About this role
Summary
We're looking for a Kitchen Manager to join us.
You'll lead a large and complex kitchen operation, delivering high-quality, fresh and seasonal food at scale while ensuring exceptional standards of food quality and safety to help create food experiences that connect visitors with the stories and places we care for.
The National Trust's commitment is "For everyone, for ever." Bringing that promise to life starts with the people that work here. It means building teams with a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. It means creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Our roles are open to all. However, we particularly welcome applications from people from ethnically diverse communities because they are underrepresented at the Trust.
What it's like to work here
Food plays an important role in supporting the National Trust's conservation work. Every meal served helps generate income to care for nature, beauty and history, and our food offer is designed to reflect the unique character and stories of our places.
As Kitchen Manager, you'll undertake a varied and rewarding role where you'll balance quality and compliance with commercial performance while leading a skilled and dedicated team. We welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.
What you'll be doing
You'll have responsibility for the day-to-day performance of a busy kitchen operation, planning production, managing resources and ensuring high standards of food quality across all areas of delivery. Using fresh, seasonal ingredients, you'll oversee the preparation and delivery of menus that reflect the Trust's values and brand standards.
You'll lead and develop a varied team, creating an inclusive culture where expectations are clear and people are supported to grow.
You'll manage stock, ordering, waste, labour and budgets, using performance data and commercial insight to maximise efficiency. You'll also take ownership of food safety, allergen management and back-of-house compliance, ensuring a safe and reliable operation.
Who we're looking for
You’ll bring a broad range of the following knowledge, skills and experience, shaped by different roles, sectors or career paths. Please use your application to demonstrate how you meet the criteria below:
- Experienced chef or kitchen leader with a recognised professional cookery qualification, such as NVQ Level 3 or equivalent.
- Experienced in leading busy kitchen teams within a high-volume food and beverage environment.
- Committed to producing high-quality food using fresh, seasonal ingredients.
- Confident managing budgets, food costs, stock control and waste reduction to achieve commercial targets.
- Knowledgeable about food safety, allergen management, health and safety and compliance requirements.
- Inclusive people leader who can motivate, develop and support a team to perform at their best.
- Able to analyse performance information and make informed decisions to improve results.
- Effective communicator who builds positive relationships with a range of stakeholders.
The package
The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.
- Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
- Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
- Rental deposit loan scheme
- Season ticket loan
- EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
- Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
- Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.
- Flexible working whenever possible
- Employee assistance programme
- Free parking at most Trust places
Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.