Permanent Kitchen Cook/Manager

Permanent Kitchen Cook/Manager

Profile OP7i with JWCs Final Pay Grade to OP8 
The current salary for Kitchen Manager is £32,061 to £32,597 (pay award pending (pro-rata)) Hourly rate £16.62 to £16.90.
        
30 hours per week (term time + 1 week) — Mon to Fri

The Governors of Jericho Primary School are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic School Cook / Kitchen Manager to join our friendly catering team to start as soon as possible.

Do you love cooking healthy, crowd-pleasing meals and leading a small team? Our kitchen produces approximately 315–320 nutritious school meals each day. You will run the kitchen, cook the daily lunch menu and organise stock and rotas — supported by an experienced team who share your commitment to great service for children.

What the role involves
•    Plan and prepare varied, nutritious school lunches that meet statutory nutrition and allergen requirements.
•    Cook and serve around 315–320 meals per day.
•    Line-manage and deploy a small catering team and midday supervisors; create duty rotas and support staff development.
•    Order, receive and manage food stock; control waste and work within the catering budget.
•    Maintain food safety, hygiene and health & safety standards in the kitchen and dining areas.
•    Cater for special dietary needs, ensure correct labelling and communicate effectively with staff and parents.
•    Keep accurate records (stock, accidents, training) and contribute to catering planning with the senior team.

Person specification — we are looking for someone who
•    Has experience cooking for groups and supervising a small team.
•    Holds, or is willing to obtain, a recognised food hygiene qualification.
•    Is organised, calm under pressure and reliable.
•    Communicates positively with children, staff and parents.
•    Will work in line with school safeguarding procedures.

Practical details & benefits
•    Hours: 30 hours per week, Monday to Friday (term time plus 1 week). Start/finish times negotiable.
•    Salary: Starting pay £16.62 per hour (approximately £23,000 pro rata actual salary).
•    Benefits: Term time working (plus agreed cleaning days), around 13 weeks holiday, salary spread across 12 months, optional pension scheme, supportive staff team.
•    Meals: You will be part of a small team serving approximately 315–320 meals daily.
•    Line manager: Headteacher James Blackwell.

How to apply / more information
For more information please call the school on 01946 514545 or email [email protected].
To apply please submit an application using Cumberland Council’s application form. 
Interviews will be arranged as applications are received.

Safeguarding
Jericho Primary School is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be appointed subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

Join us and make a real difference to our children’s day — good food, great team, rewarding work.

Closing Date: Monday 16th November noon.
Interviews: 19th/20th November 2026