Food Service Assistant in Oxford

Food Service Assistant

Reference: OCT20263197

Expiry date: 23:59, Wed, 11th Nov 2026

Location: Oxford

Benefits: Competitive holiday, excellent career pathways and fantastic onsite facilities

An opportunity has arisen for a Food Service Assistant to join our team at our Oxford College. In this dynamic college environment, you'll play a key role in providing excellent customer service to both staff and students.

Role: Food Service Assistant
Location: Oxford College
Contract: Permanent, part-time during term-time (35 hours per week / 0.80 FTE)
Salary: £12.71 per hour

Reporting to the Kitchen Supervisor, you will oversee the daily operations of the catering outlet, assist with basic food preparation, and deliver exceptional customer service. Your responsibilities will include restocking, handling deliveries, rotating stock, and ensuring our space is always presented to the highest standards, and some of this will include lone working.

Key responsibilities include:

• Assisting with basic food preparation, adhering to healthy school guidelines that promote balanced meals for everyone.
• Operating our barista-style coffee machine to serve drinks.
• Clearing, cleaning, and storing food and beverage equipment following safety protocols.
• Labelling all food items in accordance with food safety regulations and following allergen safety procedures.
• Supporting hospitality orders, including preparation, setup, and delivery/collection across the campus.
• EPOS cash/payment handling and processing.

This is a permanent, part-time role working 35 hours per week during term-time (FTE 0.80) based at Oxford College. The hours will be worked on Monday to Friday 7am-14.30pm.

What we're looking for:

To excel in this position, the ideal candidate should bring strong customer service experience, ideally gained within the hospitality sector. Experience in food service or sales, along with any additional qualifications in catering or hospitality, would be highly beneficial. However, we are committed to providing training to ensure you succeed in this role.

Key qualifications and experience include:

• Food Hygiene Certification: You should already hold a Basic Food Hygiene Certificate or be willing to undertake the necessary training to obtain one. This is essential for maintaining the high standards of cleanliness and safety expected in our food service operations.
• Food Service & Till Operation Experience: Previous hands‑on experience in a food service environment, such as working as a café or till operator, will be critical. This includes managing transactions, handling food, and providing excellent customer service in a fast‑paced setting.
• Catering Outlets and Coffee Shop Experience: Ideally, you will have previous work experience in catering outlets, coffee shops, or similar food service areas. This experience will help you quickly adapt to our work environment and deliver the best possible service to our customers.

Additional qualifications or work experience in catering, hospitality, or related fields will be an asset, but we are happy to support the right candidate with all necessary training to develop these skills further. This role requires individuals who are adaptable, customer-focused, and passionate about food service excellence.

What we offer:

We want you to feel supported, valued and able to develop throughout your career with us. As part of the Activate Learning team, you’ll have access to:

• 25 days given out of term time plus B/H
• Free eye tests *
• Season ticket loan / bus pass *
• Dedicated Wellbeing Toolkit; Your wellbeing. Your way. Support when you need it.
• Blue Light Card; access to a range of discounts and offers
• Access to LinkedIn Learning; develop new skills and explore learning at your own pace
• Learning and development opportunities; access to a range of professional development, training, and career development opportunities to help you grow and progress

Activate Learning is a forward-thinking education group committed to transforming lives through learning.

We provide a wide range of education and training, including Further Education, Higher Education, adult education and apprenticeships, supporting learners at different stages of their education and careers.

At the heart of everything we do is our award-winning Learning Philosophy, which shapes how we teach, support our learners and work together as colleagues. Our approach is built around three simple principles: Feel Safe, Find Purpose and Make Progress.

We recognise that everyone has a different starting point, experience and ambition. We work with our learners as individuals, helping them build the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to progress.

As a colleague, you'll be part of a supportive and inclusive organisation where learning, development and making a positive difference are central to what we do.

Together, we will bring out the best version of yourself.

Activate Learning is committed to safeguarding and expects all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to undergo a DBS check at the appropriate level.

We welcome applications from all candidates who meet or exceed the minimum criteria, regardless of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or ethnicity. We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive and accessible.

If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage of the application or interview process, please contact the Talent Team .

Activate Learning does not accept unsolicited CVs from recruitment agencies. Agencies working with our Talent Team must be part of our Preferred Supplier List (PSL).

Some positions may require a legally mandated health surveillance check due to exposure to hazardous conditions.

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