Head Porter

Imperial Enterprise; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

43 days' annual leave

Generous pension schemes

On-site leisure facilities

Cycle-to-work scheme

Flexible working policy from day one

Season ticket loan (interest-free)

Job summary

Imperial College London is seeking a Head Porter to oversee Catering, Stores and Kitchen operations across our campus. You will coordinate staffing, supervise porters, and maintain high standards of cleanliness, safety and service.

The role requires proactive leadership, strong organisational skills, and the ability to manage resources efficiently in a busy university setting. You will ensure compliance with food hygiene, HACCP and health & safety requirements, lead team briefings and act as

Qualifications

• Experience in leading a team and motivating staff.
• Strong organisational and time management for efficient service.
• Ability to operate equipment/machinery used in the work area.
• Full clean UK driving licence.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Flexible to work a 5/7 days pattern, including evenings/weekends.

Responsibilities

• Supervise Catering and Events Porters, coordinating daily tasks to balance workloads.
• Oversee cleaning and maintenance of kitchens, stores, equipment, and floors, including opening/closing and deep-clean cycles.
• Help manage receipt, storage, ordering, and control of catering supplies, PPE, and porter equipment; maintain records.
• Ensure compliance with food hygiene, HACCP, health & safety and environmental requirements.
• Lead regular team briefings, be first point of contact for porter issues, report defects, and support the Line Manager.

Skills

Leadership

Organisational skills

Equipment operation

Driving licence

Communication

Flexibility

Job description

Are you a friendly, organised professional with a flexible approach and a positive, can-do attitude? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join the Property Division as a Head Porter at one of the world's top 10 internationally renowned universities.

As a Head Porter, you will contribute meaningfully to the smooth and efficient operation of Catering, Stores, and Kitchen areas by coordinating staffing levels, cleaning schedules, and the effective allocation of team members. You will also help create a safe and responsible workplace by supporting compliance with health, safety, environmental, manual handling, COSHH, and waste disposal requirements.

What you would be doing

You will supervise Catering and Events Porters, coordinating daily tasks to ensure workloads are shared fairly and completed on time. You will oversee the cleaning and maintenance of kitchens, stores, equipment, utensils, floors, and associated areas, including opening and closing procedures and scheduled deep-cleaning programmes.

You will support the safe receipt, storage, ordering, and control of catering supplies, cleaning materials, PPE, and porter equipment. You will also maintain accurate cleaning and temperature records, carry out routine inspections, and help ensure all working practices comply with food hygiene, HACCP, health and safety, and environmental requirements.

You will lead regular team briefings, promote a positive working environment, and act as the first point of contact for porter-related issues. You will report defects and maintenance concerns promptly, identify opportunities to improve customer service, and support your Line Manager with any additional operational duties when required.

What we are looking for

• Previous experience of leading a team with proven ability to motivate and lead team members is an advantage
• Organisational and time management skills, in order to deliver an efficient and effective service
• A good understanding of the use of different equipment/machinery within the work area and the ability to operate such equipment/machinery
• Physically able to operate different equipment/machinery and lift objects of varying loads
• Full clean UK driving license
• Ability to use own initiative with limited supervision, to deal with problems which may hinder the delivery of an effective service
• A flexible approach to working, sufficient to be able to work a 5/7 days per week arrangement, work evenings and weekends, and able to work at any location/catering outlet, as reasonably requested
• Organisational and time management skills, in order to deliver an efficient and effective service
• Good communications skills, both written and verbal, in order to present and deliver information in an appropriate manner e.g. timesheets, cleaning records, staff rota

What we can offer you

• At Imperial, our values respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation guide everything we do. You'll be part of a supportive and forward-thinking team, working on projects that directly contribute to the safety and wellbeing of our community.
• We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment and welcome applications from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage interest from individuals who are underrepresented in our workforce.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.
• Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 43 days' annual leave and generous pension schemes).
• Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme.
• Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel.
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

Further information

If you require any further details on the role, please contact: Atesh Luximon, Head of Food Production, Service and Development- [e-mail] .

Closing Date: Midnight, Monday, 9 November 2026

Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

If you have any general queries about this vacancy, please contact the hiring manager listed in the 'Further Information' section. Alternatively, you can contact the Recruitment Hub at [e-mail], and we will be happy to assist you.

If you experience any technical issues that prevent you from submitting an application, please contact our Technical Support team at [e-mail] , who will be able to help resolve the issue.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top-ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world's toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.

As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you'll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.

This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you'll join us at Imperial College London.

Our Culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination, and creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our web pages .

Proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. We welcome applications from the Armed Forces community.

Our values are at the root of everything we do, and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.