School Chef Manager - Wilmington

Chartwells Independent; Wilmington; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 40,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension scheme

Career development through Career Path

MyLearning programmes

Digital GP access for you and family

Healthcare benefits

Exclusive travel discounts

Supermarket discounts

Cinema discounts

Cash rewards program

Wellness & mindfulness classes

Job summary

Compass Group UK&I is seeking a Chef Manager to run day-to-day catering operations in a school setting, delivering high-quality meals and exceptional service. You will lead a small team, manage purchasing, stock and labour costs, and ensure food safety compliance.

Role requires strong chef skills plus two years in catering management, with a focus on financial performance and customer satisfaction. Term-time schedule, Monday to Friday, 44.6 weeks per year, with competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• Strong chef background with leadership of a catering operation.
• Experience managing a school/education catering service.
• Minimum two years in catering management.
• Ability to lead and develop a small team.
• Solid financial and commercial awareness.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Customer-focused and relationship-building mindset.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and catering systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day catering operation ensuring top food quality and service.
• Lead, motivate and develop a small catering team.
• Prepare, cook and serve fresh, nutritious meals to spec and standard.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, H&S and company policies.
• Manage food purchasing, stock and labour costs to hit financial targets.
• Build positive relationships with the school, pupils, staff and visitors.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organised kitchen environment.
• Drive continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Skills

Strong chef skills

Catering management

Team leadership

Financial awareness

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Customer focus

Basic Food Hygiene (Level 2)

IT proficiency

Multi-priority management

Education

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2)

Job description

Term Time Only | Monday to Friday | 44.6 Weeks Per Year | £36,000 per annum

As Chef Manager, you'll take full responsibility for the day-to-day management of the catering operation, leading your team to deliver fresh, high-quality meals while maintaining exceptional food safety, customer service, and financial performance.

What We Offer

We believe in rewarding your hard work with an excellent benefits package, including:

• Monday to Friday
• Term time only (44.6 weeks per year)
• Contributory pension scheme
• Career development through our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Digital GP access for you and your immediate family, plus wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Supermarket discounts at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets
• Cash rewards programme across a wide range of retailers
• Free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• The opportunity to share discounts and offers with your friends and family

What You'll Be Doing

• Managing the day-to-day catering operation, ensuring the highest standards of food quality and customer service.
• Leading, motivating and developing a small catering team to deliver exceptional results.
• Preparing, cooking and serving fresh, nutritious meals to agreed specifications and standards.
• Ensuring full compliance with food safety, health & safety and company policies.
• Managing food purchasing, stock control and labour costs to achieve financial targets.
• Building positive relationships with the school, pupils, staff and visitors.
• Maintaining a clean, safe and organised kitchen environment.
• Driving continuous improvement, innovation and customer satisfaction across the catering service.

About You

We're looking for someone who has:

• Strong chef skills with a genuine passion for fresh food.
• Previous experience managing a successful catering operation in a similar environment.
• At least two years' catering management experience.
• Experience leading, motivating and developing a small team.
• Excellent financial and commercial awareness.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• A customer-focused approach with the ability to build lasting relationships.
• A Basic Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 minimum).
• Good IT skills and confidence using Microsoft Office and catering systems.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards.

About Us

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/2808/42476001/52819274/R/SU #Pabulum

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!