You can download the Application Form from the Wolfson College website at

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1 VACANCY: HEAD CHEF Wolfson College is one of the 31 Colleges in the University of Cambridge and provides an academic home for over 900 students aged 21 or above, 200 Fellows, 300 senior members and 100 staff. There are more than 450 residential units on site, housing over 500 residents. The College is the most cosmopolitan in Cambridge which, together with its egalitarian ethos, helps to create a very friendly working environment. Full details of the College are available at An opportunity has arisen for a talented experienced Head Chef to join our team at Wolfson College. The College has a passion for providing quality food using fresh, seasonal and locally sourced produce and delivering a very high standard of service. We now seek a Head Chef with the vision, commitment and experience to lead the kitchen team in delivering excellent food to our customers. The successful candidate will have strong leadership skills, a passion and flair for producing innovative and creative menus for all aspects of dining in College. We are seeking a hands-on Head Chef who will not only lead the kitchen team with dedication and creativity, but will inspire them. You will therefore hold recognised culinary qualifications, have experience working in a similar quality establishment and will have proven leadership ability. HOW TO APPLY Please complete a Wolfson College Application Form and send it, with a covering letter, setting out why you feel you are suitable for this role, to arrive by 9:00am 25 July 2016, to: Mrs Sally Cullen (ref. Head Chef) Personnel Manager Wolfson College Barton Road Cambridge CB3 9BB or by to: jobs@wolfson.cam.ac.uk You can download the Application Form from the Wolfson College website at First interviews will take place on 4 August 2016 TERMS AND CONDITIONS Starting salary: Benefits: The starting salary for this post is in the range 30,428 to 33,561 depending on experience. Membership of the NOW pension scheme ( 25 days holiday per year, plus public holidays Meals on duty Free parking Uniform Use of the gym Use of the Library Medicash healthcare cash plan The College operates a childcare voucher scheme for staff Job Description: Head Chef 1 27 June 2016

2 Days/Hours: Term of appointment: 40 hours per week, or as required for this senior management role. There will be a need to work in the evening and at weekends. The appointment will be subject to an initial probationary period of six months during which the appointment may be terminated by one month s notice on either side. Following the successful completion of the probationary period, the period of notice would be three months on either side. Wolfson College is an Equal Opportunities Employer Job Specification: Head Chef 2 27 June 2016

3 Job Description This job description is a guide to the work the post-holder may be required to undertake, but does not form part of the Terms & Conditions of Employment and may change from time to time to reflect changing circumstances. Job title: Responsible to: Job role: Head Chef The Domestic Bursar To ensure the smooth, efficient and economical running of the Kitchen department producing high quality food for College members and private functions; follow all standards and procedures issued by the College; to adhere to and maintain current food safety and health and safety legislation. Duties and responsibilities: Catering: To plan and produce innovative menus for College members and commercial events, which enables locally sourced (where possible) fresh seasonal food of the highest standard to be prepared and served with initiative and variety. To monitor standards of catering and ensure consistency is maintained taking every reasonable opportunity to improve standards within agreed financial parameters. Develop the catering for the College s conference and functions business ensuring that the demands of a changing market are met as far as possible, with the ultimate aim of making the College one of the premier conference venues in Cambridge. Setting the standards and leading by example by personally preparing and cooking. Being aware of various dietary requirements (including food allergies and religious requirements) and seeking innovative ways of catering for those needs. To seek customer feedback and suggestions and be willing to act on them Management responsibilities: To form a strong relationship with the food service team, and other staff and managers, to improve and develop the catering within the College. To maintain good relationships with College members, members of the University, customers and suppliers. To direct, motivate and train all Kitchen staff ensuring they can perform their duties effectively and to the required standards providing an environment for staff development. To ensure that optimum use is made of staff resources, coupled with the need to keep overtime and casual staff costs as low as possible. To manage all personnel requirements such as annual leave, sickness and legislative training. To be responsible for monitoring staff performance taking informal disciplinary or other action, when appropriate, after consultation with the Domestic Bursar and/or Personnel Manager. To consult with the Domestic Bursar when new members of staff are being interviewed for the Kitchen. To have structured and frequent communication, both formally and informally, with your staff to ensure they are well versed on college policies and standards, which should be constantly achieved with a team spirit. To familiarise new staff with the training and induction programme. To complete annual staff job reviews for your department. The uniform provided to the Kitchen staff must be kept presentable and worn when on duty. The uniform remains the property of the College. Job Specification: Head Chef 3 27 June 2016

4 Health, Safety and Hygiene: To ensure the Kitchen complies with all necessary statutory health & safety and food hygiene legislation; develop and maintain the College Food Safety Policy. To ensure staff are properly dressed and comply with acceptable levels of personal hygiene. To ensure all equipment is maintained and repaired as necessary by the nominated contractor. To ensure the effective monitoring and recording of delivery temperatures of foods, and where necessary return those items which do not fulfil the criteria of the current hygiene regulations. To ensure all staff are fit for work, as far as is practicable, and to ensure absence from work due to illness is properly documented before staff are allowed to return to work. To ensure the Kitchen first aid boxes are maintained properly and that a first aider attends all minor accidents, and that all accidents are formally recorded using the Accident/Near Miss forms. All staff must adopt a responsible attitude towards health and safety and comply with any procedures required by the College in order to ensure the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues and any other persons that may be affected by their actions. They must be prepared to undertake any training provided in relation to health and safety. Finance, Purchasing and Cost Control: To cost and price menus to achieve the required margins. Ensure wastage is monitored, controlled and kept to a minimum. Where possible, to procure food from local, ethical and sustainable nominated suppliers as specified in the Catering Managers Committee contracts. To ensure production procedures, cooking and preparation methods are efficient. To negotiate best prices with suppliers and to keep stock levels at their lowest possible level, consistent with purchasing lead times. To maintain kitchen stores, fridges and freezers in a proper and secure condition ensuring items are efficiently and hygienically stored, keeping levels to a minimum. Order all items of food and ensure the proper management of delivery notes and invoices is in place for the checking and receipt of incoming goods. To assess capital expenditure and make recommendations for purchases to the Domestic Bursar. Additional responsibilities: To attend the following meetings; Catering Committee, Heads of Department, weekly catering Function Sheet, and any other meeting that may require your attendance. To liaise with College members; external suppliers; external clients; Chefs from other Colleges/Universities; on Kitchen matters, where necessary. To take an active interest in keeping up to date on modern trends of cooking and catering in general and introduce these ideas to your team to create a continually developing standard of food. To undertake any other reasonable duties arising in the Kitchen department as directed by the Domestic Bursar or Bursar. To be present at the preparation of all major College dinners/events (Alumni & Reunion Dinner, Matriculation Dinner, Commemoration of Benefactors Dinner, Fellows Night, Foundation Day Dinner, College Guest Nights, General Admission/Graduation Day) Special Conditions of Service: Holidays must be taken in agreement with the Domestic Bursar, taking into account the holiday rota for the Kitchen department. All leave, including unpaid leave, must be requested and authorised before you can consider it confirmed. The College reserves the right to refuse requests due to the business needs of the College. Job Specification: Head Chef 4 27 June 2016

5 Person Specification: Head Chef Essential Qualifications, Experience and Background Experience and knowledge of working as a Head Chef or Senior Chef for 3 years Proven track record of being able to train, motivate and coach a team of staff Formal training certificates (NVQs/City & Guilds) Willingness to implement new skills and systems of working Intermediate Level Food Hygiene Certificate Good level of numeracy & literacy Technical Knowledge and Skills To be able to demonstrate a high standard of cooking and knowledge of the catering industry in general Experience of managing a formal Food Safety Policy COSHH-trained and certificated Good knowledge of menu planning Proficient with IT Personal Attributes Natural leadership skills with a proven ability for administration A passion for cooking and for food in general High level of spoken English (this is essential to carry out the duties of the position and for Health and Safety training) Reliable and punctual, trustworthy and honest Flexible and shows initiative Good standards of personal hygiene and presentation Team and Management of Work Skills To set very high standards of behaviour within the department Able to adapt to the different needs of working within the College environment proving good interdepartmental leadership To be a decision-maker, decisive, strongminded, ambitious with a can-do attitude To work collaboratively with other departmental staff and within your own team Desirable Experience as a Head Chef or 2 nd Chef in a Cambridge College kitchen Recognised formal management training Advanced Level Food Hygiene Certificate Excellent knowledge of modern cooking practices Experience of menu costing and working to a defined budget achieving identifiable financial targets Excellent IT Skills Ability to communicate effectively in formal management meetings Job Specification: Head Chef 5 27 June 2016