Job Description: Food Officer
1 year fixed
1
Background
Providence Row tackles the root causes of homelessness to help people get off, and
stay off, the streets. Last year, around 1,500 people used our services. Working with
people to build skills and confidence is the key to success. We do this through our
trainee schemes, language classes and employment support. The support we
provide for mental health and addiction issues helps people to rejoin the community.
We also help people to return to their home communities and families, in the UK and
abroad.
The charity has embarked on a period of strategic development over the coming
three years based on four strategic aims as follows:
 Providing a safe, welcoming and high quality environment for vulnerable
people; supporting them into a stable, secure and positive way of life.
 A leading frontline agency, working in a thoughtful and strategic way with
other organisations across all sectors to prevent homelessness.
 Financially robust, independent and sustainable
 Focused, efficient and making a difference
As a long established homelessness charity, we provide a traditional breakfast
service each day for rough sleepers (from 8:30 to 10.00 am) as well as a communal
lunch service for clients using our services (at 1.00 pm). We run a Social Enterprise
(Providence Row Bakery and Venue Hire Service).
All of our clients, whatever their problems, have skills and talents. We believe that
recovery from these problems can be achieved by building the skills and confidence
of our clients. We are undertaking a period of significant service development and
plan to increase the learning and training we deliver for homeless people.
The post holder will operate a range of food related activities, making the best use of
the skills of clients and of volunteers from our local community. Responsibilities will
be to:
 Support the Food Coordinator and the Business Development Officer
with the operational aspects related to the Social Enterprise: to supply
baked goods to local stores (Providence Row Bakery) and to provide
catering service for groups hiring our meeting rooms (Room Hire
Service).
 Ensure a daily breakfast service (for 30–40 people each day). This
activity also provides volunteering opportunities for clients with mental
health and substance misuse problems (Kitchen Trainee Scheme).
 Collaborate with the Food Coordinator to provide the food related
aspects of the Learning Programme (lunch service). This includes the
supervision of a cooking group of trainees and volunteers who provide
a daily communal lunch for all the clients using our services (in the
region of 25-45 people each day).
 Help the Food Coordinator with kitchen management including
budgeting and health and safety, Food Hygiene procedures, food
storage and our relationship with Fare Share and other suppliers.
 Participate in the Training and Employability Team planning,
monitoring and evaluation to ensure we deliver effective, efficient
activities and demonstrate the impact of our work to key funders.
2
Key objectives and responsibilities
2.1
Support and integrate the Food Coordinator (FC) and the Business
Development Officer (BDO) work with the operational aspects related to our
Social Enterprise projects (40%).
 Baking goods for sale by Providence Row Bakery, ensuring high quality
production standards are always maintained and products are ready to be
delivered on time.
 Supervise, monitor and collaborate with clients and volunteers who take part to
the bakery sessions.
 Ensure that all aspects related to Food Hygiene and Health and Safety are fully
respected.
 Occasionally, lead training sessions in baking for clients from the Trainee Scheme
and liaise with the FC and the BDO to identify candidates for roles within the
baking Social Enterprise.
 Assist and collaborate in new product development for the baking social
enterprise.
 When needed, helping with the delivery of our products to local cafes and stores.
 Support the operational aspects of the catering service for people hiring our
meeting rooms (Venue Hire Service).
2.2
Run a daily breakfast service for 30–40 people each day (Kitchen
Trainee Scheme) (30%).
 Supervise and monitor a small team of clients (trainees) and local community
volunteers to prepare and serve breakfast, ensuring high standards of the service
and that the charity’s volunteering and customer care policies are fully
implemented.
 Ensure that all aspects related to Food Hygiene and Health and Safety are fully
respected.
 Provide clear, honest feedback to trainees about their conduct and performance,
liaising with the Employment Support Co-ordinator and the Food Coordinator
where appropriate.
 Identify training needs for trainees, support and encourage them in progressing to
the delivery of qualifications where appropriate, including basic Food Hygiene and
the City and Guilds Employability and Personal Development award.
2.3
Collaborate with the FC to deliver lunch service (Learning Programme)
(10%).
 Prepare the kitchen, collect the ingredients and start the lunch service by
coordinating and supervising a small group of trainees and volunteers who
participate to the Learning Programme.
 Liaise with the FC to provide an effective training to clients involved in the lunch
service.
 Collaborate with the Garden Coordinator regarding food produce from our Garden
Programme.
 Liaise with the FC, the Learning Scheme Coordinator and the Employment
Support Coordinator to engage new clients within the Learning Programme.
2.4
Support the FC in the management of the kitchen in order to comply
with legal requirements, budget and provide food supplies (10%).
 Fill a weekly list of goods to be ordered and monitor the quantity and quality of the
food in stock.
 Help the FC with the management of our relationships with Fare Share and other
suppliers, including ordering goods and receiving deliveries.
 Ensure compliance in all areas of Food Hygiene and Health and Safety in respect
of any service provided, including the update of records and the implementation of
all regulations.
 Maximise recycling of waste wherever possible.
 Help the FC in monitoring the catering budget, recording and validating invoices
when requested.
2.5
Participate in the Training and Employability Team planning, monitoring
and evaluation. Other responsabilities (10%).
 Participate in the Team planning processes to support the delivery of Providence
Row’s 3 year strategy. This includes, in particular, meeting related to all cooking
based activities in the charity.
 Participate in the creation and implementation of monitoring and evaluation
processes for all cooking activities, complying with funding requirements.
 Collate, analyse and report the results to relevant managers (Trainee Scheme
Manager)
 Undertake work not specifically referred to above. Such duties will fall within the
scope of the post.
 Work in accordance with the Charity's values, policies & procedures.
 Ensure the implementation of the Charity's equal opportunities policy in all areas
of work.
The information provided in this Job Description outlines the expectations of the post
holder. It is not intended to be prescriptive in every detail and as such it describes the
main elements of the role only.
2
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Previous experience in the catering sector and professional cooking,
including baked goods and/or pastry making.
Essential
Excellent time management and organisational skills related to a
professional kitchen and the ability to work to deadlines.
Experience in managing and supervise Food Hygiene procedures and
an understanding of Health and Safety and environmental health in a
catering kitchen.
A cooking qualification to HNC level or equivalent.
A relevant health and safety qualification to NVQ level 2 or equivalent
Ability to engage, induct and supervise volunteers with a wide range
of cooking abilities.
Ability to work outside of normal office hours (if applicable to the role)
and being flexible.
Experience of teaching basic cooking techniques
Ability to work autonomously in a kitchen with some guidance from
relevant managers.
The ability to work in a team, evaluate work, providing accurate
information to colleagues and reflecting on results.
Competencies (Providence Row core values shown in brackets)
Takes the time to understand difficulties without judgement and with a
view to overcoming them (Compassion)
Exercises the same degree of consideration and care for all those
who come to Providence Row, whatever the reason (Respect)
Welcomes and seeks to involve everybody, whatever their
background, presenting issues, ethnicity, nationality or faith.
(Inclusiveness)
Works with people, not for people, to enable them to realise their gifts,
abilities and talents (Empowerment)
Acts fairly and promotes justice within the organisation and in relation
to the needs and rights of people who use our services. (Justice)
Is able to communicate, negotiate and influence appropriately with a
range of stakeholders
Demonstrates emotional intelligence, understands the needs of others
and recognises the impact of their behaviour on others.
Accountable for own performance of the organisation, their team and
their own performance.
Proactive and takes the initiative to gain the information needed for
the role, with a flexible and “can do” attitude.
Emotionally resilient, self aware and reflective.
3
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Main terms and conditions
Responsible to:
Salary:
Pension:
Place of Work:
Hours:
Trainee Scheme Manager
£13,000 pa
Pension following at 6 months after probationary period
(up to 5% employer contribution)
82 Wentworth Street, E1 7SA
20 hours,
Approximately, Monday to Friday from 7.00 to 11.00 am