To be responsible for effectively leading and managing the commercial catering operations across all campuses of the college. Providing a high quality and cost effective offer to all students, staff and external visitors of the college.
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Management of the daily catering operations through priority planning, and resource balancing. Ensuring continuity of operations management in the absence of key staff
- Accountability for all income, expenditure and stock control within the business area in accordance with the college financial policies and procedures
- To manage and be accountable for food safety and health and safety standards within the bistros in line with current and future H&S and food safety legislation
- Undertake and review risk assessments and ensure all working practices are compliant with legislation eg COSHH, Safer food better business, and report on servicing and malfunction of electrical equipment/Building maintenance issues and keep documentary evidence
- Responsibility and accountability for the financial delivery and performance of the catering area in line with annual budgets and the responsibility for setting these budgets on an annual basis
- Undertaking menu and event planning and costing in line with the needs of the business
- Analyse all operational performance, to identify areas of improvement and deliver action plans to meet the business objectives
- Responsibility for driving all aspects of service excellence across the business area including, quality, compliance and service standards. Role model the college values and ensure they are reinforced at every opportunity, providing leadership and clear direction on all aspects of the business area
- Assess nominated staff on levels of competence within their areas of responsibility, taking responsibility for the development of colleagues and management of their performance
- Promoting all aspects of professional development and initiating all staff training as required
- To build, develop and effectively manage the team using the college’s performance management system to ensure high performance and business efficiency
- To ensure excellent customer service is provided and delivered in all aspects of the department’s commercial areas
- To undertake hands on operational duties as required to be proactive in response to peaks in customer demands
- To facilitate the hospitality requirements and events and engage with extra college activities as required
- To promote greener working practices within the catering function in line with sustainability policy and objectives of the college
- To be a proactive member of cross college sub groups in line with the vision and values
Qualifications
Essential Criteria
- Relevant Level 4 qualification in Hospitality and Catering.
- GCSE Math
- L2 Food safety
How Identified: Application/Interview
Desirable Criteria
- Health & Safety Qualificatiom
- Teaching or coaching qualification
How Identified: Application/Interview
Experience
Essential Criteria
- Proven experience of managing a high volume fast paced commercial hospitality establishment improving quality & standards
- Supporting high quality learning experiences to students on work experience
- Experience of setting of budgets, profit margins and costing of menus
How Identified: Application/Interview
Specialist Knowledge
Essential Criteria
- Exceptional customer service skills and a very keen eye for detail and high standards
- Strong financial and commercial acumen
- Strategic planning and implementation skills
- High levels of energy and motivation
- Previous experience of managing new openings/re-launches/new builds
- Excellent people, management, organisation and communication skills
- The ability to drive sales and increase profitability
- The ability to lead, coach, motivate and inspire people and teaA ‘can do’ attitude and positive outgoing personality
How Identified: Application/Interview
IT Skills
Essential Criteria
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Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Applications and willing to undertake training relevant to role
How Identified: Application/Interview
STAFF BENEFITS
- Career average pension scheme
- Free gym membership at our Middleton Campus Sports Arena
- Purchase loans for computers and bikes
- Staff discount at the College’s Riverside Salon, Sports Arena and Holiday Clubs
- On-site nursery (Rochdale Campus)
- Credit union for savings, low cost loans and life assurance
- Free on-site parking
- On-site Dog Kennels (spaces not guaranteed)
- An electric and hybrid car salary sacrifice scheme (with charging points on site)
- A cycle to work scheme
- Discounted public transport tickets
- Generous holiday entitlement (Teaching staff: 53 days, Business Support staff: 35 days (From 1st August 2026) plus bank holidays
- Christmas/New Year closure and the opportunity to buy additional holidays
- Two Health and Wellbeing days per year
- Subsidised bistro and refectory
We are a Further Education College and University Centre offering a range of full and part time courses employing over 600 staff on our campuses in Rochdale and Middleton situated to the north-east of Manchester.
We are committed to being a great place to work and have membership status of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter. We are a Living Wage employer and an accredited Disability Confident Employer. Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion statement is designed to ensure that unfair discrimination does not take place in any part of our recruitment process.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all learners and colleagues and we expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment. The college complies with Safer Recruitment guidance in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education and all successful applicants are required to undertake a DBS check and other pre-recruitment checks in line with our Safer Recruitment policy. It is an offence to apply for a regulated role at the College if you are barred from working with children (or vulnerable adults if in a role where this applies).
This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and exemption orders 1975, 2013 and 2020.
