Senior Cafe and Catering Assistant

Teaching Vacancies; Lewes; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 17,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

CPD opportunities

Induction program

Coaching culture

Eye tests

Onsite gym

Cycle-to-work

Discounted dining facilities

Free parking

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Plumpton College is seeking a Catering Assistant to support daily dining operations and catering outlets. You will deliver high-quality service to students, staff, and visitors while ensuring cleanliness and food safety across areas.

The role requires a catering qualification or relevant experience, a current Food Hygiene Certificate, and the ability to work flexibly across shifts, including some evenings and weekends. A team-focused, customer-centric mindset is essential.

Qualifications

• Two years’ experience in a similar role preferred.
• Commitment to high-quality customer service and food safety.
• Ability to work as part of a team and adapt to shift patterns.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day running of main dining room and outlets.
• Deliver friendly, high-quality service to students, staff and visitors.
• Supervise cleanliness, food safety and hygiene standards across catering areas.
• Monitor cleaning records, food temperatures, stock and portion control.
• Support catering for meetings, events and functions, including some evenings and weekends.
• Provide cover across other College catering outlets as required.

Skills

Teamwork

Customer service

Communication

Flexibility

Calm under pressure

Food safety awareness

Education

Catering qualification

Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

What you’ll be doing

• Supporting the day-to-day running of the main dining room and other catering outlets


• Delivering a friendly, high-quality service to students, staff and visitors


• Supervising cleanliness, food safety and hygiene standards across catering areas


• Monitoring cleaning records, food temperatures, stock control and portion control


• Supporting catering for meetings, events and functions, including some evenings and weekends


• Providing cover across other College catering outlets when required


• Undertaking manual handling duties as part of the role

What we’re looking for

• Has a catering qualification or relevant catering experience


• Holds a current Food Hygiene Certificate


• Has at least two years’ experience in a similar role


• Has a passion for good food and a high-quality customer experience


• Is outgoing, approachable and flexible


• Works well as part of a team


• Can stay calm and effective under pressure

What the college offers its staff

At Plumpton College, we live our values — Ambitious, Professional, Enterprising, Passionate, Supportive and Progressive — in everything we do.

You’ll benefit from:

• We offer a competitive salary alongside a generous benefits package.


• Staff have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, comprehensive CPD opportunities, and a supportive working environment.


• As a Disability Confident Committed employer and a signatory of the Menopause Pledge, we are proud to foster an inclusive workplace.


• New colleagues benefit from a structured induction and supported probationary period, as well as a strong coaching culture with in-house Level 5 trained coaches.


• Employees also enjoy a range of lifestyle and wellbeing benefits such as eligibility for a TOTUM card and Blue Light Card, free eye tests, free use of our onsite gym, cycle-to-work scheme, discounted Plumpton wine and courses, free onsite parking, access to competitively priced dining facilities, and an Employee Assistance Programme.


• Our commitment to staff wellbeing and community is further demonstrated through regular networking events, active EDI and Sustainability committees, and social events at Christmas.

Basic working hours are five days over a seven-day rota, to include possible weekends (one or two per month). Hours are approximately 7.00am to 4.00pm or 10.00am to 7.00pm. Some flexibility will be required to meet the needs of the business and therefore weekend and evening working will be required. Hours and working times will be agreed with the Catering Supervisor, based on the needs of the business.

This is an all-year-round role. Some evening, weekend and holiday period working will be required to support catering functions, student activities, recruitment events and wider college activities.

We reserve the right to interview or close the vacancy early should we receive a high number of applications. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

Commitment to safeguarding

Plumpton College is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities and is dedicated to pursuing non-discriminatory policies and practices and eliminating unfair discrimination on any basis.

Plumpton is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Employment cannot begin until the appropriate DBS clearance has been received and considered.

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.