Kitchen & Training Coordinator

Kitchen & Training Coordinator

Tackling the root causes of homelessness in East London

For homeless people, or those at risk of homelessness, finding employment and housing opportunities can feel like an uphill battle, even more so if they’re affected by physical, mental health or substance misuse issues. Our client works with homeless and vulnerably housed people in East London, offering an integrated service of crisis support, advice, recovery and learning and training programmes.  Our aim is to ensure that people who are so often excluded from mainstream services gain the support and opportunities they need to create a safe, healthy and sustainable life away from the streets.

The Learning and Training Service

Most people experiencing homelessness want to find work and be meaningfully occupied. However, they might not necessarily have current experience or some of the skills required. Our client believe that training, employment and volunteering are key to independent living and remain the most effective route out of homelessness. Through our Learning and Training Service we have an excellent track record of improving our clients’ employability and helping them to achieve their career and education goals through accredited training schemes.

The ideal candidate

With experience in catering and/or working in a professional kitchen you will have great organisational and time-management skills.  You will oversee the running of their kitchen, including our food service for clients and supervision of trainees and volunteers. You will be passionate about using food as a means to help people overcome exclusion, isolation and poor health. 

4              The role

4.1          Deliver our multi award-winning Catering Trainee Scheme

• Prepare the kitchen, collect the ingredients and start the lunch service by coordinating and supervising a small group of trainees with varying support needs
• Liaise with the Employability Coordinator to provide an effective training to trainees involved in the lunch service.
• Provide clear, honest feedback to trainees about their conduct and performance, liaising with specialist workers around support needs.
• Identify training needs for trainees and support the delivery of qualifications where appropriate including basic food hygiene.
• Ensure there is a rota in place which provides variety of tasks and experiences for trainees.

4.2          Manage the kitchen to comply with all legal requirements and budget

• Ensure compliance in all areas of health and safety in respect of the catering service, including: risk assessment, food safety, equipment maintenance, cleaning, disposal of catering waste liaising with Tower Hamlets Environmental Health where necessary.
• Maximise recycling of waste wherever possible
• Manage our relationships with food providers including ordering goods and receiving deliveries.
• Monitor the catering budget and report as required
• Ensure food is prepared, presented and served to the highest possible standard within the resources available
• Supervise staff involved in the provision of catering activities to ensure safe working practices
• Keep up to date with all regulations and good practice relating to catering and ensure this is implemented
• Develop relationships with local food retailers to increase in-kind donations and provide support reduce our annual food bill

4.3          Staff, Volunteer and Pro-bono management

• Work with the Volunteering Development Manager to build a team of volunteers, peers and interns from Colleges and the community to support the production of the Bakery
• Recruit and supervise all volunteers on an ongoing basis to support production
• Work with the Fundraising and Corporate Volunteering Officer to engage groups of Corporate Volunteers in Corporate Challenges within the kitchen setting
• Source appropriate pro bono support where necessary
• Take on occasional pieces of work as requested by the Head of Learning & Training Service (Duties will fall within the scope of the post at the appropriate grade.)

4.4          Participate in planning, monitoring and evaluation, and other responsibilities

• Participate in the charity’s planning processes to support the delivery of Providence Row’s 5 year strategy.This includes in particular all catering based activities in the charity.
• Participate in the creation and implementation of monitoring and evaluation processes for all cooking activities, complying with funding requirements.
• Collate, analyse and report the results to Enterprise and Training Manager

4.5          Support the Enterprise Coordinator in the delivery of the Rise Bakery consistent with the objectives and targets set out in the business plan

• In the absence of the Bakery Social Enterprise Coordinator manage customer relations and ordering systems and procedures.
• Ensure that bakery production fits in with logistics and capacity of our current facilities and future kitchens.
• Ensure that high quality production standards are maintained, deliveries are on-time, packaging is effective and that the product offer reflects market trends and the needs of customers.

Other Duties

• Take on occasional pieces of work as agreed between the Enterprise and Training Manager and Leadership Team. (Duties will fall within the scope of the post at the appropriate grade.)

• Attend evening and weekend meetings and functions as required.
• Ensure the implementation of the Charity's equal opportunities policy in all areas of work.
• Undertake work not specifically referred to above. Such duties will fall within the scope of the post.

• Work in accordance with the Charity's values, policies & procedures.

The information provided in this Job Description outlines the expectations of the post holder. It is not intended to be prescriptive in every detail and as such it describes the main elements of the role only.

Person specification

Research indicates that women and other marginalised groups tend to apply only when they feel confident they meet all the criteria stipulated for a position. We encourage all individuals to apply even if they do not meet all of the items listed in the person specification.

kindly do not hesitate to contact us and apply with your CV  as soon as possible, or alternatively you can reach us in the office for more information.

For more jobs positions please visit our CV library homepage and website.

Mango Solutions are acting as the employment agency on behalf of our client.