Catering Operations Manager - Ferndown Upper School

Catering Operations Manager

Job Ref:  XS8.1

Minimum of 30 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Hours are negotiable and will be discussed at interview but the successful candidate would need to be flexible to cover kitchen staff absence, occasional school events and busy periods during the school year.

 Grade 8 SCP 12-20 - £14.36 to £16.37 per hour

Term Time only plus 5 Staff Training Days

Permanent Contract to start September 2025 or as soon after                                              

Ferndown Upper School operates an in-house catering service for over 1,000 students with provision at breakfast, mid-morning break and lunch time.

We are looking to recruit a Catering Operations Manager to run our busy kitchen and lead the catering team. The successful applicant will be a natural leader with good communication skills to motivate the team in providing an exceptional and outstanding service to students and staff. 

Key responsibilities:

• Oversee daily catering operations ensuring high standards are maintained in the cleanliness and presentation of the café and kitchen areas.
• Management and co-ordination of the catering team, ensuring staff deliver a consistent and excellence service. Support and manage team training and development as necessary.
• Create a warm and welcoming environment for students and staff.
• Ensure compliance and assist in the delivery of FSO, EHO Health & Safety legislation.
• Manage budgets and control costs. Financial reporting on café performance.
• Management of cash, float and till procedures.
• Oversee stock and ordering, keeping track of wastage. Support the school’s ECO policy.
• Maintain good relationships with suppliers and review value for money on a regular basis.
• Support SBM in the delivery of hospitality and catering across the school.

The successful candidate will have experience in managing a team in a busy working environment, good administrative and IT skills with the ability to successfully manage the finance and operational side of the school café.  Experience in catering/hospitality sector desirable but not essential.

The school will support the training of a Level 3 Food Safety Certificate if required.

What Ferndown Can Offer You:

• CPD opportunities and training and development programmes.
• Eligibility to join the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• A tax efficient Childcare Scheme through salary sacrifice.
• Access to health and wellbeing support.
• Private Healthcare Cash Back Plan including 24/7 access to a GP by phone, gym discounts, cashback for optical, dental and other appointment expenses for employees and their children.
• Access to staff benefits and discounts portal through Dorset Council.

For more details please contact [email protected]  

Please apply on-line or an application is available on our website www.fernup.dorset.sch.uk/vacancies  

           Close date:  midnight Sunday 3^rd August 2025

Ferndown Upper School values the diversity of our workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community. 

Our 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 candidate will be required to have an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check (formerly CRB) in line with the Governments safer recruitment guidelines.

This role is UK based and your Right to Work will need to be established as part of the appointment process.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (2013 and 2020) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.