Head of Kitchen
| Posting date: | 10 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Competitive |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 10 October 2025 |
| Location: | Trafford, M15 4FL |
| Company: | inploi |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 75741050 |
Summary
Head of Kitchen - Old Trafford Community Academy
Required from 20th October 2025 Permanent role
Terms of employment: 32.5 hours per week, 39 weeks of the year.
(Term Time Only + 1 week)
Salary range £28,624 - £30,559 (FTE) Please note this will be reduced and pro-rata to reflect the part-time working pattern outlined above.
We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and dedicated professional to join our catering team. Someone who is willing to join our team as Head of Kitchen and lead and develop the wider catering team.
This is an exciting time to join the team at Old Trafford Community Academy, as we are starting a new catering contract with our provider ABM Catering Services. We are looking for someone who has a passion for food, who will generate interest and excitement in our menus and who can help provide our pupils with the best possible lunchtime experience. You will help to meet our GROW standards and deliver a healthy, nutritious, home-cooked lunchtime offering to our 350 pupils
The successful candidate will join our team working 32.5 hours per week during term time. An additional 5 days will also need to be worked and some of these may be during the holiday periods to meet training requirements and other operational needs such as clean down and term time readiness.
Our successful candidate will be willing to work as part of the whole school team, supporting the smooth-running of the kitchen to ensure that our pupils receive high quality meals each day, whilst maintaining a safe and hygienic environment. Our new Head of Kitchen will play an essential role in ensuring all food, safety and hygiene standards are known and adhered to be all the team. Above all, you will help to ensure that lunch time becomes an enjoyable part of our school day and helps to complement our pupils learning experience.
Experience of, preparing, cooking and serving food in a commercial or school kitchen is essential. You will be expected to work alongside the Headteacher, Business Manager to support with the planning and preparing of termly menus that are aligned with school food standards. Working with our partners ABM catering, it will be your responsibility to manage the day to day running of the kitchen, including all aspects of allergy management, stock control, cleaning, food hygiene. Knowledge of HACCP and COSHH is therefore essential.
As Head of Kitchen, you will be responsible for the direct line management of the catering team, with support from the School Business Manager and abm colleagues as required.
To succeed in this role, you will need to be flexible in your approach, be able to work as part of a team as well and have excellent standards and expectations of yourself and what our school should look like.
You will need good communication skills, to work as part of the catering team and the wider Old Trafford Community Academy family. As you will be working in a school environment, you must have the ability to work well with and relate to children. Our school has a diverse cultural population as well as several children with additional needs.
As part of Focus-Trust, Old Trafford Community Academy is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and young people. There is an explicit expectation that all staff, trustees, governors and volunteers share this commitment and adhere to all safeguarding policies and procedures. Applicants should be aware that the recruitment process will include an assessment of your suitability to work with children and must be willing to undergo pre-employment checks. Safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Focus-Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer and welcomes applications from underrepresented groups and ethnic minorities.
If you would like to join our school catering team, please apply using the following link
Head of Kitchen at Old Trafford Community Academy, Manchester, Greater Manchester | MyNewTerm
Please note we do not accept CV’s, nor will we accept applications from any other platform than My New Term, so please do access the application form through the link above if you wish us to consider your interest in this role.
Closing Date for Applications 22nd September 2025 at noon
Interview Date 29th & 30th September 2025
Should you have any questions about the role or would like to arrange a visit to the school, please contact our School business manager, Richard Connolly via Email r.connolly@focus-trust.co.uk or by calling 0161 912 4875.
Should this role be of interest to you, we look forward to receiving your completed application.
↗ Recruitment Information
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