Kitchen Unit Manager / Cook In Charge

Cadbury Heath Primary; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 19,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Great Working Environment

CPD opportunities

Career progression

Staff wellbeing

Pension scheme

Cycle to Work

Discount platform

Job summary

Emersons Green Primary School is seeking a Kitchen Manager to lead our school catering service and ensure nutritious meals for pupils. The role requires experience in a school kitchen, promoting healthy eating, and strong communication with children and staff.

You will work 30 hours per week during term time, with a supportive team and opportunities for professional growth. The school offers a great working environment, CPD opportunities, progression pathways, wellbeing support, a generous

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a school kitchen environment.
• Ability to promote healthy eating to pupils and staff.
• Flexible and adaptable to ensure smooth lunch service.
• Strong communication with children, staff and lead professionals.
• Patient, empathetic and conscientious with a focus on high-quality pupil service.

Responsibilities

• Lead the school catering service and lunch operation.
• Deliver nutritious, delicious meals to pupils.
• Promote healthy eating as part of daily practice.
• Collaborate with school staff to ensure a smooth lunch service.

Skills

School kitchen experience

Healthy eating advocacy

Flexible

Communication with children

Team player

Job description

Join our Team as a Kitchen Manager at Emersons Green Primary School! Start Date: As soon as possible

Salary: Grade 11 £26,427 - £26,847 (FTE) per annum (Actual salary based on hours: £18,430.36 - £18,723.27 p.a.)

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 30 hours per week (8:30am – 14:30pm) Monday to Friday, term time only to include INSET days (39 weeks)

Application Closing Date: 30/09/2026 - We recommend early application as the school reserves the right to close the advert prior to the stated deadline date

Interview date: w/c 05/10/2026

The Role

Are you an enthusiastic and organised individual with a flair for food and a heart for community? Emersons Green Primary School is looking for a dedicated Kitchen Manager to lead our school catering service and deliver nutritious, delicious meals that help our pupils thrive.

• has experience of working in a school kitchen environment can support the kitchen manager in running an effective lunch service.
• can assist in the promotion of a healthy eating
• Is flexible and able to adapt to ensure a smooth running of our lunch service maintains a calm and consistent approach to working with the children.
• somebody who is able to communicate well with children, other staff and lead professionals shares the school’s vision and values.
• has a patient, empathetic and conscientious nature and who is committed to providing the best care and service for our children
• possesses good interpersonal skills and the ability to work well in a team

Please refer to the candidate information pack for further details about this role.

Fluency Duty: This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to converse at ease with pupils, parents and other users and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

The School and Trust

Emersons Green Primary School is a proud member of The Leaf Trust, a family comprising 18 schools (14 primary, 2 junior, and 2 infant school), all united in our common goal of creating outstanding learning environments deeply rooted in our local communities. At Emersons Green Primary we are Forging Mighty Futures through a pursuit of excellence, building bravery, championing uniqueness and embracing practice and effort. We wish to appoint an energetic and highly motivated, teaching assistant to join our successful team on this exciting journey. Emersons Green is a purpose-designed school, which opened in 2000. We pride ourselves on being a friendly, popular, inclusive community. We cater for 210 mainstream pupils and have a Resource Base for up to 14 pupils who have physical/Visual needs. These children are fully included into the mainstream classes and are supported by Resource Base staff. Our school values of Respect, Empathy, Bravery, Kindness permeate everything we do. We encourage you to browse our respective websites for more information about Emersons Green Primary School and The Leaf Trust.

We can offer you:

• A Great Working Environment: Experience a supportive and motivating workplace with a dedicated and hard-working staff team.
• Professional Growth: We are committed to staff development and offer excellent CPD opportunities. Staff can also take advantage of various apprenticeship opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge, allowing for practical experience and personal growth.
• Pathways for Progression: As part of a network of 17 schools, you'll find numerous opportunities for career advancement and the chance to take on exciting new challenges.
• Employee Wellbeing: Our staff’s opinion matters to us, which is why we conduct an annual staff survey to ensure their voice is heard. Additionally, our Wellbeing Committees are here to support staff in the workplace. Support staff benefit from generous leave entitlement.
• Financial Benefits: We value our staff and offer excellent pension packages for both teaching and support staff. Additionally, take advantage of our Cycle to Work Scheme, and discount retail platform to help you save money on various purchases.