Meal Services Team Leader

Role Summary:
Health and Independent Living Support (HILS) is a growing charitable social enterprise, providing services to clients in Hertfordshire and West Sussex to enable them to live independently in their own homes. This role will involve ensuring the effective and efficient operation of all our meals on wheels services at our Letchworth site. The role will involve ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction and safety, ensure service standards are met fully and consistently, and that an excellent and caring service is provided to every client.
Location: Unit 16, Green Lane One, Blackhorse Road, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, SG6 1HB
Hours: The successful candidate will be required to work 08:00 till 16:00 Monday to Friday including some occasional weekend days (There is some degree of flexibility with hours in this role, to be agreed with line manager)
Salary:£26,541 - £28,678 (depending on experience)
Principle Responsibilities:
Day-to-day leadership of the operational team
Rota-management: to ensure that all operationally critical roles are covered 365 days a year, within budget, by implementing a comprehensive rota system, this means: ensuring cover for the entire week every week, and arranging emergency cover where staff become unavailable for their shifts.
Staff recruitment and performance management: working with the HR team to bring in new team members, providing on the job training, managing team and individual performance through team meetings and 1:1 supervisions, ensuring excellent communication with all team members about processes and procedures, supporting staff wellbeing.
Monitoring customer service standards and service delivery standards to ensure we provide a safe, excellent, and caring service to every client. This will include responding appropriately to dissatisfied clients and managing complaints.
Lead and undertake all activities in line with the HILS values, and to embed a positive and caring culture.
To organise, control, and supervise the day-to-day running of all Meal Services, overseeing:
Stock management: working with Stock Controller(s) to monitor stock use, wastage, and food orders;
Fleet management: working with Support Services(s) to ensure vehicles remain in good working order, reporting and resolving issues, ensuring they are kept clean and serviceable;
Equipment and facilities: working with Support Services(s) to ensure there is sufficient non-meals stock (gloves, probes, uniform, etc.), ensuring distribution to team members as required;
Food safety and compliance: working with the Deputy Meal Services Manager(s) to ensure we operate in line with legislation and HILS policies regarding Food Safety, Health and Safety, Data Protection, Safeguarding, etc.;
Client debt management: ensuring debt processes are followed;
Client wellbeing and safeguarding: ensuring that all safeguarding concerns are raised and followed up as appropriate with relevant County Council teams and other partners.
Stakeholder management and effective communication:
To work and communicate with other HILS colleagues to support safe, excellent, and caring service delivery across the organisation;
To work with partner organisations and suppliers to achieve joint outcomes and to build and maintain good working relationships (e.g. hosting representatives at the site, working together on ad hoc projects);
To work with HILS Senior Team: reporting incidents, issues, and working with colleagues to continually improve and develop the service; ensuring that information is collected and maintained to support the efficient use of facilities, equipment, IT, stock, and vehicles.
Important note:
This is not a complete statement of all duties and responsibilities of this post. The jobholder may be required to carry out other duties as directed by the Meals Service Manager and other members of the Senior Leadership Team, the responsibility level of which should not exceed those outlined above.
Qualifications & Job Requirements:
Essential:
A levels or equivalent experience
Ability to attend any HILS’ site
The right to work in the UK
Satisfactory DBS check
Full UK driving licence
Skills, Knowledge, and Experience:
Essential:
Leadership skills
Good written and verbal communication skills
Experience of supervising in an operational role
Experience of supervising a team
Excellent organisational skills
Ability to think creatively to solve operational problems
Excellent attention to detail
Work with minimum levels of supervision
Ability to complete paperwork and keep records accurately and promptly
Good ICT skills, including the ability to use Excel, Outlook, Word and to learn specialist software
Desirable:
Experience of the older people’s sector
Personal Qualities:
Essential:
Ability to communicate with internal and external customers effectively, both verbally and in writing
Ability to operate as a positive team member
Reliability
Confidence and ability to deal with people at all levels
Ability to work on own initiative
Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
Ability to plan and organise workload
Commitment to providing great customer service
Ability to model HILS’ values, behaviours, and equalities requirements
Desirable:
Interest in older people’s sector
Interest in the voluntary and community sector