University Grade 5 currently £35,020 p.a. – £40,752 p.a. for 40 hours per week.Full-time and Permanent.40 hour week, with some split-shift working 5 days out of 7 to include evening and occasional weekend working.Closing date: Friday 6 March 2026 at 12:00.
Our passionate kitchen team have built a great reputation for delivering outstanding food. Often quoted as one of the best colleges in Oxford for its food, we are looking for someone to contribute to these high standards.
We operate a 60 – 72-seater dining room within the iconic Radcliffe Observatory Tower, but we pride ourselves on exciting high-quality food across a range of formats, including daily lunch for up to 140, weekly formal college dinners, graduation ceremonies, prestigious VIP events, buffets and commercial events.
The college is committed to the professional development of all team members, and we actively invest and support our staff to grow their careers.
The current Kitchen Brigade is comprised of;
Head Chef
Two Sous Chefs
Head Pastry Chef
Senior Chef de Partie
Chef de Partie
Junior Chef de Partie
Kitchen Assistant
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Prepare, cook and present food to a consistently high standard, overseeing and directing the work of others where required.
Ensure the required standards of food hygiene, allergen management, and health and safety are maintained at all times.
Liaise with, and work harmoniously alongside, the whole catering team, including the Food Service team, to ensure smooth service delivery.
Work as part of a team to promote a positive working environment, encouraging pride, professionalism and high standards in all work produced.
Behave in a professional and appropriate manner towards all members of the College.
Assist with the planning, preparation and development of menus for College events, formal halls and special functions.
Run a designated section of the kitchen independently and confidently during service.
Work flexibly across all sections of the kitchen as required by business needs.
Adhere strictly to time schedules in the preparation and cooking of food to ensure efficient and punctual service.
Maintain strict portion control and contribute actively to waste reduction and cost control measures.
Take responsibility as Chef Lead for selected college events, overseeing food preparation, coordinating the kitchen team, and ensuring successful delivery from planning through to service.
Assist with procurement processes, including stock control, ordering, supplier liaison and maintaining accurate records in line with college procedures.
Support kitchen administration and IT systems as required, including recipe management, stock systems, allergen documentation and event planning systems.
Ensure regular checks of equipment are carried out and report any issues promptly to the Head Chef or Sous Chef.
Supervise, train and delegate work to members of the kitchen team, supporting their development and maintaining high standards.
Participate in relevant training to continuously improve professional standards and skills.
Maintain a flexible attitude towards work, understanding that the requirements of the post may vary and develop in line with the needs of the college.
Events services with Food
Outline of current events requiring kitchen services. Please note that these are an indication and may change and develop.
Monday to Friday lunch canteen
Up to 5 formals a week, more often this is a maximum of 4 per week.
Graduation buffets
Freshers welcome canape events
Fundraising and Alumni events
Conference and events services:
Commercial dinners
Conference catering
Wedding Receptions
Sustainability
Within the college's Kitchen, we ensure all food services are delivered as sustainably as possible. This includes working with local suppliers and seasonal produce where possible, purchasing energy-efficient goods and ensuring any carbon produced by our meal services in college can be reduced as far as possible.
Green Templeton recognises that the actions and choices of our community have a huge impact on the college's environmental footprint, and are committed to embedding sustainable thinking throughout its operations.
Person Specification
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate that they have or are:
Essential Criteria
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Articulate, innovative and creative in approach to food and presentation.
Ability to relate professionally and effectively with colleagues, students, Fellows and guests.
Ability to follow instruction and respond positively to supervision and feedback.
A competent level of computer literacy, including basic use of stock, ordering or menu systems.
Reliable, enthusiastic and self motivated with a strong work ethic.
Well organised with excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise effectively.
Ability to work calmly under pressure and in demanding service environments.
Qualified to a minimum of NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery, or equivalent qualification, or qualified by substantial experience.
Proven experience working within a professional catering environment, with the ability to work confidently across all kitchen sections.
Experience of supervising others, including delegating tasks, providing instruction and supporting training and development.
Experience of producing high quality food within a fine dining or comparable high standard environment.
Flexible approach to working hours in line with the operational needs of the college.
Physically capable of carrying out the duties of the role.
A genuine passion for seasonal, sustainable produce, with enthusiasm for developing and refining dishes and menus.
Desirable Criteria
Demonstrable experience catering for restricted diets and specialist meal requirements, including coeliac, dairy free, vegan and allergen-controlled menus.
Experience producing innovative, high-quality plant-based dishes.
Knowledge of current food trends and modern cooking techniques.
Experience working within a collegiate, conference or events-based catering environment.
Awareness of cost control, portion management and waste reduction principles.
Terms and Conditions of Employment
Reporting
The Head Chef and the Sous Chefs in the absence of the Head Chef.
Hours
Working hours are 40 hours per week to be worked on a split-shift basis (5 days out of 7) to include evening and weekend working. Weekend working constitutes to an average of 16 Saturdays per year and excludes Sundays. We pay enhanced overtime rates for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week.
Salary
Salary Scale 5, within the range of £35,020 p.a. – £40,752 p.a for 40 hours per week, inclusive of Oxford University Weighting Allowance. Appointment salary will be dependent on qualifications and experience.
Location
The successful candidate will be based on the site at Green Templeton College, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6HG. The post may require travel to and work at other College and University sites.
Duration
Permanent position. The position is subject to a 6 month probationary period.
Holiday
38 days per annum including Bank Holidays. A part of the allocation for Annual leave will need to be taken during the two-week shutdown at Christmas and two weeks shut down at the end of August and start of September. Additional long service days apply after 5 years.
Sickness
Related to length of service, rising to six months full pay and six months half pay after five years of service.
Pension
The post is pensionable and the post holder eligible for membership of OSPS, a contributory pension scheme.
*Free lunches are provided when the kitchens are open.
** Parking is available on site on a first come first served basis. This is not a contractual benefit and may be removed if the needs of the college change.
Green Templeton welcomes applications from people from all sections of the community and are particularly encouraging those from diverse groups, such as LGBTQ+ and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, who currently are under-represented in the college staff team.
How to apply
Please submit the following to by Friday 6 March 2026 at 12:00 noon.
CV providing details of relevant achievements as well as your professional and
educational history.
Covering letter summarising your interest in this post and providing evidence of your ability to match the criteria outlined in the Person Specification.
Details of your latest salary, notice period and names and contact details of two referees. Green Templeton will assume that it is free to approach referees at any stage of the application process unless the applicant states otherwise.
A Diversity Monitoring Form which will assist us with monitoring equal opportunities in recruitment. We can assure you that the information given is kept separately from the information used in recruitment decisions; that all information is strictly confidential, used purely for statistical purposes and to ensure that policies are being applied fairly
Data Protection
All data supplied by applicants will be used only for the purposes of determining their suitability for the post, and will be held in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the College's Data Protection Policy.
Travel Expenses
The College will reimburse receipted travel expenses to interview at the rate of a second class rail fare, within the UK.