Combine your culinary skills with a new career in management.
Are you an experienced cook ready for your next challenge? We are offering a unique "hybrid" role that allows you to keep your hands in the kitchen while taking your first professional step into Catering Management.
This role is split into two parts: you will be a Cook at one of our primary schools for four days a week, and use the remaining time (6 hours) to act as the Area Supervisor for our MAT of 7 local schools. Days worked in each role can be fairly flexible, we are happy to discuss this.
The Package
- Cook (School Based): 20 hours per week (9.30am - 2.30pm). Catering Supervisor (Multi-Site): 6 hours per week. Total: 26 hours per week term time only.
Your Dual Responsibilities
1. In the Kitchen (Cook) You will be the heart of one of our school kitchens, responsible for preparing fresh, nutritious meals and managing the daily service for pupils and staff.
2. Across the Trust (Supervisor) For 6 hours of your week, you will take off the apron and step into a leadership role to oversee all 7 schools in our MAT:
You will be responsible for:
- Menus & Compliance: Create and deliver menus, ensuring all schools are meeting School Food Standards and managing allergens correctly.
- Budgeting & Supply: Negotiate with suppliers and monitor food costs to keep the budget on track.
- Staff Leadership: Act as line manager to the cooks at our other sites, delivering training, appraisals and ensuring high standards in food quality and cleanliness.
- Operational Resilience: A key part of your role will be coordinating emergency cover. If a cook at another site is absent, you will work to ensure a solution is in place so that no child goes without a hot meal.
Who is this for?
This is the perfect "stepping stone" for a Lead Cook, Sous Chef or Catering Assistant who wants to move into area management but isn't ready to leave the kitchen entirely.
We are looking for:
- Kitchen Expertise: You are a confident cook who understands volume catering.
- Organizational Flair: You can keep track of 7 different sites, their stock levels, and their staffing needs.
- Problem Solvers: You are the person who stays calm when a staff member calls in sick and can quickly arrange a backup plan.
- Mobility: You must have a valid driver’s license and vehicle to visit the other schools during your supervisor hours.
Why Apply?
- Career Progression: We will train you in the "business side" of catering—budgeting, auditing, and multi-site logistics.
- The Best of Both Worlds: Keep the joy of cooking while building a high-level management CV.
Other Information
Interview dates will be advised.
Days worked in each role can be discussed and will depend on the availability of cover in the kitchen.
Please note our term dates differ from Staffordshire, see our website for more information.
The role is initially fixed term until the end of Summer Term 2026 pending a review of our catering services, but may be made permanent following this.
