Lead Our Team!
Do you have a passion for food, leadership, and making a real difference to children every day?
At City Catering Southampton , we are passionate about providing high-quality, nutritious meals to children across Southampton and beyond. As a charity, we believe every child deserves the very best lunchtime experience - and we're looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, and organised Head of Kitchen to lead one of our school catering teams.
This is a rewarding fixed term role for 6 months , covering absence that combines hands-on cooking, team leadership, and the opportunity to make a positive impact within local schools and communities.
Location: Our Lady & St Joseph School, Ramley Road, Lymington, SO41 8GY
Hours: 25hours per week, Monday to Friday (8.30am-1.30pm)
Working Weeks: 39 weeks per year (term-time only)
Pay: 14.14 per hour
This is a temporary 6 month fixed term contract
What You'll Be Doing
No two days are the same! You'll be responsible for:
Planning, preparing, cooking, and serving nutritious meals to a consistently high standard
Leading, motivating, and developing your kitchen team to deliver an excellent service
Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the kitchen
Ensuring compliance with food safety, allergens, special diets, and health & safety procedures
Managing stock control, ordering, and minimising food waste
Building positive relationships with school staff, pupils, and parents
Supporting special events, theme days, and promotional activities
Training, supporting, and developing Assistant Cooks and Catering Assistants
Maintaining accurate kitchen records and completing required administration
Creating a welcoming and positive dining experience for children
What We're Looking For
We'd love to hear from you if you are:
Experienced in managing or leading a kitchen, ideally within a school or catering environment
Passionate about food quality and customer service
A confident leader who can motivate and support a team
Organised and able to work well under pressure
Knowledgeable about food safety, allergens, and kitchen hygiene procedures
Friendly, approachable, and professional
Reliable, proactive, and solution-focused
Flexible and willing to support other locations when required
Previous supervisory or leadership experience is essential, and a Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate would be an advantage.
At City Catering Southampton, we are proud of our positive culture, high standards, and commitment to equality, safeguarding, and employee wellbeing.
Important Information
This role is subject to eligibility to work in the UK and an Enhanced DBS check due to working within school environments. The cost of the DBS check will be covered by the Charity.
We are actively seeking to increase diversity within our organisation and warmly welcome applications from people of all genders, sexual orientations, people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and those with lived experience of food poverty.
If you're passionate about making a difference and want to lead a team that delivers great food with care, we'd love to hear from you - apply today!
Pay: £14.14 per hour
Benefits:
On-site parking
Application question(s):
Have you had any experience of working with school catering before?
Have you had any experience of leading a kitchen team before?
Licence/Certification:
Level 3 Food Safety Certificate (preferred)
Enhanced DBS Certificate (preferred)
Work Location: In person
Head of Kitchen - Unit Manager - Our Lady and St Joseph School in Lymington employer: City Catering Southampton
At City Catering Southampton, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer dedicated to nurturing talent and fostering a positive work environment. As a charity focused on providing nutritious meals to children, we offer meaningful employment that directly impacts local communities, alongside opportunities for professional growth and development within a supportive team culture. With a commitment to equality and employee wellbeing, our Head of Kitchen role at Our Lady St Joseph not only allows you to lead with passion but also to make a real difference in the lives of children every day.
