Catering assistant/Cook – Care home (Southfields)

Company: West Northamptonshire Council
Apply for the Catering assistant/Cook – Care home (Southfields)
Location: Northampton
Job Description:

You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council. Southfields Care Home, rated GOOD by CQC, provides exceptional levels of support to older persons living with dementia, physical disabilities or sensory impairments. Situated in a residential suburb in Northampton, it offers a wonderful living environment in which residents can enjoy an enhanced quality of life. We have teams of friendly and committed staff who provide the highest level of dementia care and residential care. With our great accommodation and facilities and a programme of activities, our care home evokes a home‑from‑home atmosphere in which residents can feel comfortable, content and well cared for. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Children and Adults Barred List check. West Northamptonshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are looking for one person to undertake a dual‑function role covering both Catering Assistant and Cook duties. The role includes a combination of general catering support and additional paid hours undertaking cooking duties.

Duties will include

  • Food preparation, serving meals, kitchen cleaning and supporting day‑to‑day catering operations (£12.90 per hour, 10.5 hours per week)
  • Cooking meals following set menus and standards during designated cook shifts (£13.52 per hour, 15 hours per week)
  • Maintaining food hygiene and health & safety standards
  • Working flexibly to meet service needs

Important information

This role includes two pay rates, depending on the duties being undertaken during each shift. This will be clearly scheduled and agreed in advance. We’re looking for someone friendly, enthusiastic, and passionate about creating a great dining experience for our residents. If you enjoy working in a warm, supportive team and love the idea of helping others through great food and great service, this role is perfect for you. Working 25.5 hours per week to include alternate weekends. Working between 8am and 6pm. The post includes regular term‑time working, and may occasionally offer additional hours to provide holiday or sickness cover, depending on service needs.

What you must be willing to work towards

  • Building confidence in food hygiene and kitchen safety standards
  • Developing good routines for mealtime service and resident support
  • Growing your skills through on‑the‑job training and ongoing learning

Required qualities

  • You’ll bring a positive attitude and genuine interest in creating a great mealtime experience
  • Reliability – someone we can count on every shift
  • Willingness to learn, pitch in, and stay calm when it’s busy
  • Able to plan, prepare and serve tasty, nutritious meals that brighten our residents’ day
  • A friendly presence and the ability to work well with people
  • Pride in keeping things clean, safe and organised

Unfortunately, this role does not meet the legal requirements for visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. We may close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role early.

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Posted: June 6th, 2026