Prison Catering: Caterer/Kitchen Supervisor (Hospitality & Catering) - HMP Whatton in Nottingham

This is not your average catering job. It is a great chance to put your catering qualifications and skills into practice and make an impact far beyond the kitchen. As part of the prison’s catering team, you’ll be working in a professional industrial kitchen environment, with a good salary, pension and Civil Service benefits including apprenticeship opportunities ‘earn while you learn’. Unlike traditional restaurant jobs, you won’t have to work late into the evening. You’ll oversee the work of offenders to prepare and cook quality, nutritional meals for the entire prison. Plus, you’ll play your part in helping them turn their lives around - supporting them to learn new skills and work towards gaining qualifications to increase their chances of employment and reduce their likelihood of reoffending when they leave prison.

Hours and salary

You will work a 37 hour week and shift patterns are in place which include hours outside of 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, weekends and public holidays. You will receive a 20% unsocial hours payment in addition to your basic pay, subject to working these hours. All roles can be open to part-time and job share arrangements subject to the business need/operational requirement. However, you will still be required to undertake the full range of shifts. As a new recruit, you will start on the minimum salary. Band 4 salary minimum inclusive of 20% unsocial hours allowance – £41,328. Band 4 salary maximum inclusive of 20% unsocial hours allowance – £41,328.

Qualifications and experience

• Level 2 certificate in food production within hospitality and catering or equivalent.
• Food hygiene certificate at Level 2.
• Working towards a relevant vocational qualification at Level 3 or already hold formal qualifications in catering e.g. City and Guilds 7061/7062 or NVQ Level 3.

In addition, you must be:

• Familiar with all current health, safety and hygiene related regulations for working in a kitchen.
• Able to demonstrate competency within an industrial kitchen environment.
• Able to demonstrate team leadership experience.
• Able to speak with confidence in English.

Please note refresher training in food safety (HACCP) should be completed at three year intervals.

Behaviours

• Developing Self and Others.
• Managing a Quality Service.
• Communicating and Influencing.
• Making Effective Decisions.
• Working together.
• Leadership.

Additional Information

Successful applicants need to be 18 at the point they take up post as an exception under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010. Access to Apprenticeship qualifications are now available to Catering staff as part of their personal development.

Working Arrangements

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and/or from home. Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

Benefits

• You will receive a standard 37-hour week and are eligible for unsocial hours payment, pension, bank and public holiday entitlement, season ticket advance and a range of training and development opportunities.
• Pension: The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
• Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays: You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment.
• Season Ticket Advance: After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer‑period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work.
• Training: HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying programmes.

Eligibility

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service