Catering Manager

Location: Rotherham Council, Riverside House, Main Street, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S60 1AE (Borough-wide multi-site role)

Contract: Temporary / Interim Assignment (2 - 3 Months)

Hours: 37 Hours per Week

Pay Rate: £24.46 per hour PAYE

DBS: Enhanced DBS Required

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council is looking for a highly experienced Catering Manager (Operations) to provide strategic and operational leadership across its School Meals Service.

This senior management role will oversee catering operations across a substantial portfolio of schools throughout the borough, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, compliant and financially sustainable catering services. You will directly manage a team of Catering Managers and provide leadership to approximately 300 catering employees working across multiple locations.

Day-to-day of the role:

• Provide direct leadership and line management to Catering Managers.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety legislation, allergen management procedures, health and safety requirements, and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Manage service budgets, financial forecasting, income generation opportunities and cost controls.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, training, development and succession planning.
• Lead service improvement initiatives and operational change programmes.
• Manage complex operational issues, customer concerns and service complaints.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with headteachers, academy trusts, partners and stakeholders.
• School catering services.
• Local authority catering operations.
• Contract catering environments.
• Large-scale food service operations.
• Multi-site operational management.
• Leadership of large, geographically dispersed teams.
• Significant operational management experience.
• Strong financial and budget management skills.
• Experience managing service performance, compliance and quality standards.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Level 3 Food Safety / Food Hygiene qualification (or willingness to complete).
• Health & Safety qualification such as IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent.
• Management or Leadership qualification, or equivalent management experience.
• Allergen Awareness Training.
• NQF Level 3 qualification (or above), such as:
  • A Levels / NVQ Level 3
  • BTEC Certificates & Diplomas
  • City & Guilds Advanced Craft Part 3
  • Certificate of Higher Education
• City & Guilds 7061/7062.
• NVQ Level 2 Food Preparation & Cooking.
• Equivalent knowledge and experience gained through extensive practical work will also be considered.
• Higher-level Food Safety qualification.
• Hospitality, Catering or Food Service Management qualification.
• NEBOSH Certificate or equivalent Health & Safety qualification.
• Food preparation, cooking and service delivery to agreed standards.
• Managing food budgets and stock control systems.
• Food hygiene legislation and operational compliance.
• Using IT systems including Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, email and reporting tools.

This is a borough-wide operational role and regular travel between schools and catering locations is essential.

• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle is required.

Benefits:

If you would like to apply for the Catering Manager position, please send your cv to