Supporting Housing Catering Assistant in Oxford

Our mission at Response is to enable people of all ages to live a more fulfilled life by providing excellent mental health services, housing, and supported living. Do you have the desire to empower and promote independence and an interest in mental health?

Response is looking for an enthusiastic, friendly and approachable person to join the Rowan House team. Rowan House is home to 25 residents with acute mental health needs. Our roles offer employees variety where every day is different whilst also giving a great sense of pride seeing the positive impact you can have on others. Our clients are with Response to gain skills in living independently, while also focusing on improving their mental health.

To be part of a service that supports individuals with severe and enduring mental health needs to live their lives in a positive way and assist them to improve their physical and mental well-being. To provide stable meals for residents and work with the support team to engage with residents around their physical health and wellbeing of diet and nutrition. Response aims to enhance “Co-production working” between staff and residents so we work together to develop Responses activities and services. This will ensure that residents’ voices will be heard around their recovery focused support. Residents will be more involved and consulted with around decisions that affect their life goals.

We want you to support us to support our clients in looking after their physical health and wellbeing through diet and nutrition.

Overall job responsibility:

• Provide staple meals for residents.
• Work with the support team to engage with residents around their physical health and wellbeing of diet and nutrition.
• Oversee the daily running of the in-house catering provided by Apetito including heating and serving of Apetito meals on a daily basis.
• Oversee the daily preparation of lunch and supper meals including meals not provided by Apetito on a daily basis.
• Ensure the residents have a person-centred approach with regards to their meal choices and that their dietary needs are taken into consideration when planning menus.
• Assist management with the menu planning and ordering process for food deliveries.
• Keep a clean and tidy work environment to comply with food and hygiene safety regulations.
• Support residents who wish to volunteer kitchen duties in accordance with their care plans, risk assessments and food safety guidance.

The Successful Applicant:

• GCSEs in English and Maths (or equivalent).
• Experience of working within a team.
• Basic Food Hygiene knowledge.
• IT literate with experience using MS Office packages.
• Previous experience working within a service providing meals to residents or in the community.
• Good communication skills, written, verbal and listening.
• Ability to engage with and build appropriate working relationships.
• Ability to act calmly in a professional manner whilst dealing with unpredictable and challenging behaviour.
• Demonstrate respect for difference and diversity.

If you feel you would be an ideal candidate but don’t have all the essential criteria, we would still like to hear from you.

What We Offer:

• 37 days annual leave pro rata (Inclusive of Bank Holidays).
• Blue Light card and other discounted shopping.
• Employee Assistant Plan - with access to free counselling.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Enhanced family friendly leave.
• Professional qualification sponsorship and study leave.
• £500 refer a friend bonus scheme.
• Optional health cash care plan with money off prescriptions and treatments.
• Wellbeing hub and mental wellbeing support app – approved by NHS.
• Free flu jabs.
• Free DBS application.
• You will receive the training and confidence to use core therapeutic talk therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Strength-based Trauma Informed Care and Mutual Aid to provide the best possible support to our clients.

If this Supported Housing Catering Assistant position sounds like the role for you then we would love to hear from you! Please apply today as this vacancy may be closed early. To learn more about Response and what we do, please visit our website.

Closing date – 04/06/2026. All our roles require a DBS check, two references from most recent employers and you must have the right to work in the UK – Unfortunately, Response are not able to offer sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for the role and require sponsorship, you will be withdrawn from the recruitment process. Our employees and clients come from all over the world, we proudly promote a friendly and inclusive culture and are registered as a Disability Confident Employer.