear understanding of safeguarding and safer recruitment practices

If you’re a motivated and experienced catering professional ready to make a real impact in an educational setting, we’d love to hear from you. Join us at Bethany School and help shape the future of school dining

Additional Information

Holroyd Howe is 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.

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.

We pride ourselves on:

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of our thinking; always mindful of the ethics of our sourcing and how we prepare our meals.

Nutrition

We take nutrition seriously and understand the impact a healthy diet has on the fundamental years of development. Meals are always freshly prepared from scratch and packed with nutritious ingredients.

Food Innovation

We offer a wide portfolio of training opportunities and experiences, which attracts chefs who are passionate about culinary excellence and menu innovation to our team.

From tasting tables, theme days and food theatre, to chef demonstrations and supplier showcases, we create engaging and fun dining experiences for our students. We work together to make mealtimes exploratory, quirky, and fun for our pupils, helping them build strong and healthy relationships with food.

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.

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