Selection criteria
Applicants must address each criterion and provide relevant examples from their experience.
SC1. Specialist food-service operations
Demonstrated experience and specialised knowledge in food preparation, cooking, menu development and the delivery of high-quality food services, including the capacity to manage a defined food-service work area.
SC2. Operational, financial and resource management
Demonstrated capacity to coordinate operational processes including purchasing, stock control, inventory, food costing, pricing, point-of-sale procedures, budgeting and accurate record keeping.
SC3. Food safety, compliance and risk management
Demonstrated knowledge of food-safety legislation, allergen management, occupational health and safety requirements and relevant school policies, with the capacity to implement and maintain effective compliance systems and safe work practices.
SC4. Leadership and workforce supervision
Demonstrated ability to coordinate, train and directly supervise staff and young people within a workplace, ensuring routine tasks are completed to the required standard and promoting teamwork, customer service, safety and professional conduct.
SC5. Communication, relationships and child safety
Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, including the capacity to build positive relationships with students, staff, families, suppliers and the wider community while maintaining professional boundaries and a child-safe environment.
SC6. Organisation, judgement and continuous improvement
Demonstrated ability to work with a degree of independence, manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgement within established guidelines, solve operational problems and improve systems, efficiency and service delivery.
Position overview
The Canteen Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation, management and continuous improvement of the College canteen. The position combines hands-on food preparation and cooking with operational management, customer service, workforce supervision and community engagement.
The canteen is an important part of the school community. The successful applicant will create a welcoming, positive and approachable environment where students and staff can access delicious, nutritious, affordable and satisfying food. The role requires an experienced and capable cook who understands the realities of preparing food for large numbers of people, together with strong organisational, leadership, financial and people skills.
The Canteen Manager will directly supervise staff and student employees working rostered shifts within the canteen. Like a well-run hospitality or quick-service workplace, students will contribute to daily preparation, customer service, cleaning and service routines while receiving clear instruction, coaching and feedback. Responsibility for the broader Student Food Business program remains with the staff member leading that program.
The Canteen Manager will work collaboratively with Food Technology, the School Farm/Garden, the Student Food Business program and College staff to improve the canteen and support school priorities. We are looking for someone enthusiastic about food, comfortable working with young people and committed to continually asking, ¿How can we make this better?¿
Role context and classification
This position is designed as an Education Support Class Level 1 Range 3 role. It is accountable for the effective operation of a defined College service and coordinates a specialist work area under the direction of the Principal or delegate. The role applies specialised food-service knowledge, manages operational and financial processes, maintains compliance systems, coordinates staff and student workers, and exercises judgement within established Department and College policies and procedures.
Key duties and responsibilitiesFood preparation and menu development
Develop menus that balance nutrition, affordability, variety, taste, operational sustainability and the preferences of teenagers.
Prepare and cook fresh, delicious and nutritious food suitable for a secondary school environment, including home-style and larger-batch meals.
Provide hearty and satisfying options that meet the needs of growing young people.
Regularly introduce new dishes, trial products and respond to student feedback and sales patterns.
Use seasonal and locally available produce where appropriate, including produce from the School Farm/Garden.
Monitor food quality, presentation, portion control and consistency.
Identify practical opportunities to reduce food waste and make effective use of available ingredients.
Canteen operations
Coordinate daily preparation, service, lunch-order fulfilment and close-down procedures.
Manage lunch orders for the Secondary College and partner Primary School arrangements where applicable.
Ensure the canteen is organised, clean, welcoming and operating efficiently.
Anticipate fluctuations in student numbers, weather, events, demand and purchasing patterns.
Adjust production, staffing and stock levels in response to changing circumstances.
Identify operational problems quickly and implement practical solutions within established procedures.
Ensure the canteen is prepared for peak service periods, school activities and special events.
Maintain secure opening, closing, key, appliance, access and cash-handling arrangements.
Financial, stock and resource management
Manage the canteen¿s operational and financial processes to support long-term sustainability.
Complete regular stocktakes and maintain accurate purchasing, stock and inventory records.
Manage ordering, receiving and supplier relationships, checking deliveries against invoices and delivery documentation.
Monitor food costs, pricing, waste, margins and purchasing decisions.
Use sales, stock and cost information to make informed decisions about menu items, pricing and production.
Balance food quality and affordability with responsible financial management.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and minimise unnecessary costs without compromising food quality, safety or student experience.
Operate point-of-sale systems and complete required cash reconciliation and reporting processes.
Food safety, compliance and occupational health and safety
Act as, or obtain the qualifications required to be nominated as, the Food Safety Supervisor for the canteen.
Implement and maintain the canteen Food Safety Program, required records, temperature controls, cleaning schedules and hygiene procedures.
Ensure food is prepared, stored, transported and served in accordance with applicable food-safety requirements.
Understand and appropriately manage allergens, dietary requirements, cross-contamination risks and food recalls.
Ensure all staff, volunteers and student employees follow food-safety, hygiene and safe-work procedures.
Undertake routine hazard identification and risk-management activities and promptly report maintenance or safety issues.
Prepare for and support municipal registration, inspection and renewal requirements.
Operate consistently with Child Safe Standards, Department policies and College procedures.
Leadership, team management and student workforce supervision
Provide clear, decisive and supportive day-to-day leadership to canteen staff, volunteers and student employees.
Organise daily tasks, staffing requirements and student work allocations to ensure efficient preparation and service.
Supervise student employees directly during rostered canteen shifts, including preparation, customer service, cleaning and close-down tasks.
Provide practical instruction in food preparation, food handling, point-of-sale processes, customer service and workplace routines.
Model professional workplace behaviours including punctuality, presentation, communication, initiative, teamwork and responsibility.
Train, coach and provide constructive feedback to staff and student employees while maintaining clear professional boundaries.
Ensure student employees understand and follow food-safety, occupational health and safety, child-safety and workplace expectations.
Maintain a safe, supportive and inclusive work environment and liaise with relevant staff about student participation where required.
Resolve routine day-to-day staffing and service issues and escalate matters outside the role¿s authority to the Principal or delegate.
Student engagement, customer service and community
Create a canteen that students and staff feel comfortable visiting and engaging with.
Develop positive relationships with students while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
Listen to student feedback and consider ideas when developing menus and services.
Respond respectfully to differing nutritional, cultural, dietary and financial needs.
Deliver timely, friendly and consistent customer service during busy service periods.
Contribute to a positive College culture through the daily operation of the canteen.
Collaboration and College partnerships
Work with Food Technology to identify appropriate opportunities to share expertise, resources, facilities and learning connections.
Work with the School Farm/Garden to incorporate school-grown and seasonal produce where practical.
Work with the staff member responsible for the Student Food Business program to support the sale or promotion of student-developed products where appropriate. This role does not manage the broader student business program.
Work with College staff and leadership to respond to changing operational needs and support broader initiatives.
Contribute practical food and service solutions for events, celebrations and special activities, adjusting menus, production and staffing as required.
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
Hours8.00am - 4.00pm (earlier time negotiable) Skills and experience
Demonstrated experience in a kitchen, café, catering, quick-service restaurant or food-service environment.
Strong cooking skills, including experience with home-style or large-batch cooking.
Experience with stock control, ordering, inventory, food costing, pricing and financial processes.
Strong food-safety and hygiene knowledge.
Experience leading, supervising, training or coordinating others.
Strong organisational, time-management, customer-service and problem-solving skills.
Confidence working independently in a busy and sometimes unpredictable environment.
Qualifications and employment requirementsEssential
Current Working with Children Check and suitability to work in a child-safe organisation.
Current Food Safety Supervisor qualification, or capacity to obtain the required qualification before or promptly following commencement.
Relevant experience in hospitality, catering, commercial cooking, café, retail food or comparable food-service operations.
Desirable
Certificate III or IV in Hospitality, Commercial Cookery, Catering or a related field.
Experience supervising staff or young people in a hospitality, retail or quick-service workplace.
Experience using point-of-sale, ordering, rostering and inventory-management systems.
Current First Aid qualification.
Personal qualities
Friendly, approachable and community-minded.
Passionate about fresh food, cooking, menu development and practical innovation.
Student-focused while maintaining clear expectations and professional boundaries.
Highly organised, efficient, proactive and hardworking.
Confident making timely operational decisions and taking responsibility for outcomes.
Adaptable, collaborative, solution-focused and open to feedback.
Committed to continuous improvement and high-quality service.
Our vision for the canteen
We see the canteen as more than a place where food is prepared and sold. It is a valued part of College life, a source of fresh and appealing food, and a real workplace where student employees can learn the routines and expectations of hospitality through direct participation in daily service.
The successful applicant will build on what is already working, identify opportunities for improvement and help develop the canteen into a vibrant, welcoming, professionally run and financially responsible service. We are looking for someone who loves food, enjoys working with people and wants to make a practical difference each day.
Accountability and reporting
The Canteen Manager works under the direction of the Principal or delegated manager. The position is accountable for the effective operation of the canteen within approved budgets, policies, procedures and delegated authority. Matters involving student wellbeing, conduct, safety, staffing, significant expenditure or issues outside established procedures must be referred to the appropriate College leader.
How to apply
Applications should include:
A curriculum vitae, including the names and contact details of relevant referees.
A written response addressing each of the six selection criteria.
Evidence of relevant qualifications and licences, where held.
Employment is subject to Department of Education recruitment requirements, satisfactory pre-employment checks and the College¿s child-safety obligations.
- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
¿Our job is not to prepare students for something, it is our job to activate our students to prepare themselves for anything.¿
Adapted from AJ Juliani.
Bundoora Secondary College is a year 7-12 College in a quiet residential area of Bundoora, a northern suburb of Melbourne. We are an innovative, caring school and take great pride in knowing every member of our community (both staff and students) as individuals and as learners.
The school is set on a well-developed, picturesque site adjacent to Gresswell Forest. The spacious grounds include a variety of playing fields and as our school farm continues to develop, a range of animal paddocks, productive gardens and indigenous flora plots. Our school is accessible by foot, bike or car and is well serviced by our school buses and public transport. Our school enjoys a strong partnership with our neighbours including Melbourne Polytechnic, Latrobe University and RMIT Bundoora Campus as well as other universities further afield. BSC is a Child Safe school and expects all employees to be cognisant of the expectations upon them to contribute positively to our child safe environment.
BSC is currently experiencing a period of strong growth as we implement our new curriculum program and pedagogical approach with a vertical structure of subject offerings across the traditional 8 ¿ 11 years called our PACE21 (Passion and Choice, Empowerment 21st Century skills) program. This program empowers students to choose the pace of their own learning journey. Our core purpose is to provide a broad and challenging education that is future focused and will develop students' 21st Century skills, abilities and knowledge for further education, training, work and community participation.
In order to do this, we require staff who are curious, flexible and generalist in their philosophy and thinking.
Students at BSC are not bound by the traditional year level classes. The school is broken into three cohorts - a common Entry year (the traditional year 7), PACE21 (traditionally years 8-11) and Graduation year (traditionally year 12). Our broad pathways focus and the vertical structure supports students choice and provides flexibility across our learning program ensuring that all students can engage in their learning at their point of interest and be challenged at their point of need.
Rigour remains a core value so high expectations of students will continue and progress will be routinely reported against the BSC Great Student (21st century skills) matrix and the Victorian Curriculum skills continuum to ensure that all students will achieve success. We are very much aware that ongoing feedback to students will support them in developing a growth mindset and promote learning so that each student can reach the next level.
We are a diverse and inclusive community. We live by our school values - Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, Relationships and Rigour (the 5 R¿s). At BSC, students have an authentic voice into the everyday decision making at the school. We provide a variety of opportunities for student voice such as a Student Leadership Council, student lead tours, public speaking at assemblies and membership of College Council with voting rights.
Learning takes place in well-equipped air-conditioned courtyard style buildings, which contain specialist areas including a Library Resource Centre and student social space, the ECA Centre which contains a gymnasium, weight training facility and drama studio, the Arts and Technology areas including food, wood and media, art and craft, ceramics, painting and drawing and music laboratories. Science rooms are fully equipped for practical experiments and activities with two 3D printers and an emphasis on robotics. Each classroom is provisioned with an interactive whiteboard and our 1:1 digital technologies program is enhanced by the schools provision of PCs and MACs.
To enhance the student¿s learning experience, traditional co-curricular programs such as sport, drama and music performances, instrumental music, excursions, camps, art exhibitions and displays and student leadership have been incorporated into the mainstream curriculum to ensure that all students can pursue their passions.
Strong emphasis is placed on catering for the individual learning style of each student. Achievements are recognised and celebrated. BSC promotes an environment that encourages students to investigate, understand and actively design and participate in their learning through a variety of teaching and learning strategies.
Parents are welcome and encouraged to participate in all College activities and to work with teachers in developing positive educational outcomes for their children. While formal reporting to parents takes place twice a year, the College emphasises the continual monitoring and communication of student progress to students and parents.
We actively involve our community in the development of our educational programs, policies and the provision of a supportive and caring environment. This is reflected in our house teams and our wellbeing structures that exist to assist students and parents. The implementation of the Student Empowerment Guidelines results in an environment where students from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds exhibit co-operation and acceptance towards each other.
We have established positive links with our neighbouring primary schools as a means of easing the transition of students into the College, as well as providing continuity in their educational programs.
Bundoora Secondary College ¿ BSC ¿ where students experience education by student choice.
