Catering Assistant in Bedford

Location: Bedford College – Cauldwell Street Campus

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £25,467 and £26,499 per annum (Pro‑Rata) DOE and Qualifications, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 16 hours per week – 36 weeks per year – Working pattern Tuesday to Friday, 11.00 – 15.00

Contract Type: Permanent – Term Time

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About The Role

• Food Preparation & Service – Assist with preparing and cooking food, setting up and clearing service counters, serving meals and beverages courteously, and supporting special catering functions.
• Kitchen Hygiene & Health & Safety – Wash utensils and equipment, clean kitchen and dining areas (including deep cleans), follow safe working practices, maintain high food‑hygiene standards, and operate catering equipment safely (e.g., coffee machines, high‑speed ovens).
• Stock, Deliveries & Financial Procedures – Support stock taking, deliveries and storage; ensure financial transactions follow regulations; assist with hospitality orders; and report any suspicious activity to management.
• Customer Service & College Representation – Provide a welcoming environment, manage customer interactions professionally, support promotions and theme days, uphold high personal presentation standards, and assist during staff shortages or busy periods.
• Compliance, Safeguarding & Training – Promote safeguarding, EDI and Health & Safety; attend required training; and carry out additional duties as directed, contributing to a safe, supportive and professional college environment.

About You

• Food Safety & Catering Knowledge – Level 2 Food Hygiene qualification, understanding of kitchen cleanliness standards, food preparation and basic cooking skills, and awareness of Health & Safety procedures in catering.
• Customer Service & Front‑of‑House Skills – Experience providing customer care, ability to use POS and PDQ machines for taking payments, and confidence working professionally in a busy service environment.
• Practical Ability & Workload Management – Able to multitask, follow instructions accurately, work at pace, and carry out frequent lifting tasks while maintaining high hygiene and service standards.
• Teamwork, Attitude & Flexibility – Strong team player with drive, enthusiasm and initiative; flexible with working hours, adaptable to service demands, and able to support the team as needed.
• IT Skills & Continuous Development – Competent with Word, Excel and Outlook, and willing to update skills and knowledge to support ongoing improvement and operational needs.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: TBC

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork – We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously – We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred – At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive – We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring – We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence – We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year. Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land‑based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community‑based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975 provide information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex‑Offenders is attached to this vacancy. Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded that it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.