Food Service Assistant - Potting Shed

• Company: Plumpton College
• Closing Date: 20-07-2026
• Location: Plumpton, Lewes
• Salary: Up to £6,934 per annum
• Hours: 12 hours per week, Thursday and Friday 09:00 - 15:30
• Contact Email: recruitment@plumpton.ac.uk

Description

We are looking for a friendly, reliable and customer-focused Food Service (Catering) Assistant to join our busy Catering team at Plumpton College. 

This is an important role supporting the day-to-day service in the Potting Shed, which serves students, staff and visitors, as well as assisting with events and functions across the college. You will also help support our other catering outlets, including the Graze café and the main dining room. 

Our Catering team takes pride in providing good quality food, efficient service during busy periods, and a welcoming experience for everyone who uses our facilities. 

What you’ll be doing 

• Serving food and drinks across our catering outlets
• Providing a friendly and efficient service to students, staff and visitors
• Cleaning kitchen, servery and dining areas
• Following food hygiene, safety and cleaning procedures
• Recording food temperatures and completing cleaning checks
• Helping with stock rotation and reducing food waste
• Supporting college events and functions when required
• Assisting in other catering areas and with vending machines as needed 

What we’re looking for 

We are looking for someone who: 

• Has excellent customer service skills
• Is outgoing, approachable and flexible
• Works well as part of a team
• Can stay calm and effective under pressure
• Is able to undertake manual handling duties 

Desirable, but not essential: 

• A catering qualification
• A current Food Hygiene Certificate
• Experience in a similar role 

Because of the college’s location, own transport is desirable unless living onsite. 

Why Join Us? 

At Plumpton College, we live our values — Ambitious, Professional, Enterprising, Passionate, Supportive and Progressive — in everything we do. 

You’ll benefit from: 

We offer a competitive salary alongside a generous benefits package. Staff have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, comprehensive CPD opportunities, and a supportive working environment. As a Disability Confident Committed employer and a signatory of the Menopause Pledge, we are proud to foster an inclusive workplace. 

New colleagues benefit from a structured induction and supported probationary period, as well as a strong coaching culture with in-house Level 5 trained coaches. 

Employees also enjoy a range of lifestyle and wellbeing benefits such as eligibility for a TOTUM card and Blue Light Card, free eye tests, free use of our onsite gym, cycle-to-work scheme, discounted Plumpton wine and courses, free onsite parking, access to competitively priced dining facilities, and an Employee Assistance Programme. 

Our commitment to staff wellbeing and community is further demonstrated through regular networking events, active EDI and Sustainability committees, and social events at Christmas. 

Basic working hours are 09:00 to 15:30 on Thursday and Friday, although some flexibility will be required to meet the needs of the business. This is a term time only role. Some evening, weekend and holiday period working may be required to support catering functions, student activities, recruitment events and wider college activities. 

We reserve the right to interview or close the vacancy early should we receive a high number of applications. Early applications are strongly encouraged. 

Plumpton College is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities and is dedicated to pursuing non-discriminatory policies and practices and eliminating unfair discrimination on any basis. 

Plumpton is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Employment cannot begin until the appropriate DBS clearance has been received and considered. 

Apply now to join a forward-thinking college and help provide an excellent catering service for our students, staff and visitors.