Role Summary
Join our team and help us improve public sector food across the UK with our School Plates and new Hospital Plates programmes. We're looking for a passionate and driven Chef Trainer to support schools and hospitals in delivering healthier and more sustainable menus.
The programmes continue to go from strength to strength. Through School Plates, we currently support over a third of all UK local authorities, catering for more than 12,000 schools and feeding over 1.25 million children daily. To date, we have been responsible for swapping over 50 million school meals from meat-based to meat-free or plant-based. We're now expanding our successful model into the health sector with our new Hospital Plates programme, bringing the same positive change to patient and staff menus.
Are you a skilled chef trainer with a passion for improving public food? Can you match our ambition? You'll be using your culinary expertise to train catering teams in both schools and hospitals, provide menu advice, and get involved with recipe development and culinary education. You will also run cooking workshops for pupils in secondary schools, inspiring the next generation to get excited about plant-based food. You will also build and manage relationships with our catering partners, helping them deliver delicious and sustainable meals. This is a UK-wide role and will require travel to different sites.
We’re looking for someone to join our team for 3 days a week but are open to applicants looking for flexible working hours, including, potentially, 4 days a week.
Job Details
Job Title: Chef Trainer - School Plates & Hospital Plates
Reporting to: Programme Manager, UK
Location: Remote (home-based with travel across UK)
Hours: 21-28 hours per week (0.6-0.8 FTE)
Salary: £32,000 per annum pro rata (based on 1.0 FTE)
Responsibilities
As our Chef Trainer & Programme Support, you'll be a key player in developing and delivering our School Plates and Hospital Plates programmes. You'll use your culinary expertise and passion for food system change to create resources, train professionals, and engage with our partners.
Key Responsibilities
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Recipe Development & Training: You'll co-lead the creation, testing, and development of new plant-based recipes for our school and hospital programmes, and lead on developing ‘grab-and-go’ and internationally inspired options for secondary schools. You'll also plan and deliver training sessions, including in-person and online workshops, and create e-learning courses for caterers.
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Programme Development & Support: Work closely with programme managers to develop and refine the strategy for our initiatives. This includes supporting pilot programmes, measuring their impact, and creating bespoke catering resources for our partners.
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Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Represent our organisation at events and in meetings, providing expert catering advice and information on our programmes. Collaborate with our communications manager to create engaging content, including recipes and videos for our website, e-learning platform and social media.
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Education & Outreach: Partner with our education manager to plan and co-deliver secondary school cooking workshops. These sessions will teach pupils basic plant-based culinary skills that align with the National Curriculum as well as inspire the next generation to choose plant-forward options and learn about the impact of their food choices in a positive way.
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Inspire Catering Teams: Your role is to build and maintain relationships with catering partners, providing expert catering advice and practical recipe suggestions. You'll work with them directly on pilot programmes, offering bespoke support to inspire positive menu changes. You'll also provide essential administrative support for our programmes and help create and deliver presentations to promote our work to a wider audience.
Qualifications
Essential
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Experienced in planning and delivering cooking workshops to groups.
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Experience of working in a culinary setting and developing recipes with a strong interest in plant-based recipes.
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Excellent communication skills and be a confident and engaging educator.
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Flexible and agile approach, with a willingness to be a true team player and fill gaps as needed.
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Proactive with initiative and drive.
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Strong organisational skills.
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Attention to detail.
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Solution-focused and resilient.
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Confident in creating basic spreadsheets and slide decks.
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Ability to work well under pressure and manage time effectively in a fast-paced and small but fast-growing non-profit work environment.
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Ability to work well unsupervised with experience of working in remote teams with a reliable internet connection.
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Passionate about food systems change.
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Alignment with our vision and mission.
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Based in the UK and able to attend meetings, events, and training to represent the team and programme across the UK.
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Willing to travel across the UK for workshops and events.
Desirable
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Experience of working within school and/or hospital food.
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Experience of food photography and creating recipe content for social platforms or online courses.
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Experience of managing projects.
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Experience of liaising with local authorities, schools, or other public sector bodies.
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Experience in the field of nutrition, including an interest in plant-based nutrition.
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Experience of working in the food, health or environmental sector.
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Experience of using customer relationship management (CRM) systems (training will be provided).
Benefits of working with us
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Generous annual leave entitlement - 25 days per year, with an additional day granted at the start of each calendar up to a maximum of 30 days (plus bank holidays)
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A strong organisational focus on personal development, with a designated training budget.
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Provision of a work laptop.
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Flexible, trust-based working arrangements and home-office arrangements.
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Career development support
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Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay
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Compassionate animal companion leave
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Employee Assistance Programme including counselling
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Access to 24/7 virtual GP Service
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Mindfulness support via a free Headspace account for you and up to 5 friends or family members
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Access to the Wisdom app with exclusive perks and discounts
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Membership to the OpenUp platform
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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.
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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: 5th October 2025
Start date: November 2025
Application process and timeline
Please submit your application using our online form including your CV and cover letter. By submitting your application you agree that your personal data will be processed by and shared with our UK entity (ProVeg C.I.C.) and German entity (ProVeg e.V.).
The recruitment process consists of two rounds: 1): an online trial task; 2): an interview with the Programme Manager and Director.
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Application deadline: 5th October 2025
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Online trial task: sent to longlisted candidates by 10th October 5pm, to be completed by 12 October at 5pm
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Interviews: take place on 21st and 22nd October 2025
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Start date: November 2025
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
ABOUT US
The Woodland Trust is the UK's leading woodland conservation charity and is dedicated to creating a world where trees and woods thrive for both people and nature. Our mission involves engaging and inspiring individuals to contribute toward tackling the nature and climate crisis through the protection, restoration, and creation of essential woodland habitats.
Join our Online Information Session! We are hosting an Online Information Session with the CEO and existing Director of Brand and Communications (Supporter Mobilisation) to give candidates an opportunity to learn more about the role and to ask any questions.
The session will last no longer than 45 minutes and will be held at 15:30 on Monday 1st September.
THE ROLE
We are looking for an experienced, visionary leader to join our Executive Leadership Team as Executive Director of Supporter Mobilisation. This is a newly refocused position, shaped with the future in mind, and designed to deepen the public’s relationship with trees and woods. We are fighting for the health of people and the planet with every tree.
You will be at the helm of our strategy to engage millions-inspiring action, growing income, and strengthening our brand. Leading a talented and passionate team, you’ll develop bold, integrated campaigns that move hearts and minds. You’ll oversee communications, digital and community fundraising, membership, and our high-profile campaigns and Trees for All programme that builds public awareness and inspires a mass movement of support for our cause.
Working closely with the CEO and fellow Executive Directors, you’ll also play a key role in shaping the strategic direction of the Trust and ensuring alignment across our work, people, and values. Helping the Trust protect and restore woodlands that have stood for centuries - the crown jewels of the natural world in the UK - and create the woods of the future, means this role will leave a legacy which will last for generations. It’s an opportunity to lead with purpose, engage and inspire others, and literally change the nature of the UK landscape for the better.
THE CANDIDATE
We are looking for a senior leader with a track record in large-scale communications, supporter engagement and mobilisation, or fundraising. You’ll have a strong understanding of how to use inspiring stories, quality data, and digital innovation to move people to action-and how to build momentum around a mission.
You’ll bring strategic insight and a collaborative spirit, with the gravitas to influence at the highest levels and the heart to connect with people from all walks of life - helping us to bring trees and woods to all.
Just as important as your skills is your alignment with our cause. You’ll be values-led - passionate about our cause and excited by the potential of this pivotal role to shape lasting change.
Our Organisational Nature enables us to better understand what it means to be part of the Woodland Trust, empowering us to make an impact, every day. We want you to be able to role model our values; ‘Grow Together’, ‘Focus’, ‘Explore’ and ‘Make it Count’ to ensure each of us plays our part in helping to protect, restore and create our woods and trees.
Benefits & Wellbeing: Joining our team means you'll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:
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Enhanced Employer Pension
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Life Assurance
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Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
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Generous Annual Leave (25 days + bank holidays)
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Annual leave buy and sell
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Enhanced Parental Pay
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Employee Assistance Programme
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: The Woodland Trust embraces diversity and inclusion. We want our team to reflect the UK's diverse community. We support people from all backgrounds to apply, especially those who are under-represented.
Application Advice: Even if you don't meet every requirement of the role, we would encourage you to apply. Your enthusiasm for the environment and our core values-Grow Together, Explore, Focus and Make it Count-are what matter most.
To maintain fairness and reduce bias during shortlisting, we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from hiring managers, please help us to maintain your anonymity by removing personal details from your CV prior to submission.
Apply Now: If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We look forward to hearing from you and working together to make a positive impact on our planet.
1st Stage Interviews will be held via Teams on Wednesday 8 October 2025.
2nd Stage Interviews will be held in-person at our Grantham Office on Tuesday 14 October 2025
Details of both events will be shared with shortlisted candidates prior to each stage.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.