School Catering Manager - Telford

Chartwells Schools; Telford; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension

Career development programmes (Career 

Learning programmes

Digital GP access

Travel discounts

Shopping discounts

Cinema discounts

Cash rewards

Wellness, mindfulness and exercise

Job summary

Chartwells, part of Compass Group UK&I, is seeking a School Catering Manager to lead unit and service counters in educational settings. You will supervise teams, manage inventories and budgets, and ensure exceptional food and customer service while delivering memorable experiences for pupils and staff.

The role emphasises health and safety, performance monitoring against KPIs, and opportunities for career progression through our Learning programmes.

Qualifications

• Two years of management experience within a similar sector or industry.
• Experience managing teams in a catering/education environment is advantageous.
• Strong financial acumen and budget monitoring skills.
• Proficient in Excel/spreadsheets and data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Supervising teams to deliver high-quality food and customer service.
• Overseeing unit operations, inventories, budgets, and action plans.
• Communicating with line manager to monitor KPIs and targets.
• Representing Chartwells UK&I and maintaining a positive brand image.
• Identifying opportunities for new service concepts to drive sales.
• Liaising between customers and internal teams to exceed expectations.
• Training and supporting teams to excel in their roles.
• Implementing and reviewing Health & Safety standards across catering and service teams.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organisational skills

Financial acumen

Tools

Excel

Job description

Benefits

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Monday to Friday
• Term time only - 48.6 weeks per year
• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

Please note: This role is contracted to 48.6 weeks per year

As a School Catering Manager, you will be responsible for ensuring our unit and service counters run smoothly and helping to deliver truly incredible experiences. In return, you'll have the opportunity to progress your career with a company that invests in its people, celebrates individuality, and rewards and recognises employees who go beyond the plate.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include

• Supervising teams to ensure we continue to deliver impeccable food and customer service
• Overseeing the efficiency of all in-unit operations, including managing inventories, monitoring budgets, and implementing action plans
• Communicating regularly with your line manager to monitor KPIs and targets
• Representing Compass Group UK&I and maintaining a positive brand image
• Identifying opportunities for new service concepts to drive sales
• Liaising between customers and our internal teams to ensure we continue to exceed expectations
• Supporting and training our teams, leading from the front to make sure everyone can excel in their role
• Implementing and reviewing Health & Safety standards to ensure compliance across all catering and service teams.

Our Ideal Manager Will

• Be passionate about great‑tasting food and exceptional customer service
• Have a minimum of two years of management experience within a similiar sector or industry
• Have experience managing teams in a similar role
• Demonstrate brilliant financial acumen
• Knowledge and experience of Excel/spreadsheets
• Have excellent communication and organisational skills
• Be an ambitious and motivated individual who is always looking to upskill

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, Chartwells is the leading provider of catering and support services to the education sector. For over a quarter of a century, Chartwells has been focusing on helping those in education to build strong bodies, sharp minds and lead long healthy lives. Every week, Chartwells serves millions of nutritious and delicious meals to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools, academies, independent schools, colleges, and universities across the UK. Chartwells is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to successfully completing pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and a Children's Barred List check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and we ask applicants to declare all previous convictions and cautions in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

Job Reference: com/2708/40939001/52818983/R/SU #State Schools

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!