Deputy Catering Manager

Title: Deputy Catering Manager

Location: RGS Guildford, Guildford, Surrey

Salary: Up to £30,000 per annum

Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 52 weeks per year (with limited out-of-term operations)

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 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

We’re looking for a passionate and proactive Deputy General Manager to help lead the food operation at RGS Guildford, a top independent day school known for excellence and innovation.

You’ll support the General Manager in overseeing a talented catering team, ensuring the smooth delivery of fresh, seasonal, and nutritious meals for pupils, staff, and guests. The role includes some involvement in hospitality and events, particularly during term time, with a reduced operation outside of term.

This is a great opportunity for someone with a food-led background and a hands-on approach, who thrives in a supportive environment where quality and service come first.

If you're ready to bring your leadership and operational expertise to a rewarding and prestigious setting, we’d love to hear from you.

Job Description

The Deputy General Manager will be supporting the GM in overseeing the overall catering operation by creating and maintaining standards while driving sales and building relationship with the client.

• Supervision and Training - recruit, train, and supervise catering team, including servers, chefs, and support personnel. Set clear expectations and provide ongoing feedback to maintain a high level of performance.
• Quality Control - monitor food quality, presentation, and service standards to ensure they meet or exceed customer expectations. Address and resolve any issues or concerns promptly to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Logistics Management - Oversee the flow of events and on site Cafe Bar and Restaurant, including food service, beverage distribution, and guest interactions. Manage inventory and order supplies as needed to maintain adequate stock levels working closely with the back of house and manager on site.
• Customer Service - foster positive relationships with clients and guests, addressing their needs and concerns. Handle customer inquiries, requests, and special dietary requirements with professionalism and courtesy. Be curious, solicit feedback from clients to continuously improve catering services.

• A strong background in large scale hospitality events, banquets and sit down dinners
• Excellent product knowledge (food/beverage) 
• Experience in F&B operations
• A positive demeanour and attitude to solve problems
• Leads by example by acting professionally at all times 
• Excellent communication skills  
• Takes the initiative  
• Good time management  
• Supportive / Team player 
• Good presentation skills  
• Excellent customer care skills 

Holroyd Howe is 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.

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.

We pride ourselves on:

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of our thinking; always mindful of the ethics of our sourcing and how we prepare our meals.

Nutrition

We take nutrition seriously and understand the impact a healthy diet has on the fundamental years of development. Meals are always freshly prepared from scratch and packed with nutritious ingredients.

Food Innovation

We offer a wide portfolio of training opportunities and experiences, which attracts chefs who are passionate about culinary excellence and menu innovation to our team.

From tasting tables, theme days and food theatre, to chef demonstrations and supplier showcases, we create engaging and fun dining experiences for our students. We work together to make mealtimes exploratory, quirky, and fun for our pupils, helping them build strong and healthy relationships with food.

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.

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