We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Catering Manager to lead and develop Catering Services at University Hospital of North Durham. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic leader to shape the future of catering across a busy hospital environment, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, and patient‑centred services while maintaining strong financial performance.
As Catering Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across multiple sites, balancing service excellence, food safety, and commercial efficiency. You will oversee the planning, development, and continuous improvement of catering operations, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to deliver outstanding outcomes for patients, staff, and visitors.
The successful candidate will bring proven multi‑site operational management experience, ideally within catering or hospitality, together with a sound understanding of finance, people management, operations, and Health & Safety compliance. You will be highly organised, resourceful, and able to think strategically without losing sight of the detail. Above all, you will be a collaborative leader with a genuine passion for the role.
Main duties of the job
As Catering Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for all catering services across University Hospital of North Durham. You will lead the development and continuous improvement of patient, staff, and visitor catering services, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, safety, and customer experience.
You will be responsible for managing multi‑site catering operations, overseeing budgets and financial performance, leading and developing catering teams, and ensuring compliance with all relevant food safety, health and safety, and NHS standards. Working closely with clinical teams, suppliers, and key stakeholders, you will drive service innovation, sustainability, and operational efficiency while maintaining a strong focus on patient care and organisational objectives.
The role also involves monitoring performance, implementing quality improvements, supporting business continuity, and contributing to the Trust’s and SCL wider strategic and sustainability goals.
About us
Our organization is a subsidiary of an NHS organisation and is currently awaiting UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approval to be added under our parent organization’s Sponsor Licence. Until that approval has been granted, we are not authorised to issue Certificates of Sponsorship or sponsor applicants.
This is a legal and regulatory requirement, and we cannot proceed with sponsorship until UKVI has completed the approval process.
SCL is a wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) set up to deliver a range of non‑clinical services. The company is a separate legal body to CDDFT.
SCL offers its own Terms and Conditions of employment which differ to the national NHS Terms and Conditions. As an employee in the company you will benefit from:
- Access to a pension scheme – National Employment Savings Trust (NEST); CDD Services will pay a 3% contribution (this is over and above the minimum contribution rate at the present time)
- Night Shift Working Allowances (where appropriate)
- Bank Holiday Working Allowances (where appropriate)
Bank work is offered on an ‘as and when’ basis with no guaranteed hours and will be paid on a pro‑rata hourly rate for hours worked only.
Job responsibilities
As Catering Manager, you will provide strategic direction and operational leadership for all catering services across University Hospital of North Durham, ensuring the delivery of safe, high‑quality, patient‑centred catering services that support patient recovery and enhance the experience of staff and visitors. You will be responsible for shaping the future of the service by driving continuous improvement, implementing best practice, and ensuring catering operations align with the Trust’s strategic priorities, NHS standards, and sustainability objectives.
Leading a diverse, multi‑site operation, you will oversee the day‑to‑day management of patient catering, retail outlets, receipt and distribution services, and ward food service delivery. You will ensure services are delivered efficiently, safely, and within budget while maintaining the highest standards of food quality, nutrition, hygiene, and customer care. You will have overall responsibility for financial management, workforce planning, procurement, contract management, and the effective use of resources to deliver value for money without compromising service quality.
The role requires a visible and inspiring leader who can motivate and develop teams, build strong relationships with clinical colleagues, dietitians, suppliers, and senior stakeholders, and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. You will ensure full compliance with food safety legislation, Health and Safety requirements, infection prevention standards, and NHS policies, while leading audits, managing risk, and maintaining robust governance arrangements.
You will also play a key role in driving innovation and environmental sustainability across catering services, identifying opportunities to improve operational efficiency, reduce waste, introduce new technologies, and support the Trust’s wider carbon reduction and sustainability ambitions. Using performance data, customer feedback, and service benchmarking, you will continually review and enhance service delivery, ensuring the catering function remains responsive to the evolving needs of patients, staff, and the organisation.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- A good standard of literacy and numeracy
- Management or Leadership qualification or equivalent catering experience.
- Level 4 Food Safety Qualification
- Health and Safety
- Project management and change management experience.
Experience
- Considerable experience in managing large‑scale catering operations, preferably within the NHS or healthcare sector
- Strong leadership, communication, and fiscal management skills. Proven ability to lead teams and deliver service improvements.
- Experience of retail catering and commercial contract management.
- Initiative‑taking, collaborative, and customer‑focused approach. Commitment to quality, safety, and equality.
Special Skills & Knowledge
- In‑depth knowledge of NHS food standards, HACCP, and food safety legislation.
- Strong leadership, communication, and fiscal management skills. Proven ability to lead teams and deliver service improvements.
- Knowledge of sustainability frameworks and digital catering systems.
- Project management and change management experience.
Special Requirements
- Ability to work shifts and weekends and have flexibility to the needs of the service (E)
- Health and safety (D)
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.
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