Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) is seeking an ambitious, innovative and values-driven Head of Catering to lead and transform catering services across our organisation.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced catering professional to shape high-quality food services that support patient recovery, staff wellbeing and excellent visitor experience across our hospital and community sites.
Main duties of the job
As Head of Catering, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for all catering services, ensuring delivery of safe, nutritious, cost-effective and sustainable food services that meet the highest standards of quality, compliance and patient satisfaction.
You will lead large multidisciplinary teams, manage significant budgets and contracts, and play a key role in delivering the Trust’s wider estates and facilities ambitions.
Working for our organisation
The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) provides hospital and integrated health and social care services to over one million people living across Greater Manchester. Our 20,000 colleagues care for people in hospital and in the community, working across Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Salford, to save and improve lives.
As a large NHS trust we are committed to enhancing the health of our local population by delivering consistently high standards of care and working closely with local authorities and key partners. We believe in our power and potential to make a difference and we’re always looking for people who demonstrate our three core values - care, appreciate and inspire – to join our team.
In return, we can offer you a job role with purpose and flexibility. The size and scale of the NCA means we can provide more challenge and opportunities so your career can always be moving in the right direction. By joining us you can also access a competitive benefits package, including, a fantastic annual leave allowance, flexible working opportunities and protected hours for health and wellbeing activities, helping you to achieve more personal downtime and a better work-life balance.
Learn more about us in our Candidate Information Pack.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To read more information about the advertised role, and the main job duties/responsibilities please open the Job Description and Person Specification located under the supporting documents heading. You can also read more information about working at the Northern Care Alliance within the attached Candidate Information Pack or by visiting our careers website: www.careers.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk
Person specification
Registration
- Member of hospital catering association
Skills
- Key leadership skills and ability to drive future development of service
- Experience of successfully leading and implementing change and service improvement projects
- Extensive specialist knowledge of food production and food service systems including
- Strong liaison skills with multi-disciplinary departments and contacts
- Ability to work to tight deadlines under pressure
- Data analysis skills and ability to compile reports.
- High level of communications and presentation skills
- Confidence in managing difficult situations
- Flexibility and provide innovative service solutions
Knowledge
- Knowledge of NHS catering agenda in respect of facilities and up-to-date knowledge and awareness in key issues in Catering Management
- Understanding of essential aspects of Customer Service in Catering
- Good understanding of legislation governing the provision of Catering services and ability to translate this into practice knowledge and understanding of Hospital Food Standards and the BDA
- Professional Leadership
- Knowledge of Human Resources policies and excellent staff and management skills
- Commercial experience gained in management of outsourced contracts in a healthcare setting
- Extensive experience in catering management and significant senior level management experience
- Direct line management experience in large scale multi-site operations with a large and diverse workforce
- Business case writing skills and ability to draw up action plans and ensure deadlines are met in compliance with overall strategy
- Evidence of achieving financial targets and significant budgetary management
- Evidence of excellent innovation and achievement in management practice
- Ability to carry out effective negotiation with diplomacy
Qualifications
- Educated to degree level or equivalent management experience
- Management/Professional qualification or extensive experience at a senior level in Catering Management
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- Food Safety Level 4
- Further post graduate qualification in catering/facilities management or sufficient experience gained in practice to equate to this level of training
- Recognised Management Qualification
- Evidence of post graduate food study
The NCA is proud to serve a diverse population and is committed to delivering inclusive, accessible care. We value individuality and aim to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Applications are welcomed from individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and beliefs.
We also warmly welcome applications from serving and former members of the Armed Forces community and their families. Please indicate on your application form if you are a member of the Armed Forces community to be considered under our guaranteed interview scheme, subject to meeting the essential criteria for the role.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to offering a guaranteed interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment Team at resourcingnca@nca.nhs.uk
Vacancies may close before the advertised closing date if a high volume of applications are received or where an internal redeployee has been identified.
For fixed-term roles, current NHS staff will be considered for secondments, while fixed-term contracts will be offered to external (non-NHS) applicants.
If you are applying for an internal secondment opportunity, we strongly encourage you to discuss this with your line manager before submitting your application. Any secondment offer will be subject to management agreement and the needs of your substantive service. Where release cannot be supported, the secondment may unfortunately be unable to proceed.
Recruitment Agencies
The NCA does not accept unsolicited CVs from agencies. Read more about this here .
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Name Nadine Armitage
Job title Director for Capital, Estates & Facilities
Email address nadine.armitage2@nca.nhs.uk
Telephone number 0000000000
Additional information
For further information, please email.
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Head of Catering in Salford employer: Northern Care Alliance
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust is an excellent employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work environment where compassion and teamwork are at the forefront of patient care. Employees benefit from ongoing training and development opportunities, ensuring personal growth while making a meaningful impact in the lives of patients. Located in a vibrant community, the Trust fosters a culture of respect and collaboration, making it a rewarding place to work for those dedicated to healthcare.
