Job summary
Catering Manager
37.5 hours per week
Permanent
Salary: £38,682 - £46,580 per annum
Closing Date: 1st March 2026
Interview Date: 8th April 2026
**This post may close early due to high numbers of applications, so you are advised to apply promptly. **
All correspondence for this vacancy will be sent by email; please check your account regularly including your Junk and SPAM areas.
A great and friendly place to work, so bring your passion, commitment and expertise and enjoy the opportunities to make a difference every day.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community - get in touch to find out more
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Main duties of the job
We are seeking a dynamic people-focused Catering Manager to lead patient and staff catering services at George Eliot Hospital. Oversee patient and staff meal delivery for over 400 patients and 3,000 staff. Lead Raveloe Restaurant, Vending operations, and manage a team of 50 staff.
About us
Here at George Eliot our vision to'excel at patient care' takes centre stage. An ever evolving clinically-led acute service provider we are on a journey to continually provide high quality, safe and responsive services delivered by inspiring, friendly and compassionate staff who share our corporate values which underpin everything we do. Our values are not just words on a piece of paper, they bond us together, reflect our ambition and shape who we are:
Effective Open Communication
excellence and safety in everything we do
Challenge but support
Expect respect and dignity
Local health that inspires confidence
Benefits: On-site nursery, 27 days minimum annual leave plus bank holidays, cycle to work scheme, flexible working, in house training and development, buying and selling of annual leave, subsidised restaurant, tranquillity garden and generous subsidised on-site parking.
If you are applying for a Domestic Assistant or Health Care Assistant role you may be eligible for the refer a friend scheme - find out more here: https://www.geh.nhs.uk/about-us/people-and-workforce/vacancies/refer-friend-scheme
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidate will:
- Manage catering establishments comprising, patient feeding, restaurant and Cafes
- Work closely with key stakeholder
- Drive service improvement while ensuring compliance and safety.
- Lead menu design and food service delivery across the Trust.
- Manage a catering establishment comprising a central patient feeding area, restaurant, cafs, and vending services.
- Provide line management for two senior managers and a team of 50 support staff.
- Collaborate closely with nursing ward teams, Dietitians, and Estates & Facilities.
For a full comprehensive list of main responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to job description and personal specification attached.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidate will:
- Manage catering establishments comprising, patient feeding, restaurant and Cafes
- Work closely with key stakeholder
- Drive service improvement while ensuring compliance and safety.
- Lead menu design and food service delivery across the Trust.
- Manage a catering establishment comprising a central patient feeding area, restaurant, cafs, and vending services.
- Provide line management for two senior managers and a team of 50 support staff.
- Collaborate closely with nursing ward teams, Dietitians, and Estates & Facilities.
For a full comprehensive list of main responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to job description and personal specification attached.
Person Specification
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Minimum of 5 years (recent) experience in a catering environment preferably in the NHS
- Management of HR related issues
- To have experience and knowledge of the full range of patient catering including range of cooking methodologies nutrition, menu development
- Knowledge of budget management and income generation
- Experience of undertaking investigations and presenting disciplinary cases.
- Recruitment & selection process
Desirable
- To have experience of managing retail outlet so have experience of managing retail outlets
Qualification(s) and Professional Training
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent and evidence of continual professional development.
- Professional Management qualification
- Food Hygiene certificate level 4 Food Safety qualification or equivalent (Advanced Food Hygiene)
- Willing to undertake future development training
- Craft based qualification e.g. City & Guilds or equivalent.
Desirable
- Recognised HACCP qualification
- Active member of a relevant NHS association in Facilities Management
- Member of the HCA
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills to deal with a wide range of patients, visitors and staff (at all levels)
- Confident and able to work with regulatory bodies, e.g. EHO
- Ability to work across the Facilities Department and assist with projects.
- Knowledge of catering production operations, food safety, cook chill processes, HACCP and dietary requirements
- An understanding of infection control risks, policies and procedures.
- Excellent IT and report writing skills
- Excellent budgetary management skills
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to interpret legislation and best practice to ensure the service is compliant o Highly organised and ability to prioritise and respond to constantly changing targets and agendas delivery to tight deadlines
- Respectful and courteous approach to all staff groups and clients
- Open door policy for staff to meet with post holder to discuss issues
- Supportive to service managers
- Firm and consistent approach on HR issues.
- Ability to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines
- Communicate well with service users
- Communicate well with patients and visitors
- Willing and able to facilitate change and motivate others
- Excellent judgement and negotiation skills
- Ability to communicate effectively with external organisations and trust representatives at all levels
- Approachable and sensitive attitude to staff members
- Ability to represent Facilities and clearly determine service levels and resources
Other
Essential
- Willing to act on own initiative
- Well-motivated to manage a successful team of staff and promote a positive image of the department
- Demonstrate a willingness to engage with staff
Person Specification
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Minimum of 5 years (recent) experience in a catering environment preferably in the NHS
- Management of HR related issues
- To have experience and knowledge of the full range of patient catering including range of cooking methodologies nutrition, menu development
- Knowledge of budget management and income generation
- Experience of undertaking investigations and presenting disciplinary cases.
- Recruitment & selection process
Desirable
- To have experience of managing retail outlet so have experience of managing retail outlets
Qualification(s) and Professional Training
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent and evidence of continual professional development.
- Professional Management qualification
- Food Hygiene certificate level 4 Food Safety qualification or equivalent (Advanced Food Hygiene)
- Willing to undertake future development training
- Craft based qualification e.g. City & Guilds or equivalent.
Desirable
- Recognised HACCP qualification
- Active member of a relevant NHS association in Facilities Management
- Member of the HCA
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills to deal with a wide range of patients, visitors and staff (at all levels)
- Confident and able to work with regulatory bodies, e.g. EHO
- Ability to work across the Facilities Department and assist with projects.
- Knowledge of catering production operations, food safety, cook chill processes, HACCP and dietary requirements
- An understanding of infection control risks, policies and procedures.
- Excellent IT and report writing skills
- Excellent budgetary management skills
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to interpret legislation and best practice to ensure the service is compliant o Highly organised and ability to prioritise and respond to constantly changing targets and agendas delivery to tight deadlines
- Respectful and courteous approach to all staff groups and clients
- Open door policy for staff to meet with post holder to discuss issues
- Supportive to service managers
- Firm and consistent approach on HR issues.
- Ability to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines
- Communicate well with service users
- Communicate well with patients and visitors
- Willing and able to facilitate change and motivate others
- Excellent judgement and negotiation skills
- Ability to communicate effectively with external organisations and trust representatives at all levels
- Approachable and sensitive attitude to staff members
- Ability to represent Facilities and clearly determine service levels and resources
Other
Essential
- Willing to act on own initiative
- Well-motivated to manage a successful team of staff and promote a positive image of the department
- Demonstrate a willingness to engage with staff
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
