Commercial Chef Manager in Liverpool

Commercial Chef Manager

Application Deadline: 24 July 2026

Department: Visitor Economy, Leisure & Service Industries

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Liverpool

Reporting To: 25/26-433

Compensation: £36,000 / year

Description

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Commercial Chef Manager who is forward thinking and with exceptional leadership skills to oversee cross-college catering operations and manage a team of technicians dedicated to providing exceptional food service across our five college sites. This role requires a qualified chef with strong management experience, capable of ensuring that all food prepared and served to students is of the highest standard. Additionally, the Commercial Chef will prepare and present food for various hospitality events, while collaborating with students and external employers to promote integrated work opportunities.

Responsible to: Head of Visitor Economy, Leisure & Service Industries

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Excellence

• Prepare and cook high-quality meals that meet nutritional standards and dietary requirements for students.
• Develop, implement, and maintain standard menu offerings, ensuring variety, seasonal ingredients, and student preferences are considered.
• Conduct regular quality checks on food preparation and presentation.

Team Management

• Line-manage a team of technicians across five college sites, ensuring effective communication and teamwork.
• Provide training, support, and mentorship to technicians and student assistants, fostering their culinary skills and professional growth.
• Organise work schedules and training sessions to ensure efficient kitchen operations and staff development.
• Strong establishment standards of kitchen and personal hygiene including PPE to be maintained across all sites

Hospitality Events

• Plan, prepare, and execute food services for a wide range of hospitality events, including catering for college functions, conferences, and community outreach.
• Collaborate with students to engage them in the preparation of food for events, promoting experiential learning opportunities.
• Ensure all hospitality events adhere to safety and hygiene standards, consistently creating a positive dining experience.

Collaboration and Liaison

• Act as the primary contact between college management and external employers, promoting partnerships that integrate work experience opportunities for students.
• Develop relationships with local businesses and stakeholders to enhance catering services and support community engagement.

Operational Oversight

• Monitor and manage food production costs, waste, and inventory while maintaining budget standards and ensuring cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, food safety standards, and college policies at all times.
• Improve on-site Cafe's provision across all sites

Continuous Improvement

• Gather feedback from students and stakeholders regarding food services and strive for continuous improvement.
• Stay current with culinary trends, dietary needs, and food service innovations to enhance offerings and learning experiences.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

• A recognised culinary qualification (e.g. NVQ Level 2/3, City & Guilds) or equivalent
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a senior chef role within the catering or hospitality industry
• Proven management experience, with a track record of leading teams effectively
• Strong culinary skills and knowledge of diverse cuisines and dietary requirements
• Excellent organisational and multitasking abilities
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively liaise with diverse groups, including students, staff and external stakeholders
• Ability to inspire and motivate a team in a fast‑paced environment

Desirable

• Flexibility to work across multiple college sites as needed
• Commitment to upholding health and safety standards while creating an inclusive environment for all students
• A valid food hygiene certification (Level 2 or above)

Please Note

This role may close earlier than the advertised deadline if we receive sufficient applications. Early submission is strongly encouraged.

Benefits

Why Join The City of Liverpool College?

As a valued member of our College community, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, dedicated wellbeing support, and meaningful opportunities for professional growth and development.

Benefits of working at the College

The City of Liverpool College offers a full range of employee benefits designed to support your wellbeing, work‑life balance, and everyday savings.

Pension Scheme

You’ll be part of the Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contributions of up to 20.20%, one of the best pension packages in the sector.

Leave entitlement

Up to 30 days annual holiday allowance, plus 1 wellbeing day. You’ll also benefit from 5 to 7 days statutory closure and 2 further days closure at Easter.

Employee Benefit Platform

As part of your role, you’ll have access to the COLC Employee Benefits Platform, a one‑stop hub for a wide range of perks designed to support your wellbeing, work‑life balance and everyday savings. You’ll also benefit from the Cycle to Work Scheme, cinema and leisure discounts and tech and home appliance discounts, with the option of spreading the cost through salary sacrifice. The platform is part of our commitment to supporting you in every aspect of your working life – and beyond.

Health and Wellbeing

As part of our commitment to supporting your health and wellbeing, all employees have access to the Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – a completely confidential support service available 24/7, 365 days a year. Through Health Assured, you can access a 24/7 confidential helpline, face to face, online or telephone counselling, as well as structured support for a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, relationships, bereavement, legal and financial concerns. You’ll also have access to the online wellbeing portal, a secure, user‑friendly platform offering a wide range of self‑help resources, health assessments, articles, and guidance covering emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing, and to the Wisdom App, which offers mood trackers and wellbeing tools, meditation guides, fitness videos, and self‑help modules as well as daily wellbeing tips.

You’ll also be entitled to a free eye test through our voucher scheme with Specsavers, which covers a full eye exam (worth up to £25) and even includes £45 towards a pair of glasses. We also offer free flu vaccinations to help keep you feeling your best all year round.

Travel

We offer interest‑free loans to help you buy annual travel passes from Merseytravel and Merseyrail. That means you can enjoy the savings of up to two months' free travel—without having to cover the full cost upfront. It’s all about making your commute more affordable and less stressful.

Flexible Working

We offer flexible working options depending on business need to support our employee's work‑life balance.

Professional Development

We’re passionate about helping you thrive, offering a mix of formal and informal professional development opportunities—designed to sharpen your skills, expand your knowledge, and accelerate your career.

College Benefits

Our excellent sports and fitness facilities can be used free of charge by staff. You can also access a range of discounted hair and beauty treatments at our Academy and Graduate Hair & Beauty Salons, and a staff discount at our Academy Restaurant.