Food Service Assistant
Plumpton College, Ditchling Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 3AE31 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
21 September 2026 at 8am
Date listed
21 August 2026
Job details
Job role
- Catering, cleaning and site management
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Subject
- Catering
Working pattern
- Part time: Basic working hours are 09:00 to 15:30 on Thursday and Friday, although some flexibility will be required to meet the needs of the business. This is a term time only role. Some evening, weekend and holiday period working may be required to support catering functions, student activities, recruitment events and wider college activities.
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- Up to £6,934 per annum
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are looking for a friendly, reliable and customer-focused Food Service (Catering) Assistant to join our busy Catering team at Plumpton College.
This is an important role supporting the day-to-day service in the Potting Shed, which serves students, staff and visitors, as well as assisting with events and functions across the college. You will also help support our other catering outlets, including the Graze café and the main dining room.
Our Catering team takes pride in providing good quality food, efficient service during busy periods, and a welcoming experience for everyone who uses our facilities.
What you’ll be doing
- Serving food and drinks across our catering outlets
- Providing a friendly and efficient service to students, staff and visitors
- Cleaning kitchen, servery and dining areas
- Following food hygiene, safety and cleaning procedures
- Recording food temperatures and completing cleaning checks
- Helping with stock rotation and reducing food waste
- Supporting college events and functions when required
- Assisting in other catering areas and with vending machines as needed
What we’re looking for
We are looking for someone who:
- Has excellent customer service skills
- Is outgoing, approachable and flexible
- Works well as part of a team
- Can stay calm and effective under pressure
- Is able to undertake manual handling duties
Desirable, but not essential:
- A catering qualification
- A current Food Hygiene Certificate
- Experience in a similar role
Because of the college’s location, own transport is desirable unless living onsite.
What the college offers its staff
Why Join Us?
At Plumpton College, we live our values — Ambitious, Professional, Enterprising, Passionate, Supportive and Progressive — in everything we do.
You’ll benefit from:
We offer a competitive salary alongside a generous benefits package. Staff have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, comprehensive CPD opportunities, and a supportive working environment. As a Disability Confident Committed employer and a signatory of the Menopause Pledge, we are proud to foster an inclusive workplace.
New colleagues benefit from a structured induction and supported probationary period, as well as a strong coaching culture with in-house Level 5 trained coaches.
Employees also enjoy a range of lifestyle and wellbeing benefits such as eligibility for a TOTUM card and Blue Light Card, free eye tests, free use of our onsite gym, cycle-to-work scheme, discounted Plumpton wine and courses, free onsite parking, access to competitively priced dining facilities, and an Employee Assistance Programme.
Our commitment to staff wellbeing and community is further demonstrated through regular networking events, active EDI and Sustainability committees, and social events at Christmas.
Basic working hours are 09:00 to 15:30 on Thursday and Friday, although some flexibility will be required to meet the needs of the business. This is a term time only role. Some evening, weekend and holiday period working may be required to support catering functions, student activities, recruitment events and wider college activities.
We reserve the right to interview or close the vacancy early should we receive a high number of applications. Early applications are strongly encouraged.
Plumpton College is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities and is dedicated to pursuing non-discriminatory policies and practices and eliminating unfair discrimination on any basis.
Plumpton is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Employment cannot begin until the appropriate DBS clearance has been received and considered.
Apply now to join a forward-thinking college and help provide an excellent catering service for our students, staff and visitors.
Further information about the job
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.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on college website (opens in new tab)About Plumpton College
- Organisation type
- FE College, ages 16 to 99
- Education phase
- Sixth form or FE college
- Size
- No information available
- Age range
- 16 to 99
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Website
- Plumpton College website
- Email address
- recruitment@plumpton.ac.uk
College location
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