At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a vibrant catering service that enhances student experience and wellbeing.
- Company: The Sheffield College, dedicated to transforming lives through learning.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, health support, and free parking.
- Other info: Join a diverse team with opportunities for growth and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on student life while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in catering management and a passion for student engagement.
The predicted salary is between 47578 - 52457 € per year.
About us
The Sheffield College is a further and higher education institution dedicated to providing academic, vocational, and professional qualifications to approximately 13,000 young people and adults annually. Our mission is to transform lives through learning, advocating for inclusivity and diversity at every stage.
About The role
The Sheffield College is a large, vibrant and diverse further education college and we are proud of how the college contributes to transforming lives through learning by meeting local skills needs. We have high aspirations and standards for ourselves, and our students and this role will be a key one in supporting the college's mission to be consistently great and ensure our students get the qualifications and skills they need to go further in employment, careers, apprenticeships, further training and university level courses. The role will ensure the delivery of affordable, nutritious food and welcoming social environments that actively support student wellbeing, attendance, engagement and success.
Working as part of the College Leadership Team, the postholder will lead the development of a reliable, insight-led and customer-focused service, ensuring high standards of food quality, hygiene, service delivery and environment, while driving continuous improvement through data, feedback and innovation. The role will also be responsible for developing a commercially sustainable catering operation, including growth of internal hospitality and conferencing services.
Main responsibilities:
- Student experience and service quality
- Lead the delivery of a high-quality, student-first catering service that enhances the overall student experience and supports well-being, engagement and retention.
- Ensure all catering outlets provide affordable, nutritious and appealing food options, aligned to student needs and the Student Support Fund.
- Work with the team to develop and continuously improve menus using sales data, customer insight and feedback.
- Ensure the department maintains consistently high standards of food preparation, presentation, portion control and allergen management.
- Implement and embed simple, effective customer feedback mechanisms to drive ongoing service improvements.
- Service stability and operational excellence
- Ensure consistent and reliable catering provision across all campuses, minimising disruption and unplanned closures.
- Lead effective operational planning, rota management and workforce deployment aligned to demand.
- Develop and maintain a resilient staffing model, including use of bank staff to support continuity.
- Ensure clear communication of service times, locations and offer to students and staff.
- Improve operational efficiency including queue management, service flow and customer access.
- Environment and student spaces
- Lead improvements to the look, feel and functionality of refectories and coffee shop spaces, driving to the enhancement of overall customer experience.
- Work collaboratively with Estates and other teams to ensure environments are clean, safe, compliant and welcoming.
- Promote a culture of team ownership and pride in maintaining high standards of environment and presentation.
- People leadership and culture
- Provide visible, values-led leadership that promotes a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture.
- Build and sustain a stable, skilled and motivated workforce across multiple sites.
- Ensure 100% completion of mandatory training, compliance and performance reviews (GFR).
- Develop staff capability and progression opportunities through coaching, training and clear performance expectations.
- Promote staff wellbeing through effective workload management and supportive leadership practices.
- Financial performance and commercial development
- Lead the operational management of the catering budget, including income, expenditure, forecasting and cost control.
- Work closely with Finance to improve financial insight, reporting and accuracy of forecasting.
- Drive cost-aware behaviours including stock control, waste reduction and portion management.
- Identify and deliver income growth opportunities, including development of internal hospitality and conferencing services.
- Ensure the service delivers value for money while remaining accessible and affordable for students.
- Strategy, innovation and continuous improvement
- Translate the college's strategic priorities into clear operational plans and measurable outcomes for catering services.
- Lead key improvement projects.
- Use data, benchmarking and insight to inform decision-making and prioritisation.
- Regularly review service performance and adapt delivery to meet changing student and organisational needs.
- Compliance, risk and governance
- Ensure full compliance with all relevant legislation and standards, including: Food hygiene and safety, Allergen management (including Natasha's Law), Health & Safety requirements.
- Maintain robust systems for monitoring, audit and continuous compliance improvement.
- Proactively manage risks relating to staffing, service delivery, financial performance and customer experience.
- Cross-college collaboration and student focused approach
- Work collaboratively with Student Services and wider college teams to maximise student access to food and support.
- Ensure catering services actively contribute to student recruitment, retention and experience strategies.
- Support key college activities including open days, enrolment and events.
- Contribute to cross-college initiatives and act as an ambassador for a student-first culture.
From time-to-time these responsibilities may be reviewed so that they evolve as part of the college's strategic growth and success. You may also be required to take on other tasks related to the job to support the College in the delivery of its strategic aims, without changing the role's main purpose.
People management and cross-college responsibilities
You will directly line-manage the following posts: Senior Supervisors, Catering Services Administrator, Kitchen Porter. You will be part of the College Leadership Team (CLT) and will need to work collaboratively with members of those teams across the college to deliver the college's strategy and objectives. You may be required to participate in cross-college teams and working groups on key projects. You may need to attend relevant internal committees and groups. This could include preparing and presenting papers as required. You may be required to support and lead employee relations processes within and external to your area including but not limited to grievances, disciplinaries, performance management, flexible working and absence management. You will act as a role model to colleagues, ensuring that the responsibilities of the post are carried out in line with the College's FREDIE values and behaviours.
Student related responsibilities
Anyone who has regular contact with children and young people in their day-to-day responsibilities must ensure they are safe. You will work with the Safeguarding Team, ensuring concerns regarding students/apprentices are shared in a timely, accurate manner. You will be involved in supporting college open days, supporting during the exam season, student enrolment, invigilation and any other required events. You will be required to assume part of the Duty Manager Rota, which will require you to be on campus and available to support in an emergency. This will include being available and responsive to help in difficult situations.
Other responsibilities
All staff have a responsibility to ensure that the college provides a safe and sustainable environment for students, staff and visitors. You will support this by: Understanding and undertaking specific responsibilities for the role as documented within the Health and Safety Policy and Procedures. Ensure compliance with Data Protection Regulations. Ensure that environmental sustainability is a key consideration in the actions we take, working towards the college's environmental strategy and net zero ambition.
For more information about this role, please contact us.
What we can offer you
As the successful candidate, you will be offered a salary of between £47,578 - £52,457 per annum based upon a combination of the skills, knowledge and experience that you can bring to the role.
Our benefits:
- Enhanced Pension contributions scheme with SYPA
- Annual leave - 37 Days (273.8 hours) + 8 Bank Holidays (59.2 hours) - this includes a discretionary Christmas closure period
- Health and wellbeing, we offer: Employee assistance programme through Bupa, Occupational Health through PAM, Free eye tests for VDU users, Free Parking is available at the majority of our campuses.
Further information can be found on our Benefits and Career Development pages.
Disability Confident
We are a Disability Confident employer and are committed to removing barriers for applicants with a disability during our recruitment process, upon appointment and as an employee. Please review our Recruitment Guidelines for Disabled Candidates which provides further information on reasonable adjustments and how the Disability Confident scheme works in practice. If you require any reasonable adjustments or any support at any point throughout the process, please contact us.
Armed Forces Covenant
As part of our commitment through the Armed Forces Covenant, we are pledged to support the Armed Forces Community. Recognising the value Personnel, Veterans and military families contribute to our community and country.
Safeguarding
We are an employer who is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students. Successful applicants will be required to have an enhanced DBS check and will be subject to safer recruiting procedures. Further details on our safer recruiting procedures, including the employment of ex-offenders can be found here.
Next Steps:
To apply: Click apply online and follow the links to complete the online application. For queries regarding the application process, please contact the Recruitment Team. CVs are currently not accepted. As a Leader in Diversity employer, we encourage applications from everyone and value diversity in our workforce.
Closing date: 29 May 2026
Please be aware if we have a high number of applications, we may decide to close the vacancy earlier.
Locations
Head of Catering Services in Sheffield, Yorkshire employer: The Sheffield College
The Sheffield College is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that prioritises employee wellbeing and professional growth. As the Head of Catering Services, you will lead a dedicated team in delivering high-quality catering that enhances student experiences while benefiting from comprehensive benefits, including enhanced pension contributions, generous annual leave, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Located in a dynamic educational environment, this role provides unique opportunities to make a meaningful impact on the lives of students and the community.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Catering Services in Sheffield, Yorkshire
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the catering and education sectors. Attend events, join relevant groups, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching The Sheffield College thoroughly. Understand their mission and values, especially around inclusivity and student wellbeing. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their goals.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Be ready to discuss how you’ve built and motivated teams in the past. Highlight any innovative ideas you've implemented that improved service quality or operational efficiency.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at The Sheffield College and contributing to our mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Catering Services in Sheffield, Yorkshire
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Student Wellbeing:When writing your application, make sure to highlight your commitment to enhancing student experiences. We want to see how you can contribute to creating a welcoming and nutritious catering environment that supports student wellbeing.
Be Data-Driven:Since the role involves using data to improve services, don’t shy away from mentioning any experience you have with data analysis or customer feedback. We love candidates who can demonstrate how they’ve used insights to drive improvements in previous roles.
Highlight Leadership Skills:As a key member of the College Leadership Team, it’s essential to showcase your leadership style. Share examples of how you've built and motivated teams, and how you promote a positive culture. We’re all about values-led leadership!
Tailor Your Application:Make sure your application speaks directly to the job description. Use the same language and focus on the responsibilities outlined. We appreciate when candidates take the time to align their skills and experiences with what we’re looking for.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Sheffield College
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into The Sheffield College's mission and values. Understand how the catering services align with their goal of enhancing student experience. Be ready to discuss how your vision for catering can support their inclusivity and diversity initiatives.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Head of Catering Services, you'll need to demonstrate strong leadership. Prepare examples of how you've built and motivated teams in the past. Highlight your experience in creating a positive team culture and how you’ve managed staff training and development.
✨Bring Data to the Table
The role requires insight-led decision-making. Be prepared to discuss how you've used data and customer feedback to improve service quality in previous roles. Share specific metrics or outcomes that showcase your ability to drive continuous improvement.
✨Think on Your Feet
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Think about potential challenges in catering services, such as managing dietary needs or operational disruptions, and be ready to share your strategies for overcoming these issues effectively.
