Job Description

Cook

========

Deadline:

12/01/2026

Hey there! Are you ready to bring your passion, creativity, and happy vibes to a place that truly makes a difference? Look no further! At PossAbilities, we're a social enterprise on a mission to help vulnerable people 'Live the life they choose.' Mostly we support people with learning disabilities, young people leaving care and people with dementia...though we do lots of other great things too. If that sounds like something you'd love to be a part of, keep reading!

Our outreach services provide support to people in the local community. You will be based in the Cherwell Centre in our lively Social Lounge where people come to socialise and get involved in fun weekly activities.

Why Choose

Poss

Abilities?

PossAbilities isn't just a fantastic place to work; it's a place where your heart can sing. Here's why you'll love working with us:

Awesome Pay:

We proudly offer a real living wage. Earn

24,309.07

a year for a 37-hour workweek (pro-rata for part-timers).

Pension Perks:

We contribute up to 4% of your salary into a pension plan.

Holiday Fun:

Enjoy 20 days of annual leave (pro rata for part time) , 8 bank holidays, and access to our reduced rate holiday home at Ribby Hall Village, 3 extra days holiday on completion of 5 years' service!

Duvet Days:

Perfect attendance? Have a paid day off to chill!

Health & Wellbeing:

Access for you and your dependents for free 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme support, including counselling, and internally trained Mental Health First Aiders to support you.

Social Events:

Join fun events with the people we support, staff, and their families.

Discounts & Benefits:

We're a Flexible Pay Employer that offers Wagestream. The money management app lets you choose when to get paid, put money aside each month, get discounts on your shopping, check your benefits entitlement and much more. Not just that but as an employee of PossAbilities you are eligible for a Blue Light Card, ESSO discounted fuel card & similarly a Love2Shop - Every Day Benefits Card all easy-to-use discount schemes which saves you money on your day-to-day spending. We will even refund you the joining fee!

Don't just take our word for it:

We were named as one of

The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025

!

We were awarded Highly Commended for Employer of the Year at the 2024 National Learning Disability & Autism Awards.

On our latest staff survey 98% of respondents said they were proud to work for PossAbilities and 95% said they were happy working here!

Your Purpose

To prepare and cook a range of freshly made cafe-style meals and snacks, ensuring quality, taste, and presentation meet customer expectations. The Cafe Cook will maintain a clean and efficient kitchen while supporting a friendly and welcoming cafe environment.

Your Role

Prepare and cook a variety of cafe dishes (e.g., breakfasts, sandwiches, light lunches, baked goods, specials). Ensure all food is cooked, stored, and served safely in line with food hygiene standards. Assist in planning seasonal menus and daily specials and creating orders from supplies to facilitate this. Manage stock rotation, check deliveries, and report discrepancies to the supplier Keep the kitchen clean, organized, and compliant with food safety regulations. Support the team by ensuring orders are prepared accurately and on time. Minimize waste through careful portion control and stock management. Occasionally engage with the people we support and the staff team to build a warm welcoming environment Work collaboratively with staff to maintain smooth daily service. Assist volunteers to complete their roles in the kitchen Manage and keep records of finances for audit purposes Previous cooking experience in a cafe, bistro, or similar casual dining environment. Knowledge of food hygiene and allergen awareness. Ability to multitask and work efficiently during busy service times. Creativity in preparing attractive dishes and specials. Strong teamwork and communication skills. Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or above) preferred. Passion for preparing fresh, good-quality food. Friendly and approachable with a customer-focused mindset. Reliable, punctual, and able to work flexibly (including weekends if required). Attention to detail and pride in presentation. Positive attitude and willingness to contribute to a supportive cafe team.

Who you are

Work together to embed a 'Team PossAbilities' ethos and deliver brilliant services everyday Ensure the quality standards and performance measures applying to our work are met. Maintain a safe environment by working within health and safety guidelines Take responsibility for looking after our wellbeing Act as an ambassador, promoting PossAbilities and its services. Act in accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements and follow policies and procedures. Participate in any training or development as required, and continue to learn so that we can get better Have a good understanding of safeguarding to be able to keep individuals safe from harm, neglect and abuse Keep, use and share information responsibly in line with the General Data Protection Regulations and PossAbilities policies Put forward any ideas to improve the services we provide and the way we work. Report any concerns through the right channels Use PossAbilities property and equipment appropriately, safely and with due consideration for its security. Always act in the best interests of PossAbilities Undertake any other duties and tasks as may be reasonably required Adopt a flexible approach to the hours worked in accordance with the needs of the individual and the organisation

Inclusion

We strongly believe that a good workplace is one that values everyone and embraces both similarities and differences and therefore we want to ensure all our employees bring their whole-self to work. We expect you to:



Be committed to equality, diversity & inclusion; celebrate the differences of our people and contribute to a culture where everyone is valued and respected. Be committed to delivering person-centred services and recognising our customers as diverse individuals.

Our Values

Our values lie at the heart of our organisation and underpin everything we do.

Integrity

We communicate openly and honestly and build relationships based on trust, respect and caring.

Creativity

We thrive on innovation and encourage positive risk taking.

Happy

We believe fun is the key to success

Person centred

We believe that everyone has the right to exercise choice and control in directing their lives and support. We inspire people to achieve greater things.

Passionate

We are dedicated to, and enthusiastic about, providing exceptional services.



What's it like to work at PossAbilities? Watch and find out... https://vimeo.com/907456586/b2d034812c?share=copy or check our brochure here



We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and supported. We believe that diversity drives innovation and we actively seek to foster an environment where everyone can thrive. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all employees, ensuring that our team reflects the diverse communities we serve.



PossAbilities are a Disability Confident Leader therefore we commit to providing those with a disability, who meet the essential criteria, an interview for the role.



If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, please email HRadmin@possabilities.org.uk, and we will work with you to meet your needs.



Still not sure? Complete our expression of interest form and someone will give you a call back to chat things through with you.