Job Description

Company Description
Job Title: Director of Catering
Location: King Edward VI Senior & Preparatory School and Nursery (KES Prep)
Contract Type: 52 weeks, permanent
Salary: 53,000 per annum + benefits
Why Join us?

• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 3 volunteering days to give back to causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave for those special family moments
• 24 weeks enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training & development opportunities
• Pension & life insurance
• Discounts on high street brands, cinema & holidays via the Perkbox App
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development & HIT Apprenticeships for all experience levels

About the role:
We are seeking an experienced and visionary Director of Catering to lead the catering services at King Edward VI Senior & Preparatory School and Nursery (KES Prep). You will be responsible for strategic leadership, financial management, and the continuous development of exceptional food and hospitality offerings. This role requires strong commercial acumen, inspirational leadership, and a passion for delivering outstanding culinary experiences.
You will be joining Holroyd Howe, one of the UK's leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.
Our mission is simple: To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement strategic plans for catering operations aligned with organisational goals.
• Lead and inspire multi-site teams, ensuring high standards of food quality, service, and hygiene.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance across all catering operations.
• Drive innovation in menu planning, sourcing, and sustainability initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant food safety, health and safety, and safeguarding policies.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and stakeholders.
• Champion staff development, training, and wellbeing

Qualifications
Candidate Profile:

• As this role sits within a commercial contract, rather than a cost-plus model, so applicants should ideally have experience across independent schools as well as commercial environments, universities, colleges, or similar settings.
• Proven leadership experience in a senior catering or hospitality role, ideally in an independent or B&I environment.
• Strong financial management and budget control skills.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of current trends in food, nutrition, and sustainability.
• Passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Additional Information
We pride ourselves on:
People first
We're a company of individuals, united in doing our best for our clients.
Great food, always
Using only the best ingredients, our food is fresh, authentic and tailored to each school, age group, and specific needs and preferences.
Food education
We educate pupils through food, encouraging them to understand and develop their own personal tastes and make informed food choices.
Respect in everything we do
Our respectful codes of conduct inform how we behave towards our clients and customers, suppliers and business partners, and each other.
Fresh thinking
New ideas for food, service and ways of working help us maintain our position as creative leaders in school catering.
In order to be considered for this role you must be able to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK.
Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check will be required for all successful applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children.
This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.
IND1

Skills Required