Operations Directorate

Grade 1: - £17,596 per annum (pro rata) / £9.67 per hour
Open-Ended/Permanent - Part Time Term Time Only (12 Months)
Contracted Hours per Week: 25
Closing Date: 04-Oct-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

University catering are seeking to recruit food service and retail cafe assistants into very rewarding and demanding roles. This role is key in our teams and ensures the smooth running of the food service operation within the food and beverage team, in order for us to achieve an outstanding student experience and guest satisfaction. We focus on personality rather than experience when recruiting new team members. We seek individuals with creativity and the desire to be the very best in everything they do. Think you have that 'sparkle' and 'can-do' attitude we look for in all of our team? Are you excited about becoming part of a team that strives to be the best? Then we want to hear from you!  “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.

Catering team members are responsible for providing a professional, responsive and efficient customer-facing catering service to students, staff and visitors, ensuring that food service areas are presented, served, replenished and cleaned to an exceptional standard and in line with standard operating procedures.

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.

Core responsibilities:

• As part of a team, complete a defined set of tasks or procedures to deliver a responsive service to students, staff and visitors.
• Follow instructions from a supervisor, and standard operating procedures, to ensure that food and beverage is appropriately produced, presented, served and replenished.
• As and when directed assist team members by stepping-in to provide support.
• Learn the correct methods and tasks on the job.
• Learn and adhere to general health, safety and security procedures within the service area in line with Health & Safety at Work guidelines, including departmental systems for health & safety and food safety.
• Use a range of equipment, tools and resources where necessary.
• Effectively communicate with your supervisor/line manager, team members, other staff, students and visitors in person or using electronic tools and applications.
• Assist team members to deliver a frontline student, staff and visitor catering service.

Role responsibilities: 

• Share menu and food product knowledge, including answering questions regarding individual allergen and dietary requirements.
• Anticipate individual needs of students, staff and visitors and proactively provide assistance where required.
• Learn how to, and use task specific manual and specialist tools to deliver services.
• Learn and complete work in accordance with risk assessments and departmental procedures for health & safety and food safety specific to the nature of the work area and environment.
• Assist other team members with the application of basic audit and stock control tasks.
• Where directed wear and use personal protective equipment and clothing to carry out tasks, including uniform.
• Accept payments and cash handling.
• Ensure that all feedback is brought to the attention of your line manager.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements:

All roles are any 5 days out of 7.  Successful applicants will be required to work some evenings and weekends.

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.

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

To apply please complete all details where requested. All applicants who complete the forms will be invited to an assessment. You may also want to attach a covering letter / letter of interest to support your application although not essential. We anticipate high interest in these roles therefore the advert may close before the application deadline

Contact details

College Operations: Philip Atkinson E-mail: p.g.atkinson@durham.ac.uk   Retail Operations: Craig Hoye E-mail: craig.hoye@durham.ac.uk

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

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.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required   Essential Criteria:

• Ability to accurately follow written and oral instructions.
• Positive ‘can do’ attitude.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Willingness to work flexibly.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Customer focused.
• Friendly, positive and courteous.
• Basic numeracy and literacy skills.

Desirable Criteria:

• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Basic IT skills including use of Microsoft Office. 
• Evidence of personal development to maintain skills. 
• Experience of collaboratively working in a team.
• Level 2 Basic food safety hygiene.
• Experience of working in a customer focused service

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.