Head of Catering

CDD Services (Synchronicity Care Ltd); North East; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A subsidiary catering service for the NHS seeks a Head of Catering to lead the catering services, ensuring the delivery of high-quality meals that support patient well-being. The role involves managing daily operations, overseeing budgets, and ensuring compliance with food safety standards. Candidates must possess extensive experience in healthcare catering, strong leadership skills, and relevant qualifications in catering management. This role is vital to enhancing the dining experience and supporting the overall mission of the organization.

Benefits

Pension scheme with 3% contribution

Night Shift Working Allowances

Bank Holiday Working Allowances

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of food hygiene regulations, HACCP principles, allergen management.
• Proven track record of budget management and efficiency savings.
• Significant experience in managing large-scale catering operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all catering services to ensure high-quality food delivery.
• Oversee budget and resource management to ensure efficient operations.
• Ensure compliance with NHS food standards and legislation.

Skills

Food hygiene regulations

Leadership and motivational skills

Organisational and time management skills

Financial and analytical skills

Excellent communication skills

Sustainability and waste reduction knowledge

Creativity in menu development

Commitment to promoting healthy eating

Education

Degree in Catering Management or related discipline

Level 4 Food Safety qualification

Management/leadership qualification

Qualification in Nutrition or Dietetics

Job description

Areyou a passionate and experienced leader ready to shape the future of patientand staff catering within the NHS? We are seeking a dynamic andforward-thinking Head of Catering to lead our catering services and ensure thedelivery of safe, high-quality, and nutritious meals across our organisation.This pivotal role combines strategic leadership with operational excellencedriving innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement in how weprovide food services that support patient recovery and staff wellbeing. As akey member of our Facilities or Estates leadership team, youll play anessential part in achieving our SCL vision for outstanding care throughoutstanding support services and work within a NHS England Exemplar CateringSite..

Main duties of the job

The postholder will lead and manage the SCL cateringservices to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, and nutritious food topatients, staff, and visitors. They will oversee day-to-day cateringoperations, maintaining compliance with all relevant food safety, hygiene, andhealth and safety legislation. Working closely with dietitians, clinical teams,and facilities colleagues, they will support the development of menus that meetnutritional standards and reflect diverse dietary needs.

The role includes responsibility for managing budgets andresources efficiently, ensuring value for money through effective procurementand waste reduction. The postholder will lead, motivate, and develop thecatering team to maintain high standards of performance and customer service.They will promote innovation and sustainability, supporting initiatives toreduce environmental impact and improve the overall dining experience.

The Head of Catering will act as SCL expert forcatering matters, providing professional advice, ensuring compliance withnational NHS food standards, and contributing to the continuous improvement ofthe service in line with organisational objectives.

About us

SCL is a wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) set up to deliver a range of non-clinical services The company is a separate legal body to CDDFT.

SCL offers its own Terms and Conditions of employment which differ to the national NHS Terms and Conditions. As an employee in the company you will benefit from:

• Access to a pension scheme - National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) CDD Services will pay a 3% contribution (this is over and above the minimum contribution rate at the present time)
• Night Shift Working Allowances (where appropriate)
• Bank Holiday Working Allowances (where appropriate)

Bank work is offered on an 'as and when' basis with no guaranteed hours and will be paid on a pro-rata hourly rate for hours worked only

Job responsibilities

The Head of Cateringis responsible for the effective leadership, management, and continuousimprovement of all catering services across the Trust. The postholder willensure that safe, nutritious, and high-quality food is provided to patients,staff, and visitors, supporting both the delivery of excellent patient care andthe wellbeing of the workforce. This is a key leadership role within the Facilities Directorate, requiring a blend ofstrategic vision, operational expertise, and strong people management skills.

The postholder will take overall responsibility for thedaily running of catering operations, ensuring services are delivered inaccordance with NHS national food standards, statutory food safety legislation,and local policies. They will lead on menu development and nutritional quality,working collaboratively with clinical teams, dietitians, and service users toensure meals meet patient dietary requirements and promote recovery. The rolewill also include the management of the Central Production Unit (CPU) and bothward housekeeping services at both Darlington Memorial Hospital and UniversityHospital North Durham.

The Head of Catering will manage budgets effectively,ensuring efficient use of resources and value for money through sound financialcontrol, cost analysis, and procurement practices. They will lead initiativesto reduce food waste, improve sustainability, and increase the use of locallysourced, seasonal, and ethically produced ingredients. The postholder willsupport the SCL sustainability agenda, aligning catering operations with theNHS Net Zero Carbon targets.

A core aspect of the role is the leadership and developmentof catering staff. The postholder will ensure that all team members aretrained, competent, and motivated to deliver high standards of service. Theywill foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative culture, encouraginginnovation and continuous improvement. Regular supervision, performancereviews, and staff engagement will form part of this leadership responsibility.

The Head of Catering will also be accountable for ensuringcompliance with all statutory, regulatory, and NHS-specific requirements,including food hygiene legislation, infection prevention and control standards,and allergen management. They will maintain robust systems for monitoring,auditing, and reporting, ensuring any issues are promptly addressed and lessonslearned are implemented. The role will also require active participation ininternal and external inspections or audits, ensuring the service is alwaysprepared and compliant.

In addition to operational leadership, the postholder willcontribute strategically to the SCL Facilities management. They will provideexpert advice on catering matters, support business planning, and lead servicedevelopment projects designed to enhance quality, efficiency, and usersatisfaction. They will work closely with procurement, finance, estates, andclinical colleagues to ensure catering services are integrated with widerorganisational objectives.

The postholder will act as the principal point of contactfor all catering-related issues, representing the service at internal meetingsand external forums. They will build and maintain strong relationships withsuppliers, contractors, and partner organisations to ensure the Trust benefitsfrom best practice, innovation, and market developments.

The role requires a proactive approach to serviceimprovement and a commitment to delivering excellence. The Head of Cateringwill be expected to identify opportunities for innovation including digitalsystems, menu optimisation, and sustainable practices and to lead changeinitiatives that enhance both the quality and efficiency of cateringoperations.

The postholder will ensure that cateringservices contribute positively to the overall patient and staff experience,supporting SCL vision for outstanding care through outstanding supportservices. They will champion the importance of food and nutrition in health andwellbeing, promoting the catering service as an integral part of the patientcare pathway.

Person Specification

Special Skills & Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of food hygiene regulations, HACCP principles, allergen management, and catering industry best practice.
• Strong leadership and motivational skills, with the ability to inspire and engage diverse teams.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise competing demands.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including budget setting and resource management.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and negotiation skills with the ability to build effective relationships across disciplines.
• Understanding of NHS National Food Standards, Hospital Food Review recommendations, and the role of nutrition in patient care.
• Understanding of NHS or healthcare catering standards (e.g. NHS Food Standards, CQUIN, PLACE)
• Knowledge of sustainability and waste reduction in catering operations
• Creativity in menu and service development
• Commitment to promoting healthy eating and sustainability

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Catering Management, Hospitality Management, or a related discipline.
• Recognised qualification in Food Safety (minimum Level 4 Food Safety or equivalent).
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to catering, facilities, or management.
• Management or leadership qualification (e.g. ILM, CMI, or equivalent).
• Qualification in Nutrition, Dietetics, or related food and health discipline.
• HACCP qualification or equivalent.

Special Requirements

• Ability to work multisite and have flexibility to needs of the service
• Ability to work flexibly, including weekends and evenings as required
• Knowledge of catering sector

Experience

• Significant experience in managing large-scale catering operations in a healthcare, education, or similar multi-site environment.
• Demonstrable experience of leading and developing teams to achieve high standards of service delivery.
• Proven track record of budget management, cost control, and delivering efficiency savings.
• Experience in menu planning, nutritional compliance, and implementing national food standards.
• Experience in ensuring compliance with food safety, health and safety, and infection prevention legislation.
• Experience working within the NHS or other public sector catering service.
• Experience of project management and implementing service improvement or change initiatives.
• Experience of sustainability initiatives and waste reduction in catering operations.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.