Head Chef in Armagh

Where flavour creates unforgettable moments. At Vivant Care, dining is more than a meal – it’s an experience that brings comfort, joy and connection. As our Chef Manager, you’ll set the standard for exceptional food and hospitality, crafting menus that delight and nourish every day.

This role isn’t just about cooking – it’s about leading a team, shaping a warm dining culture, and ensuring every plate reflects the quality and care that define us. You’ll thrive here if you’re passionate about food, confident in managing a kitchen team, and committed to delivering service that’s always a cut above.

Your role:

• Manage food service operations, ensuring quality, hygiene and regulatory compliance
• Design seasonal menus that meet dietary needs and budget requirements
• Oversee special diets and allergen compliance, maintaining high presentation standards
• Control kitchen budgets, stock and purchasing to minimise waste and maintain quality
• Lead food safety management and ensure staff training and compliance
• Recruit, train and develop kitchen staff to deliver exceptional standards
• Engage with residents to understand preferences and gather feedback for improvement

Your skills:

• Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate
• Proven experience as a qualified chef, catering for large numbers in high-pressure, high-end settings
• Strong ability to work to deadlines and prioritise workloads
• Experience managing and developing kitchen teams
• Knowledge of Food Safety Management Systems
• Skilled in setting and managing budgets and controlling costs
• Experience using online stock purchasing systems

Your rewards:

• 25 days’ annual leave (rising to 30, plus bank holidays)
• Occupational sick pay linked to length of service
• Pension matched up to 7%
• Health and wellbeing support – including Aviva Digicare+ with virtual GP appointments, plus an Employee Assistance Programme offering medical, financial, and legal advice, as well as short-term counselling
• Company-paid life insurance
• Parental leave arrangements and paid volunteering days
• Company-funded training and ongoing career development opportunities
• Flexible working options
• Exclusive retail discounts, Cycle to Work, and brand-new salary sacrifice electric car schemes

Some rewards are subject to a qualifying period or other criteria – please get in touch for more information.

Why Vivant? With over 25 years of experience from Sanctuary Care behind us, Vivant Care is built on a foundation of trusted expertise and a bold vision for the future of care. When you join Vivant Care, you’re not just stepping into a role – you’re helping shape a new standard for later-life living.

Curious about what it’s like to work with us? Discover our values, culture, and real stories from our teams at or follow us on socials.

Before you apply: We’re currently only accepting applications from those with the right to work in the UK. If you’re applying internally, please use your internal careers account to submit your application. We may receive a high volume of applications and reserve the right to close this advert early – so don’t miss out, apply as soon as you can.

Inclusion is one of our core values. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process in line with our Disability Confident employer status.

Building Equality and Diversity: Sanctuary Group encourages and welcomes applications from people from diverse backgrounds to support our commitment to offering an inclusive environment for our employees and customers. We work closely with the Home Office in order to prevent illegal working. An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be necessary in the event of a successful application which we will pay for.

Vivant Care is a subsidiary of Sanctuary Housing Association, an exempt charity.