Learning without Limits Academy Trust - Trust Catering Manager
Hours: 37 hours per week, 52 weeks per year
Closing date: 8th April 2026, interviews scheduled to be held on 16th April 2026
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if suitably qualified applicants are identified. Early applications are strongly encouraged.
About the role
Learning without Limits Academy Trust is seeking an experienced and ambitious Trust Catering Manager to lead and further develop our in‑house catering provision across our academies.
Significant progress has already been made in strengthening the Trust’s catering service, with improved consistency, standards, and operational foundations now firmly in place. This appointment presents an exciting opportunity for the next postholder to build on that progress — continuing to develop a commercially viable, high‑quality catering offer that meets the needs of our learners across a diverse range of school communities.
The successful candidate will play a key role in increasing meal uptake, enhancing the dining experience, and ensuring that catering services are efficient, compliant, and well‑managed across multiple sites. Working closely with academy leaders and central teams, you will provide strong operational leadership, support and challenge catering teams, and drive continuous improvement in service delivery, including the development of menus that reflect a broad range of tastes and expectations.
This is a highly visible Trust‑wide role, suited to someone with strong leadership skills, a sound understanding of school catering operations, and the confidence to balance quality, nutrition, inclusivity, and commercial performance in a busy, multi‑site environment.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact David Goulding, Chief Operating Officer, for an informal discussion about the role and the next phase of development for the Trust’s catering provision.
Why work for us?
LwLAT is a multi-academy trust based in the heart of Leicester City, serving diverse and vibrant communities. Our strength comes from our commitment to Inclusivity, Ambition, Integrity and Accountability. By celebrating and sharing the great work we do, through our vision and values, there are no limits to what our learners, staff, and communities can achieve. We offer an environment focussed on continuous professional development where ambitious and innovative leaders thrive and progress.
As a Trust we value inclusive working practices and diverse teams. If you’d prefer to work part-time or as a job-share, please let us know on your application and we’ll facilitate this wherever we can.
We are looking for someone who has:
- Excellent communication skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Experience managing catering operations, ideally across multiple sites
- Strong knowledge of Food Safety, Health & Safety, COSHH and School Food Standards
- Experience of menu planning, stock control, procurement and budget management
- The ability to lead and support catering teams and maintain high operational standards
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage priorities across multiple academies
If you can answer yes to the above, then you could be the person we are looking for.
What we can offer you
- Access to the highly competitive Local Government Pension Scheme
- Access to extensive, free and confidential wellbeing services, including counselling, physiotherapy, GP phone and video consultations, menopause support, manspace and mindfulness programmes
- Staff Benefits Package – access to a huge range of savings from retailers such as Currys, Halfords, Wilko, Asda, Tesco, M&S, Morrisons and many more
- Cycle to Work – make tax and National Insurance savings on a new bike and safety accessories via salary sacrifice, managed through the Trust
- Free Financial Support Service from Barclays – support with all aspects of your financial health and wellbeing, open to all staff
- Eye Test Vouchers – free SpecSavers vouchers
- Free Annual Flu Vaccine
How to Apply:
For safer recruitment purposes we will only accept fully completed application forms through eTeach. CVs and resumes will not be considered. This post is subject to a successful Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check and satisfactory references.
The Learning without Limits Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS with barred list check, and a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013, 2020 and 2023). This means that certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website:
Social Media Checks
As part of the shortlisting process, in line with measures identified in statutory guidance relating to safeguarding practice, the Trust will conduct searches on candidates selected for interview, through a third party, on social media in order to identify anything that could give rise to a safeguarding concern in what has been said or done online. Only information relevant to safeguarding concerns obtained from the search will be passed over for consideration during the recruitment process.
Diversity Statement
As an equal opportunities employer, the Learning without Limits Academy Trust is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.
We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us.