School Catering Team Lead – Healthy Meals & Budget

North East Combined Authority; Gateshead; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 19,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Outstanding Pension Scheme

Learning & Development

Health & Wellbeing Support

Cycle to Work Scheme

Electric & Hybrid Car Scheme

Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice

Job summary

Gateshead Council is seeking a Catering Supervisor for St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Gateshead. You will lead a small team to deliver a high-quality two-course mid-day meal service, manage food preparation, stock, and budgets, and ensure food safety and HACCP compliance.

In this role you’ll plan staff rotas, train and supervise staff, monitor costs, and work with the school to improve the service and meal uptake while delivering excellent customer care to pupils, parents and staff.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of food safety and health & safety legislation with relevant Level 2 qualifications.
• Experience delivering high-quality catering services in a similar environment, ideally within schools or large-scale catering.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and manage a team effectively.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills with a customer-focused approach.
• Ability to manage budgets, control costs, and maintain service standards.
• Flexible, proactive approach with a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Strong teamwork skills with the ability to build positive relationships across a diverse school community.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise and support a small catering team to deliver a high-quality two-course mid-day meal service.
• Oversee food preparation, cooking, service, ordering, stock control, and storage within budget.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, health & safety, and HACCP systems and standards.
• Manage kitchen and dining cleanliness to the highest standards.
• Plan staff rotas, allocate duties, and support training, development, and safe working practices.
• Monitor and manage food and labour costs effectively within set budgets.
• Work collaboratively to develop and improve the service, increasing meal uptake.
• Deliver excellent customer care and build strong relationships with pupils, parents, and school stakeholders.
• Participate in promotional activities such as parents’ evenings, events, and themed days.
• Ensure dietary, allergen, and medical requirements are handled safely and in line with policy.
• Respond to feedback, complaints, and service requests promptly and professionally.
• Contribute to menu development and continuous service improvement.

Skills

Team leadership

Budget management

Customer focus

Communication

Flexibility

Education

Level 2 Food Safety/Health & Safety/Allergen Awareness/Professional Cookery or equivalent

Job description

Gateshead Council is seeking a Catering Supervisor for St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Gateshead. You will lead a small team to deliver a high-quality two-course mid-day meal service, manage food preparation, stock, and budgets, and ensure food safety and HACCP compliance.

In this role you’ll plan staff rotas, train and supervise staff, monitor costs, and work with the school to improve the service and meal uptake while delivering excellent customer care to pupils, parents and staff.