Job Description
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Catering Manager
(Band Scale: 5.9)
Full time equivalent: £27,254 (+ Outer Fringe £729)
Actual Salary: £16,677.27
26.25 hours a week Full time (Term time) role.
Permanent role.
Safeguarding
This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be required to undertake an enhanced Disclosure & Barring check via the Disclosure & Barring Service.
The Role:
Could you join our team at St. Teresa's Catholic Primary School as our new Catering Manager?
The successful candidate will be responsible for managing a team of a catering assitant and a team of middays serving 150+ meals daily, and work with the headteacher to turn a joint vision for school dining into a reality!
Who are we looking for?
We are seeking a dedicated and personable individual to take on the role of Catering Manager in this academic year. We're looking for someone who loves children and exudes a warm and inviting manner. Creativity within budgets to craft exciting, nutritious meals is key. If you thrive in a small, caring community with low staff turnover, and can support our ethos based on love and mutual respect, we'd love to hear from you.
Here are some of the experience and qualifications that a successful candidate would likely need (A full personal specification is downloadable from the advertisement on the Essex website.)
Day to day responsibilities Include (Expanded list downloadable from page):
- Adhere to school policies and safeguarding procedures.
- Working with a catering assistant to prepare and deliver over 100 meals a day.
- Create costed rotational menus optimising nutritional value and variety.
- Supervise food preparation, quality assurance, and allergen labelling.
- Provide catering for school events as directed.
- Maintain safe, hygienic food preparation environment.
- Coordinate with cleaning staff for kitchen hygiene.
- Ensure staff adhere to uniform and hygiene standards.
- Replenish stock and manage supplier relationships.
- Oversee stock storage, rotation, and equipment maintenance.
- Manage catering budget and ensure kitchen profitability.
Person Specification includes (Full specification downloadable from page):
- Experience of the preparation and cooking of food (In a professional context) (Essential)
- Experience of serving customers/diners as required (Essential)
- Basic level of education (GCSE level C/4 (or equivalent) Maths and English) (Essential)
- Knowledge of food storage, preparation, and cooking (Essential)
- Confident leadership. (Essential)
- Personable and approachable. (Essential)
- Committed to upholding the Catholic school ethos and equal opportunities. (Applicants need not be Catholic, only to uphold and support the values of the school.) (Essential)
- Up to date Level 3 Food Safety or NVQ equivalent/Advanced Food Hygiene Certificate. (If out of date or not yet achieved training can be provided upon appointment.) (Desirable)
- First Aid Training. (Desirable)
- Menu planning and budget management. (Desirable)
- Stock control and equipment maintenance. (Desirable)
- Experience in a busy kitchen environment. (Desirable)
- Knowledge of hygiene and health and safety laws/government legislation on school food. (Desirable)
Why choose St Teresa's?
St Teresa's Catholic Primary school is a close knit and loving community. We are blessed with a strong team, well behaved children and supportive families. Our children are always grateful and polite for what they receive at school.
St Teresa's kitchen has recently been through a period of change. A new leader supported a positive transformation in our school kitchen, which resulted in us being nominated for a special healthy school's award. This leader has now been offered the next step in their career at a bigger school. We are looking for a leader who can take over, maintain our high standards and keep the school's commitment to providing healthy, nutritious and exciting meals for our students.
How to apply:
Visits to the school are encouraged and can be arranged through the school office by phoning Miss Aldridge on 01268 553502 or emailing the school at office@st-teresasrc.essex.sch.uk
To apply for this role apply via the Essex Jobs Website. The link to apply can be sourced by emailing office@st-teresasrc.essex.sch.uk
Closing Date: 6th Feb 2026 (Midday)
Interviews: 11th Feb 2026 (although we reserve the right to close this advert and interview earlier, should the right candidate apply).
Position starts: 16th Feb 2026 (although earlier/later starts could be considered for the right applicant)
Candidates shortlisted will receive notification of interview.