Assistant Director Catering | Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

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.

· 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.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best-known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high-quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation

We are among the UK’s busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark

The NHS Pension Scheme - one of the most generous and comprehensive in the UK. When you start working for the NHS you automatically become a member, and you will get an excellent package of pension benefits.

Interest free Season Ticket Loan

Long Term Service Awards

Subsidised on-site nurseries and childcare vouchers

A comprehensive staff health and well-being programme, '5 ways to a healthier YOU'

Ride to work scheme

Employee assistance programme

Free stop smoking service

Our Trust values

We are Caring / Ambitions / Inclusive

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.

This advert closes on Sunday 2 Aug 2026