Food jobs

Our Vision: A UK where “No good food goes to waste”. 

We are UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, made up of 18 independent organisations. Together, we take good quality surplus food from right across the food industry and get it to approximately 8,500 frontline charities and community groups.  Every week we provide enough food to create almost a million meals for vulnerable people.

There has never been a more exciting time to join an organisation at the heart of public consciousness

The Role 

The Customer Support Executive plays a key role in driving FareShare's mission to fight food poverty by providing exceptional support to both internal and external stakeholders. With in-depth knowledge of FareShare Go policies, systems, and platforms, you'll use your strong communication and problem-solving skills to address partner inquiries, uncover root causes, and ensure timely resolutions. Beyond individual cases, you'll identify trends and suggest improvements to enhance our services. Relationship-building is at the heart of this role—whether managing customer concerns, resolving conflicts, or collaborating with colleagues, you’ll be pivotal in delivering a top-tier experience. As a brand ambassador, you'll advocate for our community partners, ensuring food reaches those in need across the UK.

Main areas of responsibility

• Resolving Support Issues: Provide high-quality, seamless support to charities, promptly addressing issues and escalating to relevant stakeholders when necessary.
• Charity Compliance: Manage charity compliance across one of four FSGo regions, ensuring KPIs are met through effective reporting, analysis, and communication with charities.
• CRM Management: Utilize the CRM system to maintain accurate records of charities and scheduled donations, ensuring smooth operations and up-to-date information.
• Supporting Regional Teams: Collaborate with regional field teams to transition charities from initial onboarding to ongoing support, aiding in engagement and retention efforts.
• Stakeholder Support: Work with the data support team to analyze performance, track trends, and proactively address key issues. Collaborate with retailer partners and tech suppliers to resolve problems and fulfill requests.
• Charity Recruitment & Lead Generation: Assess charity eligibility and their capacity for surplus food, aiming to maximize donations. Assist with the rollout of new retailers and pilot initiatives.
• Advocate for community partners and help ensure food reaches those in need, supporting FareShare’s mission to combat food poverty in the UK

Person Specification 

Essential Criteria 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent analytical abilities with a keen attention to detail
• Empathetic team player, with a collaborative approach
• Exceptional time management and the ability to prioritize tasks effectively
• Strong relationship-building skills, fostering trust and collaboration
• Highly organized, with a proven track record of delivering high-quality results
• Ability to manage and analyse data efficiently
• Demonstrated capability to build cross-team connections and share best practices
• Flexibility to travel across the UK as needed for the role 

Desirable Criteria 

• Familiarity with CRM platforms, particularly Salesforce
• Experience using Power BI for reporting and analysis
• Independent, innovative, and creative thinker
• Proven track record in similar roles across any sector
• Understanding of the "not-for-profit" sector
•  Previous experience working with food waste in either an academic or professional context is a plus

Competencies and behaviours 

• An understanding of and commitment to FareShare’s mission. 
• A commitment to Equal Opportunities. 
• Flexibility and collaborative style of working across FareShare and with all our stakeholders.

Our Vision: A UK where “No good food goes to waste”. 

We are UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, made up of 18 independent organisations. Together, we take good quality surplus food from right across the food industry and get it to approximately 8,500 frontline charities and community groups.  Every week we provide enough food to create almost a million meals for vulnerable people.

There has never been a more exciting time to join an organisation at the heart of public consciousness

The Role

This role is about more than just driving it is about sharing FareShare Merseyside’s mission that” no good food should go to waste”.

As a collection & delivery driver for FareShare Merseyside you will deliver / collect food from our partners across the region.  You will be the face of FareShare Merseyside, being a regular point of contact with our local and diverse range of member charities receiving food.  In addition, you may also act as a host for volunteers who may join as van assistants.

Main areas of responsibility

As a van driver:

Before you leave the FareShare Merseyside warehouse: 

• Load the van and check the van for roadworthiness
• Understand the schedule and route that has been planned and calculated for you
• Have a smart clean appearance, ready to meet our food partners and charities
• Support warehouse staff with any other duties required

On the road you will be representing FareShare Merseyside

• Drive safely, responsibly and within the law
• Be courteous to all road users

In the van you may be joined by volunteers wanting to support the FareShare Merseyside team to ensure no good food goes to waste. 

• Get to know your van team and respond to questions about FareShare
• Be courteous and demonstrate FareShare’s equality and diversity policy
• Take responsibility for the safety of volunteers who join you

At our food partners and charities:

• Greet the food partner or charity with a smile and get to know them by name
• Take care of the food you are collecting or delivering as if it were your own
• Complete all relevant paperwork and checks to ensure the safety of the food

On return to FareShare Merseyside:

• Unload and clean the van ready for the next driver
• Report any incidents that may affect the vans roadworthiness
• Complete all paperwork relevant to the food collected or delivered
• Support warehouse staff with any other duties required

When you are not on the road:

• Get to know your team and respond to questions about FareShare’s mission, the food partners who support us, charities who receive food and the planned activities for the day
• Work as a team with the Warehouse Manager, warehouse colleagues and volunteers to ensure all shifts are well planned, supervised and meet daily operational needs
• Ensure compliance with all FareShare policies and procedures and industry standards as required by food partners and regulators and that all staff, volunteers, food suppliers, charities and visitors adhere to them
• Support the Warehouse Manager in managing the office, responding to emails and taking phone calls
• Support the Warehouse Manager in organising food distribution using the FareShare food management systems and training volunteers as required
• Maintain excellent relations and communications with volunteers, staff, food suppliers and charities

Like the supply of surplus food to FareShare no two shifts are the same. Every day new food arrives and your team will include new people who want to get involved in the FareShare mission. You will be part of a small staff team responsible for ensuring the safe and effective distribution of food each day.

Experience required

• Experience of driving vans / medium sized vehicles
• Experience of multi-drop deliveries
• Experience of working within a food distribution and/or warehousing operation
• Experience of using Sat Nav to navigate & plan routes
• Experience of working on own initiative, able to manage own workload and prioritise tasks to meet objectives
• Experience of working in a team with evidence of demonstrating a flexible approach to team working
• Safe and courteous driver

Skills, Abilities and Attributes

• Safe and courteous driver
• Personable with excellent communication skills
• Able to take initiative
• Can stay clam under pressure
• Team player willing to adopt a flexible approach to daily tasks and activities
• Commitment to FareShare’s Equality & Diversity ethos

Essential Criteria

• Driver must be aged 21 years
• Have held a full UK driving licence
• Eligible to work in the UK
• Commitment to gain Level 2 Food Safety Qualification

LifeSkills Coordinator

Service: LifeSkills 

Location: The role is home based with LifeSkills delivery in person in the region of East Yorkshire (delivering in locations such as Hull and the surrounding areas)

Hours: 15 hours per week (part-time)

Salary: £28,884 - £31,698 FTE per annum (£11,709.73 - £12,850.54 per annum for part-time, 15 hours per week)

Contract type: Temporary (Until 31st March 2026)

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the

importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

The LifeSkills programme offers groups of families the chance to come together to a trusted venue such as a children’s centre or community setting. As well as offering opportunities for families to spend quality time together and have access to healthy food, these sessions offer LifeSkills workshops for parents and carers to build their confidence, social networks, financial and employability skills. Examples include but are not limited to overcoming setbacks, managing debt, boosting confidence to return to work, CV writing, interview skills. The aims of the LifeSkills programme are to support participants to increase their confidence and 21st century skills, move closer to training/volunteering/employment, improve their social networks, and grow their confidence to provide low cost and nutritious meals.

Main Responsibilities:

The role involves delivering LifeSkills sessions to groups of families in East Yorkshire. The postholder will also be the main point of contact for delivery partners hosting programmes (e.g., small charities, schools) and staff and volunteers delivering sessions and be expected to respond promptly to a wide range of queries and requests for support. Examples might include, for instance, devising LifeSkills programmes for different cohorts, presenting to potential partners, devising risk assessments, recording data, and visiting and providing guidance and support for staff and volunteers delivering sessions in venues across the area.

Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):

• To be the main point of contact for delivery partners (as well as for fundraising / marketing staff), for a portfolio of LifeSkills programmes, and respond promptly to queries and concerns. 
• To support delivery of LifeSkills sessions (e.g. take bookings, develop PowerPoint slides) as well as planning and delivering own LifeSkills programmes.
• Appointments are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where appropriate to the role

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement that commences at 25 working days pro rata, rising each April by one day, subject to a maximum of 30 working days plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time)

- up to 6% matched-pension contributions

- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions

- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers

- cycle to work scheme

- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:

·       Follow the link to our website and click the ‘Apply’ link below the advert and fill out our digital application form

· Closing Date: Tuesday 25th November 2025 at 11.59pm

Interviews are scheduled to take place start of December.

Appointments are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where appropriate to the role.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community / particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action. We know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role. 

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person. 

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

Farms for City Children offers children and young people a week in the heart of the British countryside staying on one of our farms, where they are immersed in the natural world of food, farming, and country life.  During their stay, they participate in the seasonal tasks of the day: sowing, growing and harvesting in our kitchen gardens, caring for livestock and looking after the land, and a variety of tasks designed to build greater connection with the natural world.

We are looking for a Head of Finance to join our friendly team.

About the Role

The Head of Finance forms part of our Senior Leadership Team and leads the financial management of our charity. This is the most senior finance role in the organisation, responsible for ensuring robust financial oversight, compliance, and governance. The role also encompasses broader corporate responsibilities, including supporting the Board, strengthening governance frameworks, and overseeing data protection and information governance.

For full details about the role, please see the Job Description and Job Information Pack.

What we Offer

In return you will receive a salary circa £55k per annum (pro rata) and a range of benefits, which include:

· 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays (pro rata)

· 6% employer contribution to NEST pension scheme

· Employee Assistance Programme

How to Apply

To apply, please download and fill out our application form that is located at the bottom of the page. Once completed, click on the Apply button, fill in your details and upload the application form. You may also wish to fill out and upload our equal opportunities monitoring form. 

We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis starting from 9th December 2025; as such we reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applications.

Please note that first interviews will be held online, second interviews will be held in person.

We are unable to accept just cover letters and CVs.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE – DIRECT RECRUITMENT ONLY

Job Title: Scaling Assistant

Salary: £28,770

Position Type: Full time / Fixed term with option to extend subject to funding

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at: School Food Matters, Blackfriars Settlement, 1 Rushworth Street, SE1 0RB

Working Hours:  5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension: School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

The role is mainly office-based with the option to work from home a couple of days per week. It also involves some travel to regions outside of London to assist with training and support for our regional teams.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To assist the team with the scaling up of our Nourish programme

Key tasks include

· Recruit schools to take part in Nourish in the regions

· Provide admin support to the Scaling Manager with setting up e.g. sending out calendar invites, project paperwork, writing minutes

· Assist Scaling Manager with set up of training sessions – agendas, venues, and minutes

· Tailor project resources for different regions delivering Nourish where required

· Design and create project assets such as presentations

· Manage online training platform

· Monitor Regional Officers documentation and check it stays up to date

· Attend occasional project sessions to capture photos, videos and quotes

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Keep Scaling Manager fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time.  Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person Specification

Essential

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Ability to work in a team, and seek help when needed

· Comfortable writing and responding to emails, conducting telephone, virtual and face to face meetings

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

Desirable

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Experience of working in or with schools

· An interest in food education and children’s health

Job Title:  Gardener Project Officer for Young Marketeers Knowsley

Position Type: Freelance

Reports to: Project Coordinator

Based at:  Home-working and at schools in Knowsley

Working Hours: 17.5 days @ £165 per day from February – July (£2,887.50) plus 10 x school gardening sessions at £110 per session plus 1 day planning @ £220 (£1,320)

Contract: Temporary

Job Purpose

· To manage the delivery of Young Marketeers in Knowsley in five primary schools

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Young Marketeers

This much-loved programme was started in London in 2012. It is now running in 16 cities across England.  We have been commissioned to deliver the programme in Knowsley by Knowsley Public Health. The programme provides hands-on opportunities for children from primary schools to grow fruit and veg from seed to sell at their local market. Young Marketeers is also a platform for School Food Matters to promote food education to schools and communities as a way to support children to live happy and healthy lives. Children learn the art of growing veg from seed, and market traders will share their secrets on how to create a winning market stall. Primary schools will be visited by our gardener in March/April and then again in May/June and receive further tips on how to ensure a bumper crop. Then in July, they head to the market to sell their produce, and to meet the Mayor!

Key Tasks include:

· Assist with recruitment of five schools to take part in Young Marketeers

· Build and maintain relationships with teachers, teaching assistants and senior leaders to ensure the smooth running of the project

· Build and support relationships with contacts in partner organisations

· Schedule, organise and deliver

o One assembly in each school

o Two food growing sessions in each school

o One market trader training session in each school

o Market Day in the city centre in July for all schools

· Maintain accurate records relating to the programme

• Complete monitoring and evaluation forms in accordance with instructions from our Evaluation team
• Take photos of workshops and events where possible
• Keep Project Coordinator fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

• Maintain the ethos of the charity and positively promote our work at all times

Person specification

 Essential

· Experience of delivering food growing sessions to children

· Knowledge of fruit and vegetable growing

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Experience of building relationships with partner organisations and individuals

· Ability to work in a team, and seek help when needed

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

Desirable

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Experience of working in primary schools and engaging children

Job Title: Hertfordshire Project Assistant

Salary: £27,150 (London Fringe weighting)

Position Type: Full time/Fixed term (until December 2028)

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at: Remote, with travel to schools in Hertfordshire

Working Hours: 5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension: School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

This role requires occasional work outside of core hours (for example, if visiting a school breakfast club). It also requires travel to schools across Hertfordshire, so access to a car would be desirable. Training for delivery of the programme will be provided online and in person, and you will be expected to travel outside of Hertfordshire for some of these sessions.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To support two Project Officers with the delivery of Nourish in 40 schools in Hertfordshire (primary, secondary and SEND settings) over 3 years

Key tasks include

· Recruit schools to take part in Nourish

· Shadow and support project team to deliver in person food audits in schools

· Build relationships and work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, cooks, kitchen teams and senior leaders in schools in Hertfordshire to improve the food they offer their students

· Provide practical support to the project team with setting up workshops including paperwork and food shopping

· Provide admin support to the project team

· Tailor Nourish resources for Hertfordshire schools where required

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Gather content for our comms team, website and social media platforms

· Keep project team fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures.

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time. Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person Specification

Essential

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Ability to work in a team, and seek help when needed

· Comfortable engaging with variety of audiences (students, school staff and parents), incl. writing and responding to email, conducting telephone, virtual and face to face meetings, and running workshops

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

Desirable

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Experience of working in schools

· An interest in food education and children’s health

· Access to a car

Job Title: Birmingham Project Officer

Salary: £28,000

Position Type: Full time / Fixed term (12 months)

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at: Remote, with travel to schools in Birmingham

Working Hours: 5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension: School Food Matters pays pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

This role requires occasional work outside of core hours (for example, if visiting a school breakfast club). It also requires travel to schools across Birmingham, so access to a car would be desirable. Training for delivery of the programme will be provided online and in person, and you will be expected to travel outside of Birmingham for some of these training sessions.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To deliver Nourish in 6-8 schools in Birmingham (primary, secondary and SEND settings)

Key tasks include

· Support with recruitment of schools to take part in Nourish

· Complete in person food audits in schools looking across the whole school day

· Support schools to create and deliver a food improvement plan (action plan)

· Develop and deliver workshops in schools to staff, parents and students based on their action plan (e.g. assemblies, cooking sessions, school food standards training, packed lunch advice, food ed/sensory tasting sessions)

· Support schools to write a school food policy

· Build relationships and work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, chefs, kitchen teams and senior leaders in schools to improve the food on offer to students

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Work closely with our Evaluation team to complete all monitoring and evaluation

· Work in collaboration with other Birmingham school food partners

· Share learnings with other SFM regional Project Officers

· Gather content for our Comms team (website and social media platforms)

· Keep Scaling Manager fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time.  Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person specification

Essential

· Registered nutritionist or advanced understanding of nutritional guidelines and health promotion

· Good interpersonal skills, with experience of building relationships

· Confident engaging with a variety of audiences (students, headteachers, school staff and parents), including communications via email, virtual and face to face meetings with the ability to deliver workshops & presentations

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Able to work independently and remote

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

· Ability to work in a team and seek help when needed

Desirable

· Experience of engaging and working with schools and/or communities

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Knowledge in food education and children’s health

· Access to car

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to take a leading role in the day-to-day operations of UWLSU’s food and beverage outlets, supporting an award-winning, student-led organisation. As Food & Beverage Outlet Manager, you will help deliver a high-quality service across our outlets, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and an excellent customer experience.

You’ll refine our service offer, support the delivery of catering for private and in-house events, and work closely with a team of full-time and student staff to create a welcoming and engaging environment. Whether leading a busy shift or contributing to improvements across our commercial operations, your work will directly enhance the student experience and strengthen our community.

This role combines operational leadership with hands-on service delivery. You will set high standards, empower staff, and ensure our outlets run smoothly, safely, and in line with regulations. If you’re an organised, people-focused professional with a passion for hospitality, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

You will oversee daily operations across multiple outlets, ensuring a consistent, high-quality service. Key duties include supervising staff, managing rotas and training, supporting stock control and purchasing, monitoring KPIs, and contributing to commercial improvements. You’ll help deliver catering for events, maintain compliance with Health & Safety and Food Safety standards, and engage with students and customers to continuously improve our services.

The working hours for this role are usually between 0730 and 1800, Monday to Friday on a rota basis but there will be occasional work outside of these times.

What we’re looking for

You’ll be hardworking, organised, and confident in leading or coordinating service. You will bring experience in a food and drink environment, strong teamwork skills, the ability to work under pressure, and a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Most importantly, you’ll understand that the Students’ Union exists to support and empower its members.

Interview date: Tuesday 16th December 2025, with ideally a start date w/c 5th January 2026
Please note: We may close this vacancy early if suitable candidates are identified at an early stage.

Job Title: Hertfordshire Project Officer

Salary: £29,500 (London Fringe weighting)

Position Type: Full time/Fixed term (until December 2028)

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at: Remote, with travel to schools in Hertfordshire

Working Hours: 5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension: School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

This role requires occasional work outside of core hours (for example, if visiting a school breakfast club). It also requires travel to schools across Hertfordshire, so access to a car would be desirable. Training for delivery of the programme will be provided online and in person, and you will be expected to travel outside of Hertfordshire for some of these sessions.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To deliver Nourish in 40 schools in Hertfordshire (primary, secondary and SEND settings) over 3 years in a delivery team of two Project Officers and a Project Assistant.

Key tasks include

· Support with recruitment of schools to take part in Nourish

· Complete in person food audits in schools looking across the whole school day

· Support schools to create and deliver a food improvement plan (action plan)

· Develop and deliver workshops in schools to staff, parents and students based on their action plan (e.g. assemblies, cooking sessions, school food standards training, packed lunch advice, food ed/sensory tasting sessions)

· Support schools to write a school food policy

· Build relationships and work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, cooks, kitchen teams and senior leaders in schools to improve the food they offer their students

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Work closely with University of Hertfordshire and our Evaluation team to complete all monitoring and evaluation

· Work in collaboration with Hertfordshire project delivery team

· Gather content for our comms team (website and social media platforms)

· Keep Scaling Manager fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time.  Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person specification

Essential

· Registered nutritionist or advanced understanding of nutritional guidelines and health promotion

· Good interpersonal skills, with experience of building relationships

· Confident engaging with a variety of audiences (students, headteachers, school staff and parents), including communications via email, virtual and face to face meetings with the ability to deliver workshops & presentations

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Able to work independently and remote

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

· Ability to work in a team and seek help when needed

Desirable

· Experience of engaging and working with schools and/or communities

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Knowledge in food education and children’s health

· Access to a car

As a Support Worker at Ace of Clubs drop-in day centre supporting people who are homeless and facing adversity, you will play a key role in supporting individuals who may be navigating chaotic lifestyles, trauma, and multiple disadvantages. You will provide practical and emotional support, help people access essential services, and work to empower them to move towards independence.

Your role will involve working directly with service users, managing case records, liaising with partner agencies, and contributing to the smooth running of our busy centre. Ultimately, you will support people to overcome barriers, develop essential skills, and build confidence in navigating life challenges and providing advocacy where needed.  In particular, you will be on duty as Support Worker during our busy, daily lunchtime service - responding to the needs of a variety of guests – on a busy day we can reach 150 – 200 guests visiting our service.

In addition, Ace of Clubs works with a wide range of volunteers and partners on a daily basis including food partners, health partners, corporate, individual and client volunteers.  Your role will also be required to support the team in the smooth functioning of these areas, for example liaising with partners on site, showing around volunteers or feeding back any issues during lunch service.

You will also be required to support the Centre Manager with the operations and building’s co-ordination, including carrying out weekly health and safety checks as required, i.e. fire alarm checks, legionella checks etc., meeting onsite contractors, counting and logging cash takings, responding and filtering the central email account and making food and supplies orders. You will be provided with comprehensive training in these areas.

Reporting to: CEO
Direct reports: Café Assistants and Café Supervisors
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £27,700 - £33,800 (pro rata)
Hours: 35 hours per week. Working days will vary in line with business requirements. Predominantly café based, with some office working will be required.
Location: Charleston in Firle (BN8 6LL) & Charleston in Lewes (BN7 1FB)

Charleston is seeking a proactive and positive individual with excellent interpersonal  skills to lead the catering offer across Charleston’s two sites. The Café Manager will manage the café’s daily operations, ensuring a warm and welcoming experience for all visitors. Responsibilities include developing seasonal menus, supervising staff, handling stock orders, and leading the coordination of catering for public events and venue hire.

General duties

• Lead and deliver the catering offer, growing the business and maximising profits while maintaining a high-quality service and inclusive atmosphere for all customers.
• To manage the day to day running of the catering offer, including the scheduling and management of a café team.
• Coordinate, supervise, train and develop the café team.
• Lead on the catering offer for all aspects of Charleston’s year-round programme of events.
• The Café Manager will work alongside the Front of House and Events team to coordinate the catering for public events, and internal and external hires of our public spaces.
• Ensure that the barns, and all connected spaces are clean and well presented.
• Act as the designated alcohol licence holder, ensuring all activities comply with the premises licence and legal requirements.
• Act as a keyholder and open / close venues following security procedures.
• Maintain all food deliveries records.

Financial responsibilities

• Manage budgets for the café, staffing and all food related items. Frequently reviewing staff costs.
• Responsible for ordering food and related supplies.
• Maintain food delivery records and all discrepancies are followed up.
• Approval of invoices for food and related supplies.
• Review chosen suppliers against Charleston’s criteria including value for money.
• Responsible for maintenance of point of sales systems.
• Review receipts and other information from point of sales systems.
• Manage staff rotas, with reference to expected activity levels.

Visitor welcome

• Create and maintain a safe, professional and welcoming atmosphere for all visitors.
• Ensure that visitor access requirements are met.
• Contribute to the collective effort to keep the site clean and safe for visitors.

Health and safety

• Lead on food safety working with external support as required, ensuring records are kept up to date and training is completed.
• Maintain allergens documentation.
• Understand Charleston’s emergency procedures and in the event of an emergency, help oversee the safe evacuation of the buildings.
• Monitor health & safety day to day, being vigilant to potential hazards.

Who are you

You are qualified chef or catering professional who is excited by the prospect of developing training, business partnerships and product development in conjunction with the staff and volunteers at our community garden, kitchen and nursery in Richmond.

About your values and strengths 

You will be someone who:

• Grasps new ideas and opportunities and runs with them
• Has the energy and skills to share their knowledge with others
• Is a powerful advocate for learning and development, particularly for people with learning disabilities
• Will be able to mobilise the skills and resources of staff, volunteers and users of the service to deliver work and the work of the kitchen and its development
• Will see the value of, and maximise the opportunities available to through the work of the community garden, its produce and the resources to be developed from it.
• Is confident in approaching other organisations and individuals to drive business and operational development

What we want you to do

Out "Kitchen at the Stud" project is a new initiative funded in partnership with the Royal Borough of Richmond. The Kitchen is a fully refurbished resource at the heart of our Horticultural Service based in grounds of Hampton Court Palace.

The Community Garden is an extensive horticultural resource and the kitchen project is an integrated part of our developing programme of learning and skills development. The Kitchen Lead will work with the garden team in building the kitchen into both a publicly accessible amenity, a training resource, seasonal cafe available on open days and for targeted group dining in addition to exploring the potential for product lines for public sale.

What you can expect from us

Balance is a specialist provider of community based support and services across SW London to people with learning disabilities and enduring mental health support needs. We are:

• A charity that works hard to put its people, those who it supports and those who provide its services at the heart of what we do.
• A charity that takes its mission and values seriously in developing its services, operational approach and commercial relationships
• An organisation supports and encourages its staff to participate as partners in our development as a business, our outcomes and the delivery of our values.

• Entrepreneurial, outward facing, collaborative and embrace the testing of new ideas and initiative.

Additional Benefits of working for us

• A commitment to training and professional development to support internal progression in and beyond the charity.
• Inclusion in and a 3% employers contribution to the charity's pension scheme.
• Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days a year plus bank holidays and an additional day off for your birthday.
• Access to a range of discount schemes including Blue Light Card
• Access to the charity's employee assistance programme.
• Access to travel card loan, and bike to work scheme.

Role Summary

Job Title: Corporate Engagement Manager (UK)
Reporting To: Senior Corporate Engagement Manager, ProVeg International
Location: UK-based, ideally within travelling distance of London
Hours: 35 hours per week (1.0 FTE); part-time also possible (0.8 FTE)
Salary: £32k - £36k per annum (based on 1.0 FTE) 
Contract: 2 year fixed-term contract

Job Details

We are seeking a highly motivated Corporate Engagement Manager to implement and develop our programme on the Corporate Protein Transition in the UK (70%), as well as to support this work internationally (30%). This critical role will focus on accelerating the protein transition by advocating for more ambitious action from supermarkets, foodservice and government.

You will be responsible for cultivating relationships with civil society partners, food companies and policymakers, positioning ProVeg as a leading organisation and trusted partner on healthy, sustainable diets. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the UK’s corporate and civil society landscape around sustainable food systems, excellent communication skills, and a proven track record of influencing decision-makers.

Responsibilities

UK (70%)

• In collaboration with ProVeg UK leadership, lead the implementation of the Corporate Protein Transition Programme in the UK, to increase retailer and foodservice companies’ ambitions regarding the protein transition. 
• Encourage companies to adopt protein split target-setting and promote best practices for increasing the share of plant-based sales.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with NGOs, major food retailers, foodservice companies, government institutions, and policymakers.
• Monitor and analyse public opinion, consumer trends, and scientific developments related to plant-based diets to inform team strategies.
• Support the monitoring of national legislative developments related to sustainability and food systems; draft policy briefs and advocacy materials to influence decisions on the protein transition.
• Work closely with the UK Communications Manager to develop impactful strategic communication plans to drive public and stakeholder engagement.
• Support with representation of ProVeg at national B2B conferences, food systems roundtables, and other strategic events.
• Organise and facilitate stakeholder engagement initiatives, including roundtables and webinars.
• Identify relevant UK funding opportunities and support the development of funding proposals led by ProVeg International.
   

International (30%)

• Support the international team in rolling out foodservice strategy as part of the Corporate Protein Transition programme, in collaboration with country leads. 
• Support the alignment of a European civil society coalition around a single shared protein diversification ask of major food companies.
• Support the design, procurement, delivery and dissemination of influential research and reports that will support corporate protein diversification at European level. 
• Work closely with the International Senior Corporate Engagement Manager to support the implementation of the Corporate Protein Transition programme across ProVeg countries.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in corporate affairs, policy, or advocacy, ideally in the fields of food systems, public health, or sustainability.
• Experience in building relationships and driving change, for example with government agencies, supermarket executives, NGOs, or thought leaders.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Strong project management and organisational skills with an eye for detail.
• Ability to synthesise complex data and policy insights into compelling strategies and messaging.
• Self-motivated, proactive and collaborative team player.
• Willingness to travel for stakeholder meetings and events.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and work efficiently in a dynamic environment.
• Flexible and agile approach, with a willingness to be a true team player and fill gaps as needed.
• Ability to work well unsupervised with experience of working in remote teams with a reliable internet connection.
   

Desirable:

• Existing network within the UK food retail or policy landscape.
• Experience in supermarket engagement or corporate sustainability advocacy.
• A working understanding of UK policy-making structures, key stakeholders, and legislative processes.

Benefits of working with us

• A strong organisational focus on personal development, with a designated training budget.
• Provision of a work laptop.
• Flexible, trust-based working arrangements and home-office arrangements.
• Career development support.
• Mental health & wellbeing support via access to the OpenUp platform and a free Headspace subscription
• We are a workplace that encourages everyone to bring their whole selves to work. We are an inclusive workplace for our diverse employees around the world.
• Generous annual leave entitlement - 25 days increasing by one day a year to a maximum of 30 days (plus bank holidays)
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme including counselling
• Access to 24/7 virtual GP Service
• Access to the Wisdom app with exclusive perks and discounts
• Compassionate animal companion leave
• And, last but not least, become part of a great team and work with us towards a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet!

When?

• Application deadline: 30th Nov
• Trial task: rolling basis, by 15th Dec
• Team interviews: 15th Dec - 10th Jan
   

Our Application Procedure

Your application should include a cover letter and CV. Please indicate your motivation for the role and describe how you meet the requirements. Please send us your application using our online form. Thank you!

Important: Please make sure to use your own words and ideas on the cover letter. The goal is for us to know you better in order to assess if this role and your motivation are a good fit. Letters written with AI will be disregarded.