Catering Team Lead

Edinburgh Academy Senior School, 42 Henderson Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5BL

Salary; £13.80 per hour
Hours: 35 hours per week
Shifts: Monday–Friday, 7:30am–3:00pm (evening and weekend work required depending on business needs)

Contract: 38-week contract

About the Role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Catering Team Lead to join our team at Edinburgh Academy Senior School.

Working alongside the Supervisor and Head Chef, you will play an important role in the day-to-day delivery of a high-quality catering service. You will help lead the team, support daily service and events, and ensure our customers and clients receive a friendly, professional and consistently excellent experience.

This is a varied role, covering front of house, kitchen and events, with flexibility required to support evening and weekend functions, as well as events during school holidays.

What You’ll Do:

• Support the Management Team, Head Chef and Supervisor with the smooth running of the catering operation and team.
• Assist with staff scheduling, resource allocation, ordering and stock control.
• Deliver a friendly, professional service across FOH, kitchen, breakfast and events.
• Lead Monday–Friday breakfast service, including set-up, cash handling and cashing up.
• Ensure menus, TV screens and front of house areas are ready for service.
• Maintain high standards of food quality, hygiene, cleanliness, health & safety and personal presentation.
• Ensure services meet Sodexo and client standards, including Safeguard audit requirements.
• Work flexibly to support evening/weekend functions and school holiday events.
• Report and respond appropriately to customer feedback, complaints, incidents and other irregularities.
• Complete duties within required timescales and attend relevant training and meetings.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties requested by management.

What You’ll Bring:

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in a similar catering or hospitality role.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• A clear, confident and effective leadership style.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Ability to analyse problems, identify opportunities and implement effective solutions.
• A positive, flexible and professional approach to working with colleagues, customers and clients.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and contribute to achieving shared goals.
• Strong customer and client focus, with a commitment to delivering excellent service.

Desirable

• IOSH Safety Management qualification.
• CIEH Level 2 or 3 Food Hygiene qualification.

We are looking for someone who takes pride in delivering excellent service and enjoys working as part of a busy catering team. You will be confident supporting and leading colleagues, organised in your approach, and able to adapt quickly to changing service and event requirements.

You will also be committed to continuous improvement, looking for ways to raise standards, improve quality and create a positive experience for customers and clients.

What We Offer

Working with Sodexo is more than a job — it’s an opportunity to be part of something greater. You’ll be part of a team that values you for who you are, gives you the opportunity to make a difference through your everyday work, and supports you to grow and thrive.

As a Sodexo colleague, you can benefit from:

• Unlimited access to an online platform providing mental health and wellbeing support.
• An Employee Assistance Programme, offering support with everyday issues as well as legal, financial, work-related and personal matters.
• Access to a health and wellbeing app, including rewards for healthy living and access to a 24-hour virtual GP and other services.
• The Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering savings 24/7 for you, and in some cases your friends and family.
• Access to financial wellbeing support and benefits through the Salary Finance Platform.
• Membership of the Sodexo Retirement Plan to help you save for your future.
• A Death in Service benefit for eligible colleagues.
• Learning and development opportunities to support your career progression with Sodexo.
• Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Volunteering opportunities to support worthwhile causes within local communities.
• A flexible and dynamic working environment.
• Competitive pay.
• Full training and a protective uniform.

Ready to Be Part of Something Greater?

If you are an experienced catering professional who enjoys leading a team and delivering outstanding service, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today and take the next step in your Sodexo career!

Safeguarding

Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Certain roles will require applicants to undergo appropriate screening, which may include checks with previous employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in England/Wales and/or Disclosure Scotland in Scotland.

Please note: Sodexo reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.