REPORTS TO: Senior Catering Manager RESPONSIBLE FOR: Management of the School Meals Service for you designated area JOB PURPOSE Reporting to the Senior Catering Manager you will be responsible for overseeing the operational and financial performance of a number of School Meals Kitchens within your designated area. As an Area Catering Manager you will have the opportunity to shape your team and to inspire and coach your team members and support them in their personal and career development. As a people focused manager you will give direction and guidance to your team to ensure there is consistent customer and operational focus within your area. You will take ownership in ensuring that targets are achieved, and be focused in providing a high quality service to our children and young people. The person we are looking for will have strong people management and interpersonal skills, financial ability, exceptional customer service skills, a real eye for detail, be able to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines and have the ability to nurture, support and develop your people. You will address any staffing issues with the advice and Support from EA Human Resources colleagues. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES · Each Area Manager in line with agreed procedures will determine, allocate and be directly accountable for staffing levels and budget expenditure across your designated area. - Recruit and deploy staff to meet service demands. - Allocate and monitor associated budgets, examine all other costs incurred, investigate irregularities and ensure corrective action. - Monitor through planned visits, staff performance in the areas of preparation and service of meals, cleaning, clerical duties, Health and Safety, Food Hygiene and Nutritional Standards to comply with all relevant requirements. - Identify training needs to ensure your training and development plans for your area are undertaken. - Monitor levels of absence, initiate action and participate in follow-up procedures. - Raising requisitions as and when required to replace equipment etc - Manage the provision of catering services for Education Authority hospitality functions, school and youth functions and commercially viable service for outside groups. - Liaise with Property Services on any corrective action required from internal and external audits - Participate with the award of Procurement Contracts by undertaking Panel member duties. MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES - The post holder has direct responsibility for the management of people within their designated area to include complying with all EA HR Policies and Procedures (Recruitment & Retention, Individual Performance Achievement and Grievance & Disciplinary Procedures). PEOPLE MANAGEMENT - The ability to oversee and manage large teams, and motivate and enthuse people and teams to deliver results. - Excellent people, communication, negotiation and organisational skills are essential.. - To work with and support the Service Improvement Team and implement agreed improvements across your service area. - Effectively manage and resource Mobile Teams - Have a positive outgoing personality and outlook. - The post holder will be required to liaise and consult with EA colleagues, School based staff and Parents, external bodies and officials as and when required to ensure the effective delivery of the service. FINANCIAL ACUMEN - Monitor and manage all allocated budgets within your area ie Labour expenditure, Food Budgets and Overheads. - Liaise with the EA Energy Team on an energy efficiency initiatives - Pricing of meals for Cash Cafeterias, school functions, holiday activities and outside groups. - The Post Holder should be commercially aware - Assist Senior Management in the implementation of the EA Catering Service Business Plan KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS - There is a statutory requirement for a qualification for the post (see personnel specification) - An intrinsic understanding of appropriate legislation & Compliance - An ability to interpret and collate financial/statistical information and apply as necessary is essential. - Skills in instruction techniques. Motivation and Leadership are required. - Excellent IT Skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office is required WORK CONTEXT The post involves a continuous need to respond to staffing emergencies. The post holder may be contacted out of working hours by staff who are unable to report for work and urgent action has to be taken to solve the problems. The post holder will be required to manage a range of conflicting priorities. This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time. In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times. To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here.