Senior Cafe and Catering Assistant
Plumpton College, Ditchling Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 3AE17 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
1 November 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
15 October 2026
Job details
Job role
- Catering, cleaning and site management
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: 39 hours per week. Basic working hours are five days over a seven-day rota, to include possible weekends (one or two per month). Hours are approximately 7.00am to 4.00pm or 10.00am to 7.00pm. Some flexibility will be required to meet the needs of the business and therefore weekend and evening working will be required. Hours and working times will be agreed with the Catering Supervisor, based on the needs of the business.
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- Up to £28,796 per annum
What skills and experience we're looking for
What you’ll be doing
- Supporting the day-to-day running of the main dining room and other catering outlets
- Delivering a friendly, high-quality service to students, staff and visitors
- Supervising cleanliness, food safety and hygiene standards across catering areas
- Monitoring cleaning records, food temperatures, stock control and portion control
- Supporting catering for meetings, events and functions, including some evenings and weekends
- Providing cover across other College catering outlets when required
- Undertaking manual handling duties as part of the role
What we’re looking for
We are looking for someone who:
- Has a catering qualification or relevant catering experience
- Holds a current Food Hygiene Certificate
- Has at least two years’ experience in a similar role
- Has a passion for good food and a high-quality customer experience
- Can demonstrate excellent customer service skills
- Is outgoing, approachable and flexible
- Works well as part of a team
- Can stay calm and effective under pressure
What the college offers its staff
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 five days over a seven-day rota, to include possible weekends (one or two per month). Hours are approximately 7.00am to 4.00pm or 10.00am to 7.00pm. Some flexibility will be required to meet the needs of the business and therefore weekend and evening working will be required. Hours and working times will be agreed with the Catering Supervisor, based on the needs of the business.
This is an all-year-round role. Some evening, weekend and holiday period working will 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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