School Catering Manager – Leeds
We're recruiting an experienced Catering Manager who is passionate about exceptional food and world‑class customer service, and who can confidently oversee all Compass Group UK&I catering and service operations for Chartwells on a full‑time basis, contracted to 35 hours per week.
As a Catering Manager, you will be responsible for ensuring our kitchens and service counters run smoothly and helping to deliver truly incredible food experiences.
Benefits
* Monday to Friday workdays
* Half‑time work during term time only
* Contributory pension scheme
* Career pathways with MyLearning programmes
* Digital GP and healthcare benefits for you and your immediate family
* Exclusive travel discounts (TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more)
* Discounts on grocery outlets (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, etc.)
* Up to 44% off cinema tickets
* Cash rewards on spend with partner brands
* Free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
* Share discounts and offers with friends and families
Key Responsibilities
* Prepare delicious food to the highest standards
* Supervise culinary and catering teams to deliver impeccable food and customer service
* Oversee the efficiency of all in‑unit catering operations, managing inventories and budgets
* Communicate regularly with your line manager to monitor KPIs and targets
* Represent Compass Group UK&I and maintain a positive brand image
* Identify opportunities for new food or service concepts to drive sales
* Liaise between customers and service teams to exceed expectations
* Support and train staff, leading from the front to ensure high performance
* Implement and review Health & Safety standards to ensure compliance
Ideal Candidate
* Passionate about great‑tasting food and exceptional customer service
* Minimum two years of catering experience
* Experience managing teams in a similar role
* NVQ Level 1 & 2 or City & Guilds 706/1 and 2 qualification
* Basic Food Hygiene certificate
* Strong financial acumen
* Excellent communication and organisational skills
* Ambitious, motivated, and constantly looking to upskill
Please note: This role is contracted to 45 weeks per year.
About Chartwells
Part of Compass Group UK&I, Chartwells is the leading provider of catering and support services to the education sector. For over a quarter of a century, Chartwells has been focusing on helping those in education to build strong bodies, sharp minds and lead long healthy lives. Every week Chartwells serves millions of nutritious and delicious meals to pupils and students in schools, academies, independent schools, colleges and universities across the UK. Chartwells is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all employees to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to successful completion of pre‑employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and a Children’s Barred List check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and we ask applicants to declare all previous convictions and cautions to assess suitability to work with children.
Employment Details
* Seniority Level: Mid‑Senior level
* Employment Type: Full‑time
* Job Function: Management and Manufacturing
* Industry: Food and Beverage Services
* Job Reference: com/1410/71869001/52768226/SU #State Schools
Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential and thrive – because diversity is our strength.
#J-18808-Ljbffr