JOB DESCRIPTION
REPORTS TO: Regional Operations Manager (Catering)
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Supporting the Regional Operations Manager in the daily running and managing of School Meals Kitchens and Dining Centres within your designated area
JOB PURPOSE
This is an extremely exciting opportunity not to be missed for a Regional Operations Supervisor with previous multi-site experience to join a catering service with ambitious plans for the future.
Reporting to the Regional Operations Manager (ROM), you will be responsible for supporting the operational running of School Meals Kitchens and Dining Centres within your designated area.
The person we are looking for will have strong people management and interpersonal skills; exceptional customer service acumen; a good eye for detail, and the ability to prioritise tasks, to assist the ROM to meet deadlines, and to nurture, train, support and develop people. Excellent practical cooking skills are required to support the provision of a high-quality School Meals Service.
This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
* The post-holder will assist the ROM in overseeing and managing dispersed teams, motivating and enthusing people to deliver results, and effectively managing and resourcing Mobile Teams within the Catering Service.
* From time to time, you will be required to manage the service provision in a School Meals Kitchen due to staff absences. Including the responsibility for ordering supplies, completing monthly financial returns, and handling monies for banking. This may incur the running of multiple sites at one time.
* In the absence of the ROM, you will be required to undertake essential duties as delegated by the Senior Catering Manager.
* You will support the ROM in the administrative procedures and processes to ensure the smooth running of the catering services, i.e., procurement needs and interviewing and selection of staff and participate in grievance and disciplinary panels as and when requested.
Staff Management and Service Delivery
* Support the ROM in delivering best practices and delivery of the Catering Service.
* The post involves a continuous need to respond to staffing emergencies. The post holder may be contacted out of working hours by staff who cannot report for work, and urgent action has to be taken to solve the problems. The post holder will be required to manage a range of conflicting priorities.
* Participate and lend support to recruitment campaigns.
* To ensure all new staff receive the agreed induction training and associated information when commencing employment. Encourage team participation of all staff within the EA Health and Wellbeing initiatives.
* You will be required to deliver training modules to kitchen-level staff in various areas.
o Induction Training: Carry out induction training to the Head of Kitchens in School Meals and Cash Cafeterias to ensure that they are capable of training all staff under their supervision
o In-Service Training: Carry out training of staff within kitchens to improve standards
o Health and Safety Training: Instruct on all aspects of Basic Food Safety and Health and Safety Regulations
* Work along with your ROM to participate in the work of the Service Improvement Team to implement agreed strategies and encourage innovation and creativity to bring great ideas to life within the school meals service.
People Services and Business Support
* Under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.
* The post holder has a wide range of stakeholders. On a daily basis, contact is made with the Area Manager and all grades of kitchen staff. Occasionally contact is made with staff in other departments at headquarters, i.e., Wages, Maintenance, Catering Services and Personnel. When on stand-in duty, contact is made with the School Principal in order to promote good relations and to ensure the specified requirements are being implemented. There is frequent contact with suppliers, and on occasions, it is necessary to communicate with Environmental Health Officers.
* Support the ROM to ensure that all EA policies, processes, procedures and governance strategies are embedded and effectively operated throughout your region.
* Assist the ROM with the review and revision of catering systems and work processes as and when required.
* Identify areas of improvement and ensure an agreed action plan with your ROM is put in place.
* Lend support to ensure all food guidelines are implemented and monitored, EA Menus, menu format, and portion controls are operational within your School Meals Kitchens, i.e., Nutritional Standards.
* Promote theme days and other calendar events designed to increase footfall within the school.
* Review and arrange training schedules and venues as required. Ensure all agreed EA catering training materials, suites, and tools are utilised.
* Assist the ROM with the review and revision of catering systems and work processes as and when required.
* To assist with the introduction and development of Information Technology
* Responsible for the management of risk through identification and managing such risks within the working environment.
* Support the ROM to meet their quality and safety compliance responsibilities, including promptly completing all documentation and data concerning accidents and near misses and ensuring follow-up actions are done promptly.
* Ensure all EHO reports are recorded for data purposes and any actions highlighted by the EHO are actioned, closed and recorded promptly following the inspection. Follow up on actions identified during all internal EA Catering Quality Assurance Audits.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
* Comply with the Authority's policy on Data Protection (in particular, processing sensitive personal information) and EA's Candidate Privacy Notice for those seeking employment is properly complied with.
* Comply with the Authority's Equal Opportunities Policy, relevant Codes of Employment and Practice and other relevant legislation. In accordance with relevant equality legislation and EA policies on diversity in the workplace, the post-holder is expected to promote good relations and pay due regard to equality of opportunity in carrying out their duties.
* Ensure that procedures and policies are reviewed/developed in line with legal and strategic requirements and are applied consistently throughout EA.
* Undertake other related duties within the grade and competence of the post holder as required. Participate as required in other activities to build the reputation and promotion of the EA Catering Service. This will include both external and internal events and roadshows.
* Attend mandatory training and enforce team attendance when requested.
* The post holder may occasionally be required to work outside normal office hours.
This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.
In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.
To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS
1. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.
2. You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.
3. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.
4. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
5. Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.
6. In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form on how you meet any desirable criteria.
Section 1 - Essential Criteria
The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and which may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.
FactorEssential CriteriaMethod of AssessmentQualifications/
Experience
Hold one of the following (1, 2 or 3):
1. HND in a Catering related subject
OR
Professional Qualification Final Membership Exam Part B Professional Diploma, (Institute of Hospitality) or equivalent or higher examination qualification
AND
have two years' demonstrable experience in a supervisory role within the catering industry.
2. Level 4 Management Qualification or equivalent or higher examination qualification
OR
HNC in a Catering related subject
OR
Intermediate Membership Examination Part A Professional Certificate in Hospitality Studies (Institute of Hospitality)
OR
BTEC National Diploma in a catering related subject or an equivalent qualification
AND
have three years' demonstrable experience in a supervisory role within the catering industry.
3. Have four years' demonstrable experience in a supervisory role within the catering industry.
Demonstrable experience in the use of the Microsoft Office Software Packages.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Knowledge
Demonstrable knowledge of legislation & regulations in relation to food safety.
Demonstrable knowledge of legislation & regulations in relation to health and safety (including COSHH) legislation.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Skills/
Abilities
Ability to simultaneously manage a range of tasks and conflicting priorities.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Other
The successful candidate will be required:
to have access to a suitable vehicle (appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business) that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion;
OR
be able to provide sufficient information on the application form that will satisfy the employer that he/she has access to an appropriate alternative form of transport that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion.
Ability to work flexibly, and adapt at short notice to meet organisational needs, including working in different locations.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Section 2 - Essential Criteria
The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage in line with EA's Game Changing People Model.
FactorEssential CriteriaMethod of AssessmentSkills/
Abilities
In line with EA's Game Changing People Model we will look for evidence of:
Good organisational skills and ability to prioritise a busy workload to deliver effective results on time.
Ability to communicate and work effectively with others and provide leadership to a team when required.
Ability to use own initiative and judgement to solve problems and respond to others.
Ability to take a responsive and customer focused approach to work.
Interview
Values Orientation
Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA's ethos and values. You will find information about our Values here.
Interview
Our Values
Through the selection process we will also seek evidence that the personal values of candidates align with those of the EA. This will include evidence of commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery. These reflect our aim which is to meet the needs of all our children and young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential.
DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as 'regulated activity'.
In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves 'regulated activity', the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.
Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.
APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES
To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here.
To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here.
The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.