Temporary Kitchen Manager
| Posting date: | 24 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 17 April 2026 |
| Location: | Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5TZ |
| Company: | Teaching Vacancies |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 4781a5f9-c834-4335-9564-8b36584a24f9 |
Summary
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are looking to recruit a dynamic temporary Kitchen Manager to join us and be a part of our established catering team. Based at one of our trust’s primary schools in Totnes, you will be managing a team of four and be responsible for the day to day catering operations, providing a lunchtime hot meal service to the pupils and staff. As part of the role, you will also be responsible for overseeing the mobile food delivery to another small local primary school. There will also be opportunities for catering for trust events.
We are looking for a dedicated, professional and personable individual with a can-do attitude. You must have previous experience of working in catering and have a good knowledge of food hygiene and preparation. A Level 2 award in Food Safety in Catering qualification or equivalent will be required for the role.
The main purpose of the role is to oversee the preparation of meals, organise food service and the purchase of food; supervision of staff
Maintenance of hygiene
• Ensure that catering practice complies with appropriate health and safety legislation.
Administration
• Supervise the purchase and storage of food to ensure compliance with statutory requirements.
• Have good financial knowledge to manage incoming invoices and account budgeting.
• Computer literacy, to have working knowledge of Microsoft Teams, calendar and email
Resources
• Actively promote the school meals service to pupils and parents to increase awareness of healthy eating and the uptake of school meals.
• Ordering and recording of all ingredients used and stock taking.
• Create and maintain a purposeful, orderly and productive working environment
• Maintain records as requested
• Plan menus, following guidelines on nutrition and healthy eating
• Ensure availability to staff of equipment and supplies
• Monitor and manage supplies within an agreed budget, cataloguing and undertaking audits as required.
• Refill and replace consumables
• Report faulty equipment and other maintenance requirements to an appropriate person
• Maintain the security of the school premise by securing entrances/exits as appropriate and reporting potential security breaches.
• Ensure security of the school kitchen including freezers and stock cupboards etc
• Ensure lights and other equipment are switched off as appropriate
• Supervision and direction of other staff including allocation of duties and work rotas.
Key Duties
Operational
• Undertake skilled cooking activities connected to the full range of menu provision, for example meal planning, portion control, special dietary needs.
• Oversee the preparation of healthy, nutritionally balanced menus that meet the government’s national nutritional standards for school lunches.
• Supervise the preparation of ingredients for meals
• Organise and supervise food service this may include transportation of meals
• Present nutritious foods in ways that children will find attractive
• To include an element of hospitality catering for Head Office functions
What the school offers its staff
Trust Ethos and Mission statement
Excellence through cultivating character, sharing talents and pursuing excellence.
All members of the team employed by the Academies for Character and Excellence support and promote the Trusts mission and vision and promotes character education which is a values led approach. Our Trust values and ethos enable us to fulfil our mission of transformation through making a positive difference to ourselves, others and the world around us
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
We are looking to recruit a dynamic temporary Kitchen Manager to join us and be a part of our established catering team. Based at one of our trust’s primary schools in Totnes, you will be managing a team of four and be responsible for the day to day catering operations, providing a lunchtime hot meal service to the pupils and staff. As part of the role, you will also be responsible for overseeing the mobile food delivery to another small local primary school. There will also be opportunities for catering for trust events.
We are looking for a dedicated, professional and personable individual with a can-do attitude. You must have previous experience of working in catering and have a good knowledge of food hygiene and preparation. A Level 2 award in Food Safety in Catering qualification or equivalent will be required for the role.
The main purpose of the role is to oversee the preparation of meals, organise food service and the purchase of food; supervision of staff
Maintenance of hygiene
• Ensure that catering practice complies with appropriate health and safety legislation.
Administration
• Supervise the purchase and storage of food to ensure compliance with statutory requirements.
• Have good financial knowledge to manage incoming invoices and account budgeting.
• Computer literacy, to have working knowledge of Microsoft Teams, calendar and email
Resources
• Actively promote the school meals service to pupils and parents to increase awareness of healthy eating and the uptake of school meals.
• Ordering and recording of all ingredients used and stock taking.
• Create and maintain a purposeful, orderly and productive working environment
• Maintain records as requested
• Plan menus, following guidelines on nutrition and healthy eating
• Ensure availability to staff of equipment and supplies
• Monitor and manage supplies within an agreed budget, cataloguing and undertaking audits as required.
• Refill and replace consumables
• Report faulty equipment and other maintenance requirements to an appropriate person
• Maintain the security of the school premise by securing entrances/exits as appropriate and reporting potential security breaches.
• Ensure security of the school kitchen including freezers and stock cupboards etc
• Ensure lights and other equipment are switched off as appropriate
• Supervision and direction of other staff including allocation of duties and work rotas.
Key Duties
Operational
• Undertake skilled cooking activities connected to the full range of menu provision, for example meal planning, portion control, special dietary needs.
• Oversee the preparation of healthy, nutritionally balanced menus that meet the government’s national nutritional standards for school lunches.
• Supervise the preparation of ingredients for meals
• Organise and supervise food service this may include transportation of meals
• Present nutritious foods in ways that children will find attractive
• To include an element of hospitality catering for Head Office functions
What the school offers its staff
Trust Ethos and Mission statement
Excellence through cultivating character, sharing talents and pursuing excellence.
All members of the team employed by the Academies for Character and Excellence support and promote the Trusts mission and vision and promotes character education which is a values led approach. Our Trust values and ethos enable us to fulfil our mission of transformation through making a positive difference to ourselves, others and the world around us
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.