Kitchen & Pantry Porter in Oxford

Job Title - Kitchen and Pantry Porter
Department - Catering Department
Salary - £14.06 per hour (Oxford Living Wage)
Reports to - Food Service Manager
Coordination with - Kitchen, Buttery, SCR and College Staff
Location - The Queen’s College, Oxford

The College and the Role

Founded in 1341, Queen’s is one of the oldest constituent Colleges in the University of Oxford. Its membership comprises around 330 undergraduates, 160 graduates, and around 45 Fellows. The Provost is head of the College, and serves as Chair of the Governing Body. In addition to rooms for students and Fellows, the College maintains extensive library facilities, seminar and meeting rooms, music rooms, common rooms, and many other facilities to support its academic and cultural life. The past decade has witnessed a very substantial programme of refurbishment and construction, including the building of a new kitchen and a new auditorium on the main site, and a new underground extension to the library.

Further information on the College can be found on its website at www.queens.ox.ac.uk

Purpose of the role

The Kitchen and Pantry Porter, reporting to the Food Services Manager, is responsible for assisting the Catering Department with the cleaning and correct storage of the College’s pots, pans, crockery, cutlery and glassware, and ensuring a high standard of hygiene is maintained at all times in the servery pantry and kitchen dishwasher areas.

This will also include any other reasonable task at the request of the Food Services Manager or the departments’ senior leadership team.

Main Duties and Responsibilities
The following duties are not shown in order of priority or frequency, nor is the list exhaustive, but rather an indication of the type and level of duties expected of the post-holder.
• Use of a flight dishwasher to clean the College’s crockery, cutlery and glassware
• Cleaning pantry and servery areas as required
• Assisting with cleaning and maintaining high levels of hygiene in the main kitchen areas as required
• Cleaning department floors using floor cleaning machine
• Cleaning and maintaining high levels of cleanliness with a flight dishwasher
• Storing and correct use of chemicals
• Correct storage of crockery, cutlery and glassware
• Assisting with servery cleaning as required
• Assisting with servery set up as required
• Removal and correct disposal of rubbish
• Adhering to correct cleaning schedules to ensure the pantry and kitchen area meets health and safety standards
• Ensuring all equipment is used correctly.
• Reporting any maintenance required to the Food Services Manager or the departments’ senior leadership team.
• Maintaining high levels of personal hygiene in accordance with the College’s food hygiene policy.

Person Specification

Essential Skills
• A good level of spoken English
• Ability to work within a company food safety policy
• Ability to work quickly and effectively under pressure
• Attention to detail
• Friendly and personable when communicating with others
• Ability to use own initiative
• High level of personal hygiene
• Self-motivated and pro-active
• Reliable, respectful and confident
• Flexible approach to working hours
• In good health, able to carry out work that involves standing for long periods, lifting, and carrying

Desirable Skills
• Experience of working in a busy catering operation
• COSHH and Chemical Storage
• Basic Food hygiene certificate or equivalent

SUMMARY OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Full terms and conditions of employment will be provided in writing to the successful candidate.
The information below is for guidance only and does not constitute the contract of employment.

Salary: £27,417 per annum (Oxford Living Wage)

Oxford Living Wage:
The College has paid the Oxford Living Wage (OLW) since 2022; this rate of pay is linked to the Living Wage Foundation’s Real Living Wage and ensures that wages do not fall below a level of liveable earnings. Increases in the OLW are not determined by the College. Staff paid marginally above the OLW may therefore find, over time, that their rate of pay is matched or overtaken by the OLW. From that point onwards they will be paid the OLW.

Contract /Duration:
This is a permanent full-time post. There will be an initial probationary period of six months.
Only after successfully completing this probationary period will the appointment be confirmed.

Hours of Work:
37.5 hours per week, 5 days over 7. Alternate weekends off where possible, straight shifts. Occasional split shift required.

Breaks are in line with current Working Time Regulations and are unpaid. You may be required to work additional hours when authorised and as necessitated by the needs of the business. Flexibility in work patterns will be needed when the requirements of the role demand this – such as special events.

Probationary and notice periods:
The post is subject to six-month probationary period. The following notice periods are required from you or the College to terminate your employment:
a) Up to one month’s service – no notice is required
b) From one month’s service to the successful completion of your probationary period – one week
c) On successful completion of your probationary period – one month
d) The College is required to give you notice of one week for each year of service from 5 years’ service up to a maximum of 12 weeks on completion of 12 years’ service. You are entitled to receive the greater of this amount or that stated in section (c) of this clause.
Training will be available where required or where reasonably requested.

Benefits include:
• Membership of a contributory pension scheme (OSPS). Holiday entitlement of 38 days pro rata per annum (1 January to 31 December) including Bank Holidays. There is a requirement to use some annual holiday entitlement for the College’s Christmas closure period. One additional day of holiday is awarded for completion of 5, 10 and 15 years’ service. Towards the end of the holiday year College offers to ‘buy-back’ up to 5 days of unused holiday.
• The following Occupational Sick Pay is provided:
o 1 week full pay during probation
o 8 weeks full pay during the balance of the first year
o 2nd & 3rd years’ service – 12 weeks full pay plus 12 weeks half pay
o 4th & 5th years’ service – 20 weeks full pay plus 20 weeks half pay
o 6th years’ service and beyond – 26 weeks full pay plus 26 weeks half pay
• One meal will be provided free of charge, to be taken either during an unpaid meal break during working hours, or at either end of a shift in the employee’s own time.
• Use of the College gym
• Membership of the University Club
• Discounted bus pass purchase scheme, a rail purchase scheme, and a cycle to work scheme

HOW TO APPLY
• Click ‘Apply Online’ above, and complete all sections of the application form. The Introductory Statement section should state why you are interested in the post, and how your qualifications and experience match our essential and desired requirements. Please explain what skills, experience and personal qualities you would bring to the College, how they relate to the post you have applied for, and how they demonstrate your ability to undertake the duties of the post.

The appointment will be subject to proof of the right to work in the UK, acceptable references, proof of qualifications, and the satisfactory completion of a medical questionnaire.

Any enquiries about the application process should be emailed to HR@queens.ox.ac.uk

The closing date for the receipt of applications is Friday 30th October 2026
Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity at The Queen’s College

The Queen’s College is committed to equal opportunity and to fostering an inclusive community. We recognise how the diversity of our community strengthens our ability to achieve excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship.

We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds, including those under-represented within higher education. No applicant or member of staff shall be unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Recruitment, progression within employment, and retention will be determined according to personal merit and the duties and requirements of the post.

The College invites all applicants to familiarise themselves with its equal opportunities policy, also available on its Equality Information page www.queens.ox.ac.uk/equality-information

The College also shares the university’s commitment ‘to equal opportunity, and to being an inclusive institution where everyone belongs and is supported to succeed’. The university’s full policy is available at https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/equality-policy

We are committed to the principles of equal opportunities and respect for individuals in creating and maintaining an inclusive environment that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We value and celebrate diversity and feel that is critical to achieving our strategic aims and long-term success. Our commitment to equality and diversity goes hand in hand with our commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech. We work to increase the diversity of the backgrounds from which our employees and students come by removing barriers to access and by promoting an inclusive culture in which:

• everyone feels that they are valued and can work to achieve their potential;
• opportunities are open to everyone, and decisions are based on merit and are free from bias;
• all our current and prospective students, staff, and visitors are treated fairly and with dignity and respect, and do not face discrimination; and
• academic freedom and freedom of speech are valued and upheld.

All College meetings include consideration of its duties under the Equality Act 2010 as they pertain to the meeting’s actions and decisions. In formal and informal settings alike, the College endeavours to make decisions that afford equal opportunities to, and foster good relationships between, different groups of people. This commitment, supported by data and routinely monitored, extends to all aspects of our activities: in our outreach activities, in admissions, and in financial support, for undergraduates and postgraduates alike; in the procedures related to hiring and retaining academic and non-academic staff members of the highest calibre; in student support; and in all aspects of fostering an inclusive community in which everyone feels respected, valued, and heard.