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- Tasks: Oversee daily operations and planning for food outlets, ensuring high-quality service.
- Company: Join the vibrant University of Southampton Students' Union, run by students for students.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous holiday, pension contributions, and travel perks.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on student life through quality catering and team leadership.
- Qualifications: Experience in catering or hospitality management and strong leadership skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic, fast-paced environment with opportunities to shape the student experience.
The predicted salary is between 27012 - 29049 £ per year.
This role is internally known as Deputy Venues Manager (Food). If you are passionate about food and keen to deliver high-quality and cost-effective options to attract customers from a 25,000-student base on campus, we’d love to hear from you!
We’re looking for an experienced and motivated Deputy Venues Manager (Food) to oversee the day-to-day running and termly planning for our food outlets. You’ll play a key role in ensuring that our catering services deliver consistently high-quality food, excellent customer service, and a welcoming experience for our diverse student community.
Reporting to the Venues Manager, you will lead a dedicated team including the Catering Supervisor, Catering Assistants, and student staff. You will be responsible for operational management, food safety, and financial oversight, while helping to shape the catering offer in line with students’ needs and trends.
This is a hands-on role, where you’ll balance managing people and processes working with the management team and working closely alongside the team on the ground.
About You
We’re looking for someone who is:
- Able to demonstrate catering, hospitality or food & beverage experience at a supervisory or managerial level (outlet-level profit and loss monitoring experience would be a plus).
- Confident in leading and motivating a team.
- Knowledgeable about food safety, hygiene, and relevant legislation, ensuring cleanliness of all catering areas are maintained and Food Safety adhered to at all times.
- Strong at communication and collaboration, with good IT skills and experience using online ordering systems.
- Knowledgeable in stock management.
- Organised, adaptable, and able to work well in a fast-paced, student-focused environment.
About Us
We are the University of Southampton Students\’ Union (SUSU) – independent from the University and run by students, for students. Our vision is simple: SUSU is here to enrich the life of every student. We are a workplace that’s buzzing with life, ideas, and opportunities – where your work directly shapes the student experience.
As part of our team, you\’ll enjoy:
- Salary of £27,012 to £29,049 per annum (£14.80 to £15.92 per hour).
- Generous paid holiday – 24 days per year, plus eight closure days (around Easter, August and Christmas) on top of eight bank holidays (and an opportunity to purchase up to an additional week of holiday).
- Great pension – we contribute 10% into your defined contributions pension scheme.
- Travel perks – discounted UniLink and Blue Star bus passes, a Cycle-to-Work scheme.
SUSU is an equal opportunities employer that values a diverse workforce and we want to reflect the student body that we represent. We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination and will ensure that our recruitment activities are mindful of equality and diversity matters.
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Deputy Catering Manager employer: University of Southampton Students' Union
Contact Detail:
University of Southampton Students' Union Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Deputy Catering Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at SUSU on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by knowing your stuff! Research SUSU’s catering services and think about how your experience aligns with their needs. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but the perfect fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Get a mate to do a mock interview with you. This will help you articulate your thoughts clearly and confidently, especially when discussing your leadership and food safety experience.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the SUSU team.
We think you need these skills to ace Deputy Catering Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Food: Make sure to highlight your love for food and catering in your application. We want to see how your enthusiasm can help us deliver high-quality options that attract our diverse student community.
Demonstrate Your Leadership Skills: Since this role involves leading a team, share examples of how you've motivated and managed people in the past. We’re looking for someone who can inspire others while keeping everything running smoothly.
Be Specific About Your Experience: When detailing your previous roles, focus on your supervisory or managerial experience in catering or hospitality. Mention any relevant skills like food safety knowledge and financial oversight to show you’re the right fit for us.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates during the process!
How to prepare for a job interview at University of Southampton Students' Union
✨Know Your Food Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of food safety, hygiene, and current trends in catering. Be ready to discuss how you can implement these practices in a student-focused environment. Showing your passion for food and understanding of what students want will definitely impress.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led a team in the past. Think about times when you motivated staff or improved team performance. This role is all about managing people, so demonstrating your leadership style will be key.
✨Be Financially Savvy
Familiarise yourself with profit and loss monitoring, as well as stock management. Be prepared to discuss how you would manage budgets and ensure cost-effective options for students. This shows that you understand the financial side of catering, which is crucial for this role.
✨Communicate Like a Pro
Since this role involves collaboration with various teams, practice your communication skills. Be ready to explain how you would handle conflicts or challenges within the team. Good IT skills are also important, so mention any experience with online ordering systems to show you're tech-savvy.
