About this role
The HPC Jobs Service supports local people into exciting, long-term careers across our Project. Kitchen Assistant Supervisor Somerset Larder As a Kitchen Assistant Supervisor, you will oversee food prep and assembly operations while ensuring high standards of safety, quality, and efficiency. Acting as a link between management and staff, you will direct daily production workflows while fostering a fair, inclusive environment where tasks are shared equally and every team member receives opportunities to learn. Fair Team Leadership & People Management (Togetherness & Nurture) -Fair Task Distribution: Rotate tasks fairly, ensuring balance across the team whilst ensuring all staff can complete all tasks. -Equal Opportunity Champion an inclusive team culture where every Kitchen Assistant receives equal access to on-the-job training and cross-skilling across different prep sections. -Supportive & Objective Management: Lead by example with consistency, fairness, and transparency (Togetherness) Resolve day-to-day shift issues objectively and supportively -Team Morale & Inclusion: Encourage open communication, foster strong teamwork across shifts, and ensure every team member feels valued, heard, and respected regardless of background or experience level. Production & Operational Supervision -Oversee daily prep, assembly, and packaging workflows for high-volume ready-to-eat products and salads, -Ensure all products strictly follow approved spec sheets, portion controls, and wastage controls -Monitor efficiency to ensure production schedule is met on time. -Assist in organising daily shift allocations, rotation of duties, and break management fairly across the team. Quality, Food Safety & Hygiene Standards -Working with kitchen assistants, supporting food safety, ensuring strict adherence to HACCP guidelines, CCP controls, and allergen segregation procedures. -Monitor traceability documentation and blast chilling records, -Implement clean as you go attitude ensuring workstations, and production areas meet high cleaning standards on every shift. -Report operational hazards, equipment faults, or product non-conformances immediately to senior supervisors/management. -The role is based primarily within temperature-controlled cold rooms (chilled environments, <8°C) to maintain product freshness and safety. Thermal protective wear and specialised PPE are fully provided. Requires physical stamina, including standing for extended period and lifting Qualifications - -Experience in inclusive leadership, shift delegation, or mentoring staff. -Level 3 Award in Food Safety / HACCP certification. -Health & Safety qualification or First Aid at Work certificate -Experience operating in chilled high-care or high-risk manufacturing environments. Skills/Knowledge/Experience Required: Essential Leadership & Fairness: Demonstrated ability to lead people fairly and impartially, fostering an inclusive team dynamic with equal support for all members. Experience: Proven track record in a high-volume food production, central assembly kitchen, or commercial catering environment Qualifications: Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering/Manufacturing (or willingness to achieve Level 3 upon appointment). Communication: Clear, open, and empathetic communication skills to mentor and direct a diverse team during busy production. Attention to Detail: Precise approach to specs and allergen safety. Flexibility: Adaptable mindset regarding shift patterns, rota schedules, and support throughout the Central Production Kitchen. -Interpersonal Skills -Fairness & Impartiality -Treats every team member consistently and without bias, ensuring work assignments, break rotations, and development opportunities are distributed equitably. -Empathetic & Active Listening -Demonstrates a genuine willingness to listen to staff concerns, feedback, or shift challenges, ensuring team members feel heard, valued, and respected. -Clear & Approachable Communication -Adapts communication style to suit a diverse team, delivering daily briefs clearly, giving constructive feedback supportively, and maintaining an open-door presence -Conflict Resolution -Handles floor-level disagreements, friction, or misunderstandings calmly and objectively, de-escalating tensions before they impact shift morale. -Team Motivation & Engagement -Drives a positive, collaborative environment ("Be a tractor, not a trailer"), encouraging teamwork, recognizing good work, and keeping morale high during busy production runs. -Mentorship & Coaching Mindset -Takes pride in supporting staff (Nurture), offering patient guidance and encouragement to help others succeed. For this role you must have evidence of right to work in the UK. As a project, we do not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.