Canteen Assistant

Canteen Assistant

Part-Time, Temporary

£13.03 PAYE / £16.66 Umbrella

Location: Colchester

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: Monday 24^th November 2025

About Us:

We’re looking for a passionate and customer service focused individual to join our Canteen Team at ACL. If you’re looking for a part-time opportunity within a catering environment, we want to hear from you!

This is a part-time role working 5 hours per week each Friday during term time only.

Working Hours: 10am-15:00m

Adult Community Learning (ACL) is ECC’s provider of lifelong learning experiences for Essex residents. ACL offers qualifications to help people move nearer to, enter or progress within the workplace or gain skills to enhance life chances. The service focuses many of its programmes and activities on the hardest to reach communities within Essex. ACL learners have access to a diverse range of accredited and non-accredited courses which encourage creativity, healthy lifestyles, social inclusion and engagement.

The Role:

The Canteen Assistant will deliver high quality customer service, providing drinks, confectionery and light snacks to users of the ACL refreshment areas.

Possessing a food handling or hygiene qualification at level 1 or above and experience of working within a customer focussed catering environment. The role requires good communication skills and knowledge and understanding of health and safety procedures.

About You:

You will:

• Possesses a Level 1 food handling/hygiene qualification with experience of working within a catering environment.
• Have the ability to improve skills within role.
• Have experience of working with the public in a customer orientated service.
• Be experienced in handling and recording cash.
• Possess good verbal communication skills with a customer focussed approach.
• Have the ability to work within a team with a flexible attitude and approach.

What will you be doing?

• Provide drinks and sell confectionery and light snacks to staff and visitors to ACL.
• Responsible for handling and recording cash to ensure all receipts are managed in line with Essex County Council procedures.
• Responsible for keeping equipment and surfaces in a clean condition to comply with Health & Safety requirements and maintaining a healthy and safe working environment.
• Promote and deliver high standards of customer care, adhering to quality assurance systems in accordance with local procedures.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Why Essex? 

To read more about us please visit:

People, Policy, Economy and Public Health

Entry to work - Working for Essex

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

How to apply:

Start your journey within Essex Youth Service by clicking the APPLY button now!

If you are interested in finding out more about this role or require further information, we would love to hear from you. Please email: Ashleigh.drake@essex.gov.uk

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community.

Additional Information:

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email Ashleigh.Drake@essex.gov.uk

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