Job summary
- Main area
- Catering
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 153-CO05504
- Employer
- University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Bournemouth Hospital
- Town
- Bournemouth
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 01/02/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Catering Business Manager
NHS AfC: Band 7
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.
Job overview
Come and join UHD at an exciting time as we complete our transformation journey and develop our new central production unit into a local supplier of prepared meals.
Our new Central Production Kitchen opened in 2024 produce cook freeze meals for our hospitals using local and organic products where possible. We are looking for a Catering Business Manager to lead our food production team and develop our products and to sell our locally produced food into external organisations.
We produce a full range of meals, including our own dysphagic meals suitable for IDDSI levels 4, 5 and 6. Our range is currently based on the requirements of the UHD menu, but we have a wider range of dishes developed and ready to be produced.
The Catering Business Manager will be required to achieve and maintain a SALSA accreditation for the Central Production Kitchen, and achieve approved supplier statues with the local Environmental Health department. We have a quality team within Facilities to support with the accreditations and providing assurance on food safety.
Interview date: 09th February 2026
Main duties of the job
The Catering Business Manager will lead the production department within catering, ensuring it is compliant with food safety requirements and meets the need of both UHD and our external customers. The CPK Manager, who is responsible for the day-to-day production in the kitchen, is line managed by the Catering Business Manager.
The main focus for the role will be development of our external business, finding and working with customers who want locally produced prepared meals. This will include ensuring that not only is our product range appropriate, but also on freezer capacity and transport logistics.
We take food safety seriously, and all of our sites, including the Central Production Kitchen, hold a 5-star rating. We are looking to improve on this and achieve approved supplier status to enable us to supplier external customers and to achieve SALSA accreditation. This role will be responsible for achieving both.
We use Datasym's MenuMark software for our procurement, production, labelling, patient meal ordering and retail requirements. The post holder will be expected to work with this software to ensure our labelling, including allergens, is correct and for costing and pricing of our products.
Working for our organisation
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active networks including Women’s, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The main responsibilities of the Catering Business Manager are:
- Delivery of the strategic approach to performance improvement, engagement and income generation strategies
- Formulate a commercial strategy including promotion, advertising and expansion of the CPK service
- Promote the CPK products and conduct site visits to explore the possibility of external customers
- Full responsibility for all Quality Systems
- Manage the CPK function
- Achieve and maintain SALSA accreditation
- Work with the team to formulate new recipes and dishes
- Work with specialist dietetics to formulate specialist meals including IDDSI
- Carry out catering audits
- Work with suppliers and external contractors to achieve best value
- Hold the CPK budget
- Work to reduce potential reputational and commercial risks to the Trust
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Professional catering and business management knowledge to degree level or equivalent plus post graduate diploma or equivalent management experience
- Level 4 Food Hygiene Certificate
- Level 3 Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points
Desirable criteria
- Leadership course/qualification
- ECDL
- PRINCE or other Project/Programme management qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Sufficient operational management experience in a food production setting
- • Highly developed specialist knowledge acquired through a combination of in-depth working experience in complex cross department activities
Techincal Skills/Competencies
Essential criteria
- Good written communications skills that are appropriate and understandable at all levels of the organisation
- IT skills to support general and self-management
- Ability to initiate, implement and effectively manage change
- Influencing consultation and negotiation skills
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Detailed knowledge of food production processes and safety procedures
- Budgetary planning and management skills
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Philip Watson
- Job title
- Facilities Directorate Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 019 4012
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