University Catering

Grade 3: - £18,342 - £19,133 per annum (pro rata)
Fixed Term - Part Time Term Time Only (9 Months)
Contract Duration: 32 weeks from 20th Sept 2021
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 30-Sep-2021, 6:59:00 AM

Durham University Summer Recruitment Campaign. With a new Academic term upon us, we are looking for driven and passionate individuals to join our University facilities teams. We have varied opportunities across our teams and colleges, please review our adverts to find out more!

The Department and role purpose

“Passionately delivering an outstanding experience”

We are a team of over 500, providing fresh and diverse catering throughout Durham University.

This includes college dining halls, college bars, college cafés, visitor attractions and branded retail catering outlets.

Our students are extremely important to us but we also provide catering to University colleagues, commercial guests, and VIPs including royalty.

Chefs are key back of house members of the catering team, responsible for supporting the Head Chef with food production and running of the kitchen, and ensuring the highest quality food and standards are delivered. The post holder will also assist with day to day cleaning of kitchen and catering equipment, receipt and storage of goods, checking and signing for deliveries.

Catering team members will be expected to adopt and promote a flexible approach to working, and to undertake any or all of the tasks outlined below regardless of their designated shift.

Successful candidates are expected to promote a positive image of University Catering and Durham University at all times.

Vacancies;

35hrs x 32 weeks Term Time, Fixed until September 2022

Core responsibilities:

• Delegate tasks and monitor completion across the work team. 
• Explain systems and procedures to new starters, providing hands on advice and guidance where required. 
• Assist with the provision of ongoing training and/or coaching.
• Provide a highly responsive and/or frontline service to stakeholders.
• Respond to service users logging and recording queries and information systematically in accordance with procedures.
• Operate a system to record, dispense and distribute resources and information as required.
• Apply skills and techniques to operate and use a range of everyday task or job specific equipment, tools and resources.
• Follow a set of pre-determined tasks and objectives, with some discretion for variation, referring to team members where necessary.
• Gather and collate data and information for others to use for evaluation and decision making.
• Contribute to the tidying, set-up and maintenance of facilities, equipment and resources.
• Liaise with representatives from other teams/service areas where necessary. 
• Collaborate with team members to identify work flows, timescales and where support is required.

Role responsibilities:

• Deliver a frontline catering service to stakeholders with team members within a defined service area for concentrated periods of time.
• Operate a range of domestic, office, maintenance tools and equipment efficiently and effectively.
• Monitor and record changes to the working environment and service processes to ensure the safety, security and hygiene of service products and services.
• Follow University identification and security procedures when dealing with stakeholders new to a service area.
• Provide direction to service users about the range of events and activities and how to access them.
• Maintain wash up and food production areas and equipment to an exceptional standard of cleanliness.
• Complete necessary skills training to deliver a service in a catering environment.
• Apply manual dexterity, physical effort and/or sensory skills to carry out work in a defined space or service area.
• Assist team members where necessary to review and update risk assessments.
• Respond to first-line queries from suppliers, stakeholders and contacts where necessary.
• Be able to create high quality dishes, which are prepared, produced, presented and served in accordance with prescribed menus, recipes and standard operating procedures
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements

The post holder will be required to work any 5 days out of 7, which may include some evenings and weekends. Typical working hours are between 7am and 9.30pm.

Working in the catering team requires an element of pysical manual handling, which can include lifting and transporting catering equipment.

The post holder will be required to work flexibly across all catering areas.

Reward and Benefits

To support the delivery of the University's People Strategy to attract, retain and reward the very best, we offer a fantastic range of rewards and benefits to our staff, including:

• 27 days annual leave, plus 4 customary days and 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part time) and the option to purchase additional leave;
• Automatic enrolment into a pension scheme;
• Corporate and local discounts;
• Wellbeing resources and discounted health benefits;
• Health discounts on sports and activities at Maiden Castle Health and Activity Centre;
• Reward and Recognition Schemes;
• Personal and career development;
• And SO much more, with further information available here

Recruiting to this post

In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above (including those listed in the section ‘Realising Your Potential Approach’).

In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application.

Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.

How to apply

We prefer to receive applications online.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What you are required to submit

1. A CV; 
2. A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
3. Examples of how you satisfy both the person specification using the Questionnaire section of the application. 

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.

Contact details 

For further information please contact;
Dave Walker
david.walker@durham.ac.uk

or

Richard Metcalfe
richard.metcalfe@durham.ac.uk

Additional Information;

• Typical working hours between 7am - 8.30pm
• Various hours of work up to 35 hours per week, in line with the working time directive.
• Indicative rotas for five working days will be available four weeks in advance, to be confirmed the week prior.
• Premium rates of pay will be paid for working on rest days and if there is a requirement to work overtime over 37 hrs in a given week.
• Competitive rates of pay

Interview dates -  Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd September, succesful shortlisted candidates will be contacted with the confirmed interview time and date. Provisional start date for the succesful candidates, Monday 20th September.

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails

Job Family: Community, Participation and Engagement Services

OUR CHARACTERISTICS: We are a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, in a unique and historic setting.

OUR VALUES: We are inspiring, challenging, innovative, responsible and enabling.

Durham University

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Business, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we work with and serve.

It is expected that all staff within the University:

• Contribute to our learning culture by engaging in mentoring, training and coaching.
• Positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Have due regard to Health and Safety requirements appropriate to grade and role.

Family key attributes

Roles in this family provide an excellent stakeholder experience for our diverse and supportive community.

Overall family purpose

• Provide excellent student support services, development and extra-curricular activities.
• Align and deliver programmes and activities to meet operational and strategic objectives to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Respond to stakeholders at the point of service delivery, either in situ or remotely.
• Facilitate the development of excellent colleague and academic engagement.
• Provide a stakeholder focussed service designed to increase widening participation and diversity.
• Promote the Durham reputation by establishing and broadening national and international community links to enhance the cultural and economic viability of the City and region.
• Enhance the Durham wider student experience by developing extra-curricular activities.
• Contribute to and enhance active, inclusive and supportive communities of stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.
• Engage with suppliers, consultants and specialist professionals to deliver programmes and activities to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Engage and encourage outreach and participation with external professionals, schools, alumni and donors.
• Engage and network with both internal and external stakeholders to facilitate knowledge exchange and impact through local, national and international communities.

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically and environmentally sustainable approach to delivering stakeholder focussed services across the University;
• A world-class student, alumni and donor experience;
• Focussed on the needs of all users working together to deliver front-line services as part of the Wider Student Experience;
• Learn from and match best practice in the Wider Student Experience around the world;
• Opening up our world-class sporting facilities to local clubs and athletes;
• Support and facilitate activities as part of the Widening Student Experience at Durham;
• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;
• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

The post holder will be required to work any 5 days out of 7, which may include some evenings and weekends. Typical working hours are between 7am and 9:30pm.

Working in the catering team requires an element of physical manual handling, which can include lifting and transporting catering equipment.

The post holder will be required to work flexibly across all catering areas.

​Essential Criteria:

• Experience of working in all sections of the kitchen in a high volume, high quality catering operation.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Experience of working as part of a customer focussed, high quality catering team.
• Experience of supervising and food production within a modern high volume catering environment, including high-profile functions.
• Experience of managing time and prioritising in order to meet deadlines. 
• Experience of providing advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues. 
• Ability to proactively solve problems as part of a team and resolve straightforward issues. 
• Good IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
• Experience of working to standard operating procedures.
• Methodical worker with excellent attention to detail.
• Works in advance and has a positive ‘can do’ attitude.
• A commitment to a flexible and hands on style of working that promotes impartiality and a team approach.

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.