Staffing Manager - Culinary

Elior Uk; England; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A catering service provider in the UK is seeking a Staffing Manager - Culinary to oversee the management and scheduling of chefs and kitchen porters. This role is ideal for someone experienced in staffing or coming from a chef background and ready to transition to an office role. Key responsibilities include liaising with sites for staffing needs and supporting team development. The position offers a competitive salary of £35,000 and various perks including flexible working and career development opportunities.

Benefits

Monthly travel expenses

20 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays

Paid volunteering days

Career development opportunities

Access to mental health support

Pension scheme and life assurance

Exclusive discounts on leisure and travel

Qualifications

• Experience in staffing, resourcing, or workforce management within hospitality.
• Organized and calm under pressure.
• Ability to support and develop people.

Responsibilities

• Manage scheduling and deployment of chefs and kitchen porters.
• Work with sites to understand staffing needs and resolve issues.
• Liaise with sites to confirm worked hours for payroll processing.
• Support recruitment and onboarding.
• Conduct regular site visits to build working relationships.

Skills

Staffing management

People management

Scheduling

Culinary knowledge

Job description

Lexington is an award-winning contract caterer that focus on providing great food and service to customers. To do this we need fabulous people and we work hard to create an environment where our team members feel engaged, inspired, valued and enjoy what they do.

Staffing Manager - Culinary - £35,000 - 40 hours a week (5 out of 7)

We’re looking for an experienced Staffing Manager - Culinary to oversee the scheduling, support and development of our chefs and kitchen porters. This role suits either an experienced staffing / workforce manager or a chef or chef manager ready to move into an office-based, people-focused role.

You’ll be the key link between our sites and back of house teams, ensuring kitchens are fully and correctly staffed while supporting individuals to perform, grow and progress.

Brilliant Work Deserves Brilliant Perks:

At Lexington, we believe that when you enjoy where you work, it shows. We’re committed to supporting our people and helping them thrive. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Monthly travel expenses - up to the value of Zone 1–2 Travelcard
• Time to Unwind – 20 days’ holiday plus 8 bank holidays
• Paid Volunteering Days – dedicated time to support causes you care about
• Career Development – learning and progression opportunities at every stage
• Wellbeing Support – access to mental health support and wellbeing benefits
• Financial Security – pension scheme and life assurance
• Exclusive Discounts – savings on leisure, entertainment and travel

What you’ll be doing:

• Managing rotas, scheduling and deployment of chefs and kitchen porters
• Working closely with sites to understand staffing needs and resolve issues quickly
• Liaising closely with sites to confirm worked hours, ensuring all bookings, recharges and staffing systems are accurate and up to date for payroll processing
• Supporting, mentoring and carrying out regular check-ins with BOH staff
• Managing absence, attendance and day-to-day staffing challenges
• Supporting recruitment, interviews and onboarding
• Carrying out regular site visits to build strong working relationships
• Ensuring training, uniform and compliance requirements are met

This role is ideal if you:

• Have experience in staffing, resourcing or workforce management, ideally within hospitality
• OR come from a chef or chef management background and want to move into an office based role overseeing building and maintaining a strong culinary team for the business.
• Are organised, calm under pressure and confident making decisions
• Enjoy working with people and supporting their development
• Want a role with structure, progression and better work-life balance

Kitchen experience is highly valued but not essential - strong staffing, people management or scheduling experience is equally welcome.

If you understand hospitality people and how to keep operations running smoothly, we’d love to hear from you.

Brilliant Work Deserves Brilliant Perks!

At Elior, we believe that when you love where you work, it shows. That’s why we make sure our team feels appreciated, supported, and set up for success! Here’s what’s waiting for you:

• Free, tasty meals - Enjoy tasty, nutritious food on us while you work!
• Flexible working - including part time roles, because life doesn’t run on a 9-5 schedule.
• Plenty of Time to Unwind - 28 days of holiday, and after two years, enjoy even more with 31 days.
• Leave for life’s important moments - whether family, personal or unexpected.
• Give back time - paid volunteering days for the causes you care about.
• Room to grow - career development and learning opportunities for all stages of your career.
• Financial security - pension schemes and life assurance.
• Exclusive discounts - save on entertainment, leisure, and even travel!

One small thing - we welcome you to apply using the name you feel most comfortable with!No need for legal names at this stage.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

We’re a people-first business with over 10,000 colleagues across the UK, serving everything from stadiums to hospitals, schools to workplaces. Our mission? Toenrich lives everywhere, every day.

And here’s the best part - 87% of our team say they’re proud to work here!Why? Because we create a place where you’re listened to, trusted, supported, and valued.

Not sure you match every single requirement? Apply anyway! Research shows that many people - especially women and those from underrepresented backgrounds - hold back unless they meet 100% of the criteria. But we hire for potential, not just experience. If you’re passionate and ready to grow, we want to hear from you!

We Celebrate You!

At Elior, diversity and inclusion aren’t just policies, they’re who we are. We know that different perspectives make us stronger, and we’re dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to succeed.

Need any support or adjustments during the application process? Just let us know - we’re happy to help!

Ready to join us? Hit ‘Apply Now’ and let’s chat!