Who are we?

We are Manchester Students’ Union, the biggest SU in the country, supporting over 40,000 students throughout their time at university. We help to make student life the best it can be by supporting students to campaign for change, creating opportunities to meet new people, providing employment opportunities, providing advice and support and being a safe place on campus.  

We are a values-centred organisation that employs around 90 permanent, full-time members of staff. We recruit a wide range of roles throughout the year within all our departments from our Commercial team operating Manchester Academy Venues, 13 Media, Bar 532 & Kitchen and Corridor Coffee to our Student Activities, Student Engagement, Marketing and Communications, Finance, HR and Facilities teams. Our team of around 400 part-time, studying staff are instrumental in providing to support to all departments as well as leading major projects like Student Angels. When you join UMSU, you’ll be immersed in an environment that empowers staff to make great things happen and we're always on the lookout for innovative, passionate, and proactive people to join us. 

Our values are really important to us and shape the work that we do every day. As part of our recruitment process, we want you to demonstrate how your experiences, behaviours and skills align with our values. You can find more detailed explanations of our values on our website. 

About the role 
As a Catering Assistant, you’ll be an essential part of our day-to-day operations, supporting the preparation and service of food and drinks for our customers. You’ll work closely with a friendly and supportive team to ensure smooth and efficient service during busy times, helping to create a welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors.

Key Responsibilities of a Student Catering Assistant

• Assist in preparing food, including basic cooking, chopping, and portioning in line with health and safety standards.
• Set up and serve food and beverages in our café, kitchen and huts – ensuring everything looks great and is delivered with a smile.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness in the kitchen, service areas, and dining spaces.
• Wash dishes, sanitise workstations, and carry out daily cleaning tasks.
• Support stock control by helping with deliveries, stock rotation, and stock checks.
• Provide excellent customer service – answering questions, serving customers, and resolving any concerns with professionalism and care.

What We’re Looking For

• A team player who can work flexibly and reliably in a busy environment
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Basic food preparation knowledge (training provided)
• Willingness to learn and follow health & safety guidelines
• Positive attitude and a commitment to delivering great service

Details

• Job title: Catering Assistant
• Salary: £12.60 per hour (inclusive of holiday pay)
• Hours: Part-time, flexible shifts to fit around your studies
• Contract: Zero Hours
• Location: On-site across the Students’ Union
• Hybrid working: Not applicable due to the nature of the role

This is a fantastic opportunity to develop practical catering and customer service skills in a friendly, student-focused environment. Whether you’re looking to boost your CV, earn money alongside your studies, or take your first step into the world of hospitality – we want to hear from you!

This role is open to University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan and University of Salford students who are graduating in 2026 or later.

Please read the full role profile before applying, as well as our guide to recruitment. 

Our Reward Package

You'll get access to our reward package which you can see here.

Recruitment Guide 

We have a guide that explains our full recruitment process. We recommend reading through this before beginning an application. 

If you are invited to interview with us, we will share our interview questions in advance so you can prepare your responses. We’re more interested in hearing about your experiences and ideas than in testing your memory, and so we want you to feel as prepared as possible. 

Inclusivity and Accessibility

We are committed to equality of opportunity, and we work hard to ensure we appoint based on skill and values. 

We particularly encourage applications from Disabled or Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African candidates as these groups are currently underrepresented in our staff team. 

If you have any accessibility requirements or require adjustments to support you to apply to work with us, please get in touch. We can offer reasonable adjustments at all stages of our recruitment process. 

Recruitment Timeline 

Applications opened:  16/05/2025

Applications close:  22/05/2025

Interviews:  06/06/2025

Role Commencing: ASAP 

We may close applications early if we receive a high volume of applications. We recommend that you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. In this case, all applicants who have started an application will be contacted 2 hours before we close the role. 

Contact

People Team:

You can contact the People Team with any questions regarding this vacancy or our recruitment process. 

Email: jobs.su@manchester.ac.uk 

Phone: 0161 306 3279 

Hiring Manager:

You can contact the People Team with any questions regarding this vacancy or our recruitment process.

Email: hr.su@manchester.ac.uk

Phone: 0161 529 4613