About the role
You will form part of the eight strong and award winning in house catering team who achieved gold at the Devon and Cornwall outstanding Care Awards 2019. We operate from the InFocus Café Central kitchen not only to provide meals for our young people but to also provide catering for functions, meetings, parent/carer events, occasional birthdays, and other celebrations around campus. We also provide a service to all InFocus staff and the University of Plymouth (Exeter School of Nursing) students in our commercial café operation. Our catering team are expected to operate the café till and vending service and promote sales for InFocus enterprises.
All this food is produced in-house ensuring high standards of food hygiene following our HACCP system, recording and holding daily allergen records. We have and hold a 5* hygiene rating with the local authority.
We are deeply committed to providing the best service to the young people at InFocus, all of whom have a vision impairment and other additional or complex needs. To achieve this, we work closely with care teams and teaching support staff. The department is an integral part of the whole InFocus staff team. The Catering Team takes an active role as members of the InFocus Community Council and wellbeing groups and attend their meetings.
We provide a service where our people get to help decide what goes onto the four week menu cycle and can telephone or email the department to request food of their choice. We produce on a daily basis a large variety of special and dysphasia diets to meet the needs of our young people.
Theme days are planned throughout the term, as well as providing taster plates which are an additional supplement to the lunch meals. It gives the young people a chance to try food that they would not normally have. For example, Burns Night gives the students a chance to try haggis on a taster plates. This type of trial also helps the department when planning menus.
Working pattern
The working hours for this vacancy is 37 hours per week over 41 weeks per year, which includes working one weekend in every four. We work in line with the college term of 38 weeks with the additional 3 weeks being worked during the college holidays to support our adult care provision.
How we say “thank you”
1. Six weeks annual leave plus eight bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time hours)
2. Occupational sick pay scheme from day one
3. Paid medical appointments
4. Comprehensive training and development
5. Onsite café
6. Access to discounted shopping
7. On-site free parking
8. 24-hour employee assistance programme
9. “Death in service” life assurance and group accident cover
10. Cycle to Work Scheme
11. Contributory pension scheme for eligible staff
Equality, diversity and safeguarding
We are a disability friendly employer and actively encourage candidates with a disability to apply. If you need support with completing your application form, please contact our HR team on 01392 454327 or
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All posts are conditional to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check (DBS), satisfactory medical check and references. Staff have a responsibility to inform InFocus of any conviction or prosecution that occurs whilst employed.
It is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children and adults at risk.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this position, we require candidates to either hold British citizenship or have the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor applications from candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.
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