Team Leader, Food Service

About the role

As a Catering Assistant Team Leader, you'll help oversee the running of the multiple location catering operation across Bracknell Campus and support a team of Catering Assistants. You'll work alongside the catering management team to deliver an exceptional dining experience for all those using the facility and help create a culture of development and inclusion for the rest of the catering team. In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £4.25 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements. Salary: £28,400 - £38,600 Contract type: Permanent Working pattern: Full-time, Mon-Fri, 07:00-15:00. Includes an on-call Duty Manager rota approximately every 6 weeks (Fri evening-Mon morning), covering Bank Holidays and festive periods. On-call duties begin after a successful three-month probation. Location: Bracknell - Head Office Campus

Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership: Leading and supervising a busy catering brigade to deliver market-leading customer service. You will act as a "Critical Friend," challenging poor performance and mentoring your team to achieve their best.
• Service Excellence: Ensuring the seamless delivery of the Partner Dining Room and function services, maintaining impeccable standards of product presentation and cleanliness.
• Commercial Management: Driving sales and managing food and sundry costs. You will identify opportunities for continuous improvement and greater efficiency within the catering operation.
• Administrative Oversight: Taking ownership of catering admin, including stock control, wastage recording, and staffing requirements to ensure a profitable and efficient section.
• Compliance & Risk: Supervising and delivering all due diligence checks. You will ensure 100% compliance with Waitrose Food Hygiene and Health & Safety policies at all times.
• Duty Management: Taking accountability for the wider site during your rota'd on-call periods, responding to operational needs outside of standard catering hours.
• Benefits of the Role
• Full Chef Whites and Safety shoes included for the role
• Free meals whilst on duty
• Essential Skills/Experience You'll Need
• Supervisory Experience: A minimum of one year's experience in supervising catering teams or kitchen brigades.
• Food Expertise: Experience working with all food types and a genuine passion for hospitality.
• Commercial Awareness: A strong understanding of how to manage sales, stock, and wastage to protect the bottom line.
• Leadership Qualities: The ability to lead by example, foster trust within a team, and remain flexible to support other departments when required.
• IT Literacy: Proficient computer skills to manage administrative tasks and ordering systems.
• Desirable Skills/Experience You May Have
• A Food Safety Level 3 (Intermediate) qualification. (Note: Full training will be provided within the first 3 months if not already held).
• Experience working in a high-pressure, customer-facing selling or service environment.
• Previous experience in a dedicated administration or logistics function.
• Closing Date:
• July 1, 2026
• Pay:
• £28,400.00 - £38,600.00 Annual
• Contract Type:
• Permanent
• Hours of Work:
• Mon - Fri 07:00-15:00
• Job Level:
• Partnership Level 9
• Where You'll Be Working:
• Bracknell Campus, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YA
• ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP
• We're the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We're not just employees, we're Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there's never been a more exciting time to join us.
• We're ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.
• As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.
• We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we're free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.
• As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.
• Important points to note:
• We also re

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