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What you'll be doing in this role
Join one of Australia's leading residential aged care service providers for a career filled with heart and purpose. We'd love to hear from you.
Your work will include:
- Facilitating and overseeing the quality, timely and effective preparation of food in line with the unique needs of residents in an environment where dietary requirements can change rapidly.
- Planning and developing, in consultation with the Service Manager, Dietitian and residents, rotating seasonal menus that meet nutritional guidelines, cultural preferences and individual dietary needs.
- Preparing and cooking all daily meals, texture-modified meals and therapeutic diets while maintaining consistently high presentation and quality standards.
- Maintaining the storage, rotation and protection of food and catering supplies to ensure optimum stock utilisation and minimal wastage.
- Ensuring all food preparation and catering practices comply with Food Safety Standards, HACCP principles, infection control requirements and workplace health and safety legislation.
- Maintaining a safe work environment and promoting Safe Work Practices across the catering team.
- Managing stock control, ordering, supplier relationships, inventory management and budget performance across food, cleaning and laundry supplies.
- Leading, mentoring and supervising kitchen, catering and hospitality staff, including rostering, onboarding, training and performance management.
- Coordinating catering services for special functions, resident celebrations and family events.
- Monitoring food quality, resident satisfaction and continuous improvement initiatives through regular feedback and audits.
- Participating in accreditation processes, Food Safety Audits and quality improvement programs to maintain compliance with Aged Care Quality Standards.
- Maintaining kitchen equipment, coordinating repairs and ensuring preventative maintenance schedules are followed.
- Working collaboratively with clinical, lifestyle and management teams to support resident wellbeing and deliver exceptional dining experiences.
- Financial management and aspect of hospitality including linen management
Who we're looking for
You'll have:
- Certificate III in Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) or equivalent qualification.
- Demonstrated experience in a similar leadership role within aged care, healthcare or large-scale catering environments.
- Experience with cook-fresh and cook-chill production systems.
- Strong knowledge of texture-modified meals, IDDSI standards, therapeutic diets and specialised nutrition requirements.
- Demonstrated experience developing menus that meet dietary, cultural and nutritional requirements.
- Strong understanding of food safety legislation, HACCP principles and infection prevention practices.
- Experience participating in Food Safety Audits with a consistent history of achieving excellent outcomes.
- Proven experience managing food and labour budgets, purchasing, stock control and waste minimisation.
- Strong leadership skills with experience supervising, coaching and developing kitchen teams.
- Excellent organisational, communication and time management skills with the ability to work effectively under pressure.
- A commitment to continuous improvement, quality service delivery and resident-centred care.
- The adaptability, empathy and resourcefulness to live Uniting's everyday values of being compassionate, respectful, imaginative and bold.
- Staff leadership and mentoring
- HACCP and accreditation
- IDDSI/textured diets
- Budget and supplier management
- Quality improvement
- Resident satisfaction
- Equipment maintenance
- Cross-department collaboration
- Catering for functions and events
- Demonstrated experience managing catering operations within a large residential aged care service (100+ beds) using a fresh cook production model.
- Experience working within a household model of care, supporting chefs to prepare meals within household kitchens and delivering person-centred dining experiences.
- Proven experience managing catering budgets, financial reporting, purchasing, accounts, supplier contracts and stock management.
- Demonstrated leadership in preparing for and achieving successful Food Safety and Accreditation audit outcomes.
- Strong understanding of dementia-friendly dining practices and the nutritional needs of older people living with dementia.
Additional responsibilities will include:
- Leading the delivery of a fresh cook food service across a 134-bed residential aged care home, ensuring high-quality, nutritious meals are prepared daily using fresh ingredients.
- Participate and Lead Food Audit
- Overseeing food production across four secure dementia households and the main dining services, ensuring each household receives meals that meet residents' individual nutritional, cultural and texture-modified dietary requirements.
- Supporting a household model of care, where chefs actively prepare and cook meals within household kitchens to create a homelike dining experience that promotes resident choice, independence and engagement.
- Managing all catering budgets, financial accounts, purchasing, supplier relationships, ordering, invoice reconciliation and stock control to ensure efficient use of resources while maintaining food quality and budget targets.
- Monitoring food and labour costs, minimising waste and implementing cost-effective purchasing strategies without compromising quality or resident satisfaction.
- Leading and participating in Food Safety, Infection Control and Accreditation audits, ensuring ongoing compliance with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), HACCP principles and the Aged Care Quality Standards.
- Driving continuous quality improvement initiatives, maintaining documentation and implementing corrective actions arising from internal and external food safety audits.
- Providing leadership, coaching and support to chefs, cooks and catering staff to ensure consistent service delivery, professional development and a positive team culture.
We’ll create a better future for you
Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we support them to grow and develop to be their best through our strong commitment to learning, flexibility, great benefits and a positive culture of teamwork and cooperation. Together, we can build a better future for the people and communities we serve, and for you.
About Uniting Aged Care
Uniting NSW.ACT contributes to the work and mission of the Uniting Church in NSW and the ACT through social justice advocacy, community services and spiritual care. We provide care and support for people through all ages and stages of life, with a focus on people experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability. Our purpose is to inspire people, enliven communities and confront injustice. Uniting is a Child Safe Organisation committed to promoting the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of children and young people
About the Uniting Home you are applying for
Uniting The Marion Leichhardt is a cherished part of our community, offering exceptional residential aged care services. Our dedicated team is committed to providing compassionate, respectful, and imaginative care that aligns with Uniting's core values. We strive to create a nurturing environment where residents feel valued and supported. We work closely with our residents and their families to ensure their unique needs are met, fostering a sense of belonging and wellbeing. With a large main kitchen and 7 smaller serveries, 2 large scale dining rooms, join us at Uniting The Marion Leichhardt, where care and community come together to build a brighter future for all.
Empowered by diversity
At Uniting, inclusion isn’t just something we value – it’s how we work. Our culture and practice reflect the vibrant diversity of our colleagues, and the clients and communities we serve.
What to expect
Please know that employment with Uniting requires:
- A National Police Check
- Reference checks
- Other pre-employment screenings
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