Education Business Lead, School Catering

Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced professional with a strong background in contract management, ideally within a local authority or multi-academy trust setting to manage the council's contract for the provision of school meals.

This pivotal role serves as the primary liaison between Portsmouth schools, the contracted school catering provider, and internal council colleagues.The post holder will lead efforts to ensure that children across Portsmouth have access to high-quality, nutritious meals, with a particular emphasis on increasing uptake among pupils eligible for free school meals.

Key responsibilities include:

• Day-to-day management of the council’s school meals contract, currently serving 35 schools.
• Oversight of the School Meals Service Level Agreement (SLA), including kitchen equipment maintenance and contract management systems.
• Regular site visits to schools to monitor service delivery and foster strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Strategic involvement in the re-tendering process for the city-wide school meals contract ahead of its expiry on 31 July 2029, with consideration for potential changes due to Local Government Reorganisation.

The ideal candidate will have:

A Minimum Level 3 qualification or equivalent experience and Food Safety and Hygiene Level 2 certification is required.

Proven experience in contract management, particularly within education or catering services. Strong understanding of food policies in schools and education practices.

A soundunderstanding of the education sector, including curriculum priorities and operational challenges. Knowledge of government policies related to school food provision.Familiarity with large-scale catering operations, building maintenance, and health and safety regulations.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships across all levels. Resilience and adaptability under pressure, with a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to work independently and meet deadlines. Commitment to delivering high-quality customer service. Effective negotiation and conflict resolution skills.Ability to respond decisively to emerging issues, working collaboratively with stakeholders to identify and implement effective solutions.

Please ensure that you read the full job profile attached for the details and expectations of this role, paying particular attention the section 'Who is the person' as you will need to refer to this when completing your Personal statement on your application.

We offer hybrid working with the expectation to attend the office 1-2 days a week. The post-holder will also need to be able to visit Portsmouth schools.

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:

If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Alison Critchley - alison.critchley@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Interviews will be held on 1st or 3rd October 2025

Application process

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.

As part of your application, we ask that you complete a personal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person'points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills.This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal.We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under one of our commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however for roles that receive a large number of applications, this is not always possible, and we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

About Portsmouth City Council

What we can offer you:

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.

Read more about working at Portsmouth City Council and our benefits on our careers portal homepage: Careers Portal - Find jobs with Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council iscommittedto safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers tosharethiscommitment.

DBS Disclosure at Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Should you require anysupportin completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616800