Cafe Food Service Assistant

derby.ac.uk; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 25,000 - GBP 26,000; Part time

Job summary

A modern educational institution in the UK is looking for a dedicated Food Service Assistant to enhance the dining experience at its renowned Devonshire Dome. The role involves preparing and serving food while maintaining high hygiene standards and delivering exceptional customer service. Applicants should possess relevant qualifications such as NVQ Level 2 in Catering and a basic food hygiene certificate. Join a team dedicated to making a positive impact in a supportive environment that values diversity and wellbeing.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Discounted onsite gym

Flexible working environment

Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Experience in food production and customer service environments.
• Ability to maintain high standards of hygiene and cleanliness.
• Proactive in handling customer complaints effectively.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve food and beverages to customers.
• Deliver efficient and professional customer service.
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards.
• Support operational changes and service improvements.

Skills

Customer service

Food safety

Team collaboration

Education

NVQ Level 2 in Catering

Basic food hygiene certificate

Job description

We are looking for a customer-focused Food Service Assistant to join our team at the iconic Devonshire Dome in Buxton.

£25,045 to £25,421 per annum, pro rata (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £29,234 per annum, pro rata).

Onsite
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

Our Campus Services teams strive to maintain and enhance the exceptional facilities and services that empower our students and staff to thrive in a safe, welcoming, and inspiring setting for our community.

We are the team who support the services and facilities on our sites - food, travel, cleaning, waste,print, post, and the porters are all within our service line.

We are looking for a customer-focused Food Service Assistant to join our team at the iconic Devonshire Dome in Buxton.

In this role, you will support the Operations Supervisor in the day-to-day delivery of a high-quality food service experience. You will be responsible for the preparation, service, and delivery of food provisions to students and staff, ensuring excellent standards of food safety, presentation, and customer care at all times.

As a Food Service Assistant, you will also play an important role in supporting the Operations Supervisor with the implementation of service improvements and operational changes. Your contribution will help develop the business, enhance the customer experience, and sustain the University’s strong reputation for quality and professionalism.

Key Responsibilities

• Preparing and serving food and beverages to a wide range of customers
• Delivering friendly, efficient, and professional customer service
• Maintaining high standards of cleanliness, hygiene, and food safety
• Supporting operational changes and service improvements
• Working collaboratively as part of a positive and inclusive team

The working pattern for this role is as follows, with a 30 minute break each day:

• Monday 8am - 2 pm
• Tuesday - Thursday 8:15am - 2 pm
• Friday 8:15am -1:30pm

The anticipated interview date is Friday 27 th February 2026.

Please note this is a fixed term position until 26th June 2026; the role is 26 hours per week, term time only.

To be successful in this post, you will be a reliable and motivated individual with experience working in a food production and customer service environment. You will take pride in delivering excellent customer service and are confident working independently and unsupervised, while maintaining high standards at all times.

• To maintain the catering facilities and ensuring levels of customer service are met at all time.
• To produce food within the refectory to the required standard
• To maintain service standards set out within the Standard Operating Practice (SOP) manuals.
• To handle all cash and internal credit transactions in accordance with University financial operating procedures.
• To deliver service that emphasises motivation, empowerment, teamwork and a passion for service.
• To maintain the highest levels of customer service at all times.
• To complete all necessary food safety and sales control documentation as required.
• To maintain the highest possible levels of personal hygiene at all times.
• Being proactive with any customer complaints within the operations and use reasonable recompense to resolve any advised issues.
• Liaise with your supervisor to ensure that standards are maintained in the catering facilities.
• Delivery of operations as directed by the Operations Supervisor to include delivery of external retail brands to the required standard.
• Have a working knowledge and ensuring you, and others are adhering to the University’s Health & Safety policies.
• To comply with the requirements of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults, Prevent, Health and Safety, Quality and other University policies including Equal Opportunities, Risk Management and Equality and Diversity.
• Experience working in a food production environment
• Experience of working in a customer services environment

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• Ability to work unsupervised and independently

Business requirements

• The usual working hours are Monday 8:00am to 2:00pm, Tuesday – Thursday 8:15am – 2:00pm, Friday 8:15am – 1:30pm, with a 30-minute break during each shift.
• Completed DBS check with child barred list

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent qualification) in Catering or Customer services
• Basic food hygiene certificate
• NVQ Level 1 in Hospitality (or equivalent qualification) or currently working towards

Experience

• Experience of Chemical Handling and COSHH regulations

Skills, knowledge and abilities

• CLAIT training or ability to use basic word, excel and outlook packages
• Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Cycle to Work scheme
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Richard Greensmith, Operations Manager via [e-mail]

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via [e-mail] .

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.

To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.

We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.

When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title 'Mx'. We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns.This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates.Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.

The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process. This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead. This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.

However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.

Be part of something extraordinary, apply now.

How to apply

You can apply by submitting an online application. Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application. If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

The University reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at [e-mail] .

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.