Head Cook

Serco: AASC - Quadrant House, Coventry City Centre

Permanent, Full Time: 4 on 4 off shift rota including weekends, 7am-7pm shifts  

£29,000 per annum + excellent benefits

Ready to impact a better future?

As a Head Cook in our Justice and Immigration – AASC team, you’ll lead the delivery of high-quality catering services that support people in a vital, people-centred environment. Your work will ensure safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate meals are provided every day.

In this role, you’ll play a key part in creating a positive, respectful environment where food supports wellbeing, dignity, and care. From planning menus to leading a catering team, your contribution will have real purpose – helping us create a positive impact on communities and the individuals we support.

What you’ll do as a Head Cook

You’ll be entrusted to:

• Lead the delivery of catering services in line with food safety, health and safety, and operational standards


• Plan menus and manage food ordering, ensuring cost control and budget adherence


• Prepare and oversee the provision of varied, nutritious meals, including special diets and culturally appropriate options


• Supervise and support kitchen colleagues, providing training and maintaining high standards


• Maintain accurate records to meet HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point), food hygiene, and company requirements


• Carry out quality checks and respond to feedback or complaints to continually improve service delivery

Does this sound like you?

You’ll be a great fit for this role if you have:

• Level 3 Food Safety and Level 3 HACCP qualifications, plus Level 2 Allergens in Catering


• Experience in a large-scale catering environment, ideally with at least three years in a similar role


• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to support and motivate a team


• Excellent organisation and time management, with a proactive approach to problem-solving


• A commitment to working in a diverse, people-centred environment with care and respect

Vetting and checks
This role requires BPSS clearance, which involves identity verification, employment history, and criminal record checks to meet government security standards. An Occupational Health Questionnaire will also be required to ensure we can offer appropriate support for your wellbeing and performance.

Discover all you need to keep growing
We’re one of the top 1% of international employers, so you can have confidence you’ll be part of a highly supportive culture with leaders you can count on to help you achieve your goals. From mentoring and training to our focus on internal progression, we’re proud to offer clear development opportunities – and the support and tools to help you seize them.

What we offer

• 25 days plus bank holidays

• Up to 6% contributory pension scheme


• Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships (including L3 Team Leader and L5 Operations Manager apprenticeships), mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression


• Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres, and 24/7 access to a virtual GP service


• Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel


• Paid volunteering day, tax-free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme, donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity


• Our networks support inclusion and connection by providing spaces for collaboration, learning, and belonging. They represent and empower all our colleagues including LGBTQIA+ employees, women, parents and carers, people with disabilities, veterans, and people from all cultural backgrounds.

Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.

#aasccareers

About Serco
At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services.  We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply
Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.  For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.
 

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.