Head of WF Catering

Head of WF Catering

Permanent 

Full-time, term-time only, or part-time (minimum 0.8 FTE) 

Flexible working approach; combination of onsite in schools, the office and remote working 

Salary: £62,595 - £65,880 (P010) 

Closing date: Mon 4th Dec 9am 

We are seeking the next inspirational Head of Service for our award-winning, Local Authority owned, school catering business in anticipation of the retirement of a successful and long-standing leader.

Waltham Forest is a borough ambitious about providing the best school meals service because we believe the impact of high-quality school meals on a child is far-reaching. WF Catering pride ourselves on staff retention, innovation, and sustainability as you will see reflected in our awards, most recently:

• LACA Finalists 2023 in 4 categories including Best Catering Business
• The first School Catering Company in the country to receive the ProVeg UK Gold award for our commitment to sustainability and menus promoting plant-based choices in all our primary schools.
• The first school meals provider to offer an allergen free menu one day a week, every week in every primary school.
• 2022 Winner UK Greenest School Menu League
• As featured on ITV, BBC Breakfast and BBC London

We are the principal school meals provider in the London Borough of Waltham Forest with contracts into neighbouring boroughs covering 43 Primary Schools and 6 Secondary Schools

We are looking for a commercially astute leader with proven experience of delivering catering service excellence across a large geographical area and staff team whilst supporting wider political priorities.  

For a confidential discussion about the role contact Christine Cornall, current Head of WF Catering on 07730766436 or read on for more information and to download a role profile.

Closing date                                 Mon 4th Dec 9am

Shortlisting                                   w/c Mon 4th Dec

Interviews round 1                    Likely Mon 11th and Tues 12th Dec

Interviews round 2                    Likely Mon 18th and Tues 19th Dec

Start date                                      Ideally March 2024

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Commercial Operations – Services to Schools, you will lead and manage all elements of WF Catering - financial, operational and regulatory - with support from two deputies, a Commercial Manager and an Operations Manager, and your wider management team. You will develop and maintain a fully cost-recoverable, high quality, value-for-money catering service to schools and other educational settings. One that is fully compliant with relevant legislation, regulations and policies in the school meals sector and contributes to the council’s wider strategic priorities for children and climate change.

Download a role profile for a full breakdown of responsibilities.

The right candidate

• Experience of delivering excellent quality catering services to schools and educational settings.
• Experience of selling services through complex tender processes and interview stages to educational settings.
• Experience of identifying, costing, pricing and launching new services to new markets.
• Ability to ensure robust risk management and mitigation at programme and project level.
• Strong negotiating and influencing skills with both public and private sector partners.
• Successful commercial and people management of a high value, award winning catering service, with a large staff team.
• Degree or equivalent vocational qualification in relevant subject or area

Our benefits

• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Up to 31 days annual leave depending on grade and length of service, with eight public holidays per year.
• A blend of remote and office/site-based working for management roles.
• Employee Assistance Programme, providing free wellbeing advice and confidential counselling programmesfor a wide range of themes.
• Discounted Health and Leisure Centre memberships, store discounts through our Staff Benefits schemeplus tax-free bikes for work.
• Family friendly policies and excellent opportunities for career development within our large Waltham Forest Catering family, which encompasses our key values Fellowship, Opportunity, Respect, Equality and diversity, Service, Trust (FOREST)

Please ensure your application form includes a cover letter of no more than 1 x A4 page which shows how you meet the requirements of the role and the relevant experience listed above and in the role profile.