Catering Manager in Maidstone

The job holder will be responsible for Food Services for the establishment, including all food areas and the staff mess. This non‑operational role has line‑management responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the provision of meals for prisoners, maintaining quality and quantity.
• Monitor a safe working environment – request equipment repairs, conduct ongoing testing and report operating faults on the facilities management system.
• Achieve Service Levels Indicators, verifying and signing off documentation as required.
• Maintain compliance with Food Safety Management systems and Hygiene Assessments, conduct risk assessments and respond to hazards.
• Cost menu requirements and manage the catering budget, including cultural, health‑nutrition and special dietary needs.
• Serve as point of contact for external/internal stakeholders visiting the kitchen, including the Independent Monitoring Body (IMB) and His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP).
• Estimate, order and manage resources (food and ingredients) to deliver catering requirements and minimise waste.
• Maintain kitchen security standards in line with LSS and NSF.
• Manage prisoner workforce – induct, train, supervise, pay and complete required documentation.
• Develop and implement national and local policy, procedures and practice for catering, ensuring consistency across the unit.
• Collect, collate, analyse and act on data about the catering function, including feedback and menu choices from residential areas.
• Train wing food handlers on hygiene standards.
• Carry out kitchen inspections, audit preparation and documentation for audit purposes.
• Manage devolved budgets according to financial procedures.
• Lead staff management – performance, development, annual appraisal and sickness absence management.
• Implement HMPPS standards and Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs) within the work area.
• Ensure compliance with national and local policies (e.g., NSF, LSS, Finance Manual).
• Attend relevant boards and meetings, actively contributing as chair or member.
• Provide leadership and direction to supervisors and staff through briefings, communication and relationship building.
• Produce reports and reply to correspondence within agreed timescales.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to build good relationships.
• Contribute to the preparation and implementation of contingency and emergency plans.
• Manage resources to deliver activities in the defined work area and contribute to mid‑to‑long term business planning.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation and conduct risk assessments; make staff aware of personal responsibility.

Qualifications and Experience

• Qualifications and competencies of an F&S Supervisor – Catering.
• Food Hygiene Level 4 Diploma or equivalent Level 4 award in HACCP.
• Familiarity with current health, safety and hygiene regulations in a working kitchen environment.
• Demonstrated competency at supervising or managing staff within a kitchen environment.
• Refresher training in Food Safety (HACCP) completed within the last three years.
• Level of security check: DBS Standard.
• Strong English communication skills; Welsh proficiency required in Wales.

Working Hours and Conditions

• 37‑hour working week (excluding unpaid breaks).
• Unsocial hours – work outside 0700‑1900, Monday to Friday, including evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/Public holidays.
• On‑call availability to attend the workplace at any time.
• Unsocial hours allowance of 20 % added to basic pay, in addition to standard unsocial hour pay.

Benefits

• Choice of two pension schemes – Civil Service pension.
• Annual leave – holiday year runs from 1 March, with entitlement calculated on a pro‑rata basis. 9 days of Bank, Public and Privilege holidays (66 hours 36 minutes).
• Hybrid Working arrangements, subject to business needs and regular review.
• Season ticket advance available after two months' service.
• Training opportunities, including Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti‑Bullying programmes.
• Support for childcare vouchers.
• Enhanced flexibility – part‑time, flexible and job‑sharing play patterns may be considered.

Additional Information

This role requires acceptance of reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level. It may be reviewed under the Job Evaluation Scheme and discussed with the job holder.