Search for more NHS jobs in London
Job overview
This is a role which will be key to the Trust’s role as leader and influencer in South East London and to achieving Essentia’s strategic ambitions. The role is highly autonomous and ultimately accountable for interpretations of legal and national catering policies and interpreting this into a deliverable strategy and operational practice that ensures GSTT sites are compliant.
The post holder will set the catering strategy, provide expert advice and deliver an operational service that covers all areas of catering including food service provision.
The role leads in all matters relating to the operational management of catering to include central production kitchen, producing 4+million patient meals annually for GSTT and external NHS contracts, retail, hospitality, sports and recreation. The post-holder will be responsible for reviewing, implementing and managing all the processes to ensure that services are delivered in accordance with Trust-wide policies and to ensure statutory compliance.
The successful candidate will possess a high level of financial acumen, leadership expertise, alongside the ability to lead catering functions to deliver operational excellence.
As one of the Essentia Leadership Team you will be required to work one weekend every 3 months and be part of the Directorates on-call rota.
Main duties of the job
- Identify new opportunities for the development of the services arising from changes in the external environment or internal innovation and potential threats and ways to respond to them.
- Lead a team of nearly 350 catering specialists directly employed GSTT staff.
- Establish and deliver operational performance (financial and non-financial) targets against agreed service standards, including compliance with Financial & Procurement Regulations.
- Continuously monitor and review services; identify and implement service, operational and financial improvements to deliver within allocated budgets, improving value for money, including being responsive to changing business needs.
- Leadership Standards (Aligned to NHS Management and Leadership Framework) The post holder will demonstrate compassionate, inclusive and values-led leadership, role modelling integrity, accountability and collaboration in all decision-making and professional interactions.
- The post holder will lead through clear objectives, coaching, feedback and development of others, supporting high performance and inclusive career progression across the team.
- The post holder will use data, audit, incidents, complaints, feedback and lived experience to inform improvement priorities, reduce inequity and strengthen service assurance.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews, please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent understanding and specialist knowledge of NHS catering departments.
- Highly developed communication skills, with ability to communicate highly complex information where exceptional influencing skills are required.
- Highly developed leadership skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust-wide and local performance expectations. Able to communicate complex technical, operational and risk information clearly to varied audiences using inclusive and accessible language.
Desirable
- Team player, able to motivate and inspire. Demonstrates inclusive, compassionate and accountable leadership, creates psychological safety, challenges discriminatory behaviour, and uses data and lived experience to improve fairness, belonging and outcomes.
Additional
Essential
- Commitment to Equality and Diversity for all and with a demonstrable leadership capacity in inclusion. Demonstrates commitment to anti-racist practice, inclusive leadership and equitable treatment of colleagues and service users, including disabled, neurodivergent and other underrepresented or marginalised groups.
- Commitment to the Essentia Way - working together, doing it well and looking after each other.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Extensive track record of effective partnership working with internal and external stakeholders
- Strong drive for performance and improvement.
- Proven strong written communication skills, in particular for complex drafting, and ability to produce & present effective business cases.
- Effective listening skills and the ability to build excellent interpersonal relationships
- Sound political judgment and sensitivity when dealing with stakeholders at all levels.
- Team player, able to motivate and inspire. Demonstrates inclusive, compassionate and accountable leadership, creates psychological safety, challenges discriminatory behaviour, and uses data and lived experience to improve fairness, belonging and outcomes
Previous experience
Essential
- Extensive, successful track record of leading catering functions within an Estates environment.
- Extensive, successful track record of leadership and achievement at a senior level in a relevant large, complex environment.
- Experience of formulating long term, strategic plans resulting in positive value for money outcomes.
- Experience of organisation-wide policy development, interpreting legislative and other requirements
Desirable
- Team player, able to motivate and inspire. Demonstrates inclusive, compassionate and accountable leadership, creates psychological safety, challenges discriminatory behaviour, and uses data and lived experience to improve fairness, belonging and outcomes.
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Education to Masters degree level, alongside additional professional training and specialist knowledge of catering services leadership, acquired through training and experience. Where a qualification is not a statutory requirement, equivalent demonstrable knowledge and experience may be considered in line with Agenda for Change principles.
Desirable
- Qualified to IEHO Advanced Level or able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding.
Professionals/ Statutory Registration
Essential
- No statutory professional registration is specified unless required by law for a particular function. Role-specific appointments and authorisations must be supported by competence, training and formal Trust appointment under the relevant governance arrangements.
Desirable
- Member of relevant professional organisation, eg. HCIMA.
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 8 Hospital Porter roles in London
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Assistant Director Catering with Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Estates and facilities role. The advertised salary is £88,250 - £100,355 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 02 Aug 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (17 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.