Kitchen Manager

Maternity Cover, Full time. Term Time + 4 weeks (including Training Days).

Monday to Thursday, 7.00am to 3.00pm; Friday, 7.30am to 3.00pm.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a well-established catering service and play a key role in supporting the day-to-day life of the school.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Kitchen Manager to lead our catering provision during a period of maternity leave. This is a hands-on role at the heart of our catering operation, responsible for delivering a high-quality food service for students and staff across our secondary school and sixth form.

Working alongside the management team, you will oversee the day-to-day running of the kitchen, ensuring excellent food quality, service standards, and compliance with food hygiene and health and safety requirements. You will provide strong leadership to the catering team, fostering a positive working environment and supporting high levels of performance.

As the lead professional within the kitchen, you will also act as Head Cook, taking responsibility for menu delivery, food preparation, production planning, and maintaining consistently high standards of catering provision. This role combines operational management with practical kitchen leadership, requiring a proactive and organised individual who is passionate about providing an excellent catering experience for our school community.

About our School

At Harrogate Grammar School we provide a positive and inclusive environment where every student is supported to thrive academically, personally and socially. Our dedicated and supportive staff build strong relationships with students, families and the wider community, creating a culture where everyone feels valued and supported. We are committed to high‑quality professional development, enabling colleagues to continually grow and evolve.

We are proud to be part of Red Kite Learning Trust, whose mission is to nurture ambition, deliver excellence and enrich children’s lives through shared values of collaboration, integrity and respect. Guided by our vision of ‘Excellence for All’ and our REACH values of Respect, Excellence, Adventure, Commitment and Honesty, we foster an ethos of ambition, kindness and mutual respect.

Our aim is for every student to enjoy their time at school, form lasting friendships and leave us as well‑rounded, resilient young people ready to contribute positively to society.

For more about Harrogate Grammar School, click the ‘view our careers page’ button.

Here’s what you can expect when you join us:

• Generous pension scheme: Employer contribution rate of 14.9%, plus a wide range of benefits and discounts. Full details HERE
• Flexible working options: We support work-life balance and are open to exploring suitable arrangements
• Supportive environment: We prioritise respect, equality, diversity, and well-being
• Community culture: Collaboration and generosity are at the heart of our team
• Professional development: We invest in your growth at every stage of your career

For more about Harrogate Grammar School, click the ‘view our careers page’ button.

About You

To be a good fit for this role, you will be:

• An experienced catering professional with strong leadership and organisational skills
• Passionate about providing high-quality food and excellent customer service
• Confident in leading, motivating and developing a team
• Committed to maintaining high standards of food safety, hygiene and kitchen operations

Next Steps

Ready to Apply: If you have all the info you need, click APPLY NOW to start your application.

Let’s Connect: We would love to speak to you to answer any questions you might have about this role or our school ahead of applying for this opportunity. To arrange a convenient time to speak in person, or visit us, please email our HR Team at HGSHR@hgs.rklt.co.uk.

Adjustments: Should you require any adjustments to our recruitment process, please include these within Part Two of our application form under the section ‘Disability and Accessibility’.

Applicant Guidance: Red Kite Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointments will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure. We are an equal opportunities employer which welcomes applications from all sectors of the community. We are committed to promoting diversity and want a workforce which reflects the local population of each of our schools. Our recruitment guidelines and privacy notice for applicants can be found HERE.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, so we encourage early submission. We reserve the right to close this vacancy before the advertised closing date should a suitable candidate be appointed.