This is not your average catering job. It is a great chance to put your catering qualifications and skills into practice and make an impact far beyond the kitchen.

As part of the prison’s catering team, you’ll be working in a professional industrial kitchen environment, with a good salary, pension and Civil Service benefits including apprenticeship opportunities ‘earn while you learn’. Unlike traditional restaurant jobs, you won’t have to work late into the evening.

You’ll oversee the work of offenders to prepare and cook quality, nutritional meals for the entire prison. Plus, you’ll play your part in helping them turn their lives around - supporting them to learn new skills and work towards gaining qualifications to increase their chances of employment and reduce their likelihood of reoffending when they leave prison.

For the full job description please refer to supporting document 1.

Watch our video on the website to hear from some of our prison caterers about what the role is really like.

Hours and salary

You will work a 37-hour week and shift patterns are in place which include hours outside of 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, weekends and public holidays. You will receive a 20% unsocial hours payment in addition to your basic pay, subject to working these hours.

All roles can be open to part-time and job share arrangements subject to the business need/operational requirement. However, you will still be required to undertake the full range of shifts. As a new recruit, you will start on the minimum salary.

Band 3 salary minimum inclusive of 20% unsocial hours allowance - £32,448

Band 3 salary maximum inclusive of 20% unsocial hours allowance - £34,166

Qualifications and experience

Level 2 certificate in food production within hospitality and catering or equivalentFood hygiene certificate at Level 2

In addition, you must be:

Familiar with all current health, safety and hygiene related regulations for working in a kitchenAble to demonstrate competency within an industrial kitchen environmentAble to speak with confidence in English

Please note refresher training in food safety (HACCP) should be completed at three year intervals.

Tips for applying

You will need to provide an anonymised CV and answer questions which outline your past experience.

You will also need to answer specific ‘behavioural’ questions. We will ask you how you would react in your job.

Behaviours:

Developing self and othersManaging a quality serviceCommunicating and influencingMaking effective decisionsWorking together