University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Join Our Team as a Head Chef - Fantastic Monday to Friday Hours!
Are you passionate about food and looking for a career that offers a great work-life balance within the NHS? We are recruiting for a Head Chef to lead our catering team in our Central Production Unit. This exciting opportunity not only allows you to showcase your culinary expertise but also provides the rare benefit of Monday to Friday working hours, leaving your weekends free to enjoy.
About the Role
As a Head Chef, you will oversee the day-to-day operations of the production kitchen which produces meals. Your leadership will ensure the preparation and delivery of high-quality meals for staff, visitors, and patients. From managing a dedicated team of chefs to developing innovative, sustainable menus, you'll play a vital role in elevating our catering services while adhering to legislative and safety standards.
Main Duties of the Job
Key Responsibilities
1. Lead and train a talented team of chefs to consistently deliver high-quality meals.
2. Oversee food production for retail outlets, ensuring availability, minimizing waste, and maximizing profitability.
3. Collaborate on creating nutritious, seasonal menus for patients, retail and hospitality services.
4. Ensure compliance with food hygiene, allergen management, and HACCP standards.
5. Support recruitment and mentor staff to build a motivated, skilled team.
6. Monitor budgets, manage resources, and plan efficient staff rotas.
What We're Looking For
We seek a dynamic leader with:
1. NVQ Level 2 & 3 in Food Preparation and Cooking or equivalent qualifications.
2. Proven experience managing a professional kitchen and leading a team.
3. Expertise in food safety, dietary requirements, and menu development.
4. Strong organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
5. Financial awareness and budget management experience.
What We Offer
*Competitive Band 4 salary.
*Opportunities for professional growth and training.
*A team culture emphasising kindness, connection, and boldness.
About Us
We are recognised as one of the leading NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK. Our vision is to Build Healthier Lives, and we recognise that we need incredible staff to do this.
Our commitment to our staff is to create the best place for them to work, and we are dedicated to:
1. Investing in the health and wellbeing of our staff, including a commitment of offering flexible working where we can.
2. Offering our staff a wide variety of training and development opportunities, to support their personal and career development objectives.
UHB is committed to ensuring that our staff are treated fairly and feel that they belong, by creating a kind and inclusive environment. This is about equity of opportunity; removing all barriers, including discrimination and ensuring each individual member of staff reaches their true potential, achieves their ambitions and thrives in their work. This is more than words. We are taking action. Our commitment to an inclusive culture is embedded at all levels of the organisation where every voice is heard, driven by our diverse and active staff networks, and at Board level by the Fairness Taskforce led by our CEO. We nurture a culture which empowers staff to challenge discriminatory behaviours and to enable people to bring their 'whole self' to a kinder, more connected and bold place to work.
University Hospitals Birmingham is a Smoke-Free premises hospital.
Job Responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Level 3 Team Leading/Management qualification or equivalent (e.g. Institute of Leadership & Management ILM) or can demonstrate equivalent experience.
* Level 4 Food Safety Qualification.
* NVQ Level 2 & 3 Food Preparation and Cooking or Equivalent.
* HACCP Qualification.
Experience
* Minimum of 2 years Supervisory experience with a large staff group.
* Previous experience of working in a professional kitchen.
* Human Resources procedures -- recruitment, appraisals, absence management, disciplinary procedures.
* Managerial experience.
* Knowledge of Menumark catering software System.
Additional Criteria
* Honest, reliable, adaptable and flexible.
* Open to new ideas and concepts.
* Can work independently or as part of a team.
* A professional with a positive work ethic.
* A positive attitude and energetic organized behaviour whilst multitasking.
* Respectful and courteous approach to all staff groups and clients.
* Supportive to service managers.
* Firm and consistent approach on HR issues.
* Ability to stay calm under stressful circumstances.
* Ability to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines and providing all necessary analysis/reports to schedule.
* Be an ambassador for the Facilities Directorate.
* Willing and able to facilitate change and motivate others to accept change.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer Name
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
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