Salary £22,190 - £22,853 per annum (£27,738 - £28,566 per annum, full-time equivalent)
Location St Peter & St James Hospice, North Common Road, North Chailey, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4ED
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Closing

in X days

This is a Permanent, Part Time vacancy that will close in {x} days at {xx:xx} BST.

Do you have a passion for creating nutritious, delicious meals that make a real difference? We’re looking for a Lead Cook to join our dedicated catering team at St Peter & St James Hospice.

As Lead Cook, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring our patients, their loved ones, staff, and volunteers enjoy high‑quality, well‑balanced meals tailored to individual needs and preferences. This role goes beyond cooking – it’s about providing comfort, dignity, and care through food.

Job Details

  • Location: St Peter & St James Hospice, BN8 4ED
  • Salary: £22,190 - £22,853 per annum (£27,738 - £28,566 per annum, full-time equivalent)
  • Hours: Part‑time, 30 hours per week, over 4 days
  • Shifts: 8am–4pm and 11am–7pm, Monday to Sunday (ability to work regular Wednesdays is desirable)
  • Contract: Permanent
  • Closing date: Applications will be reviewed as they are received – early applications are encouraged

What you’ll be doing

  • Preparing and serving nutritious meals with care, consistency, and attention to detail.
  • Catering for individual dietary, cultural, and religious requirements.
  • Working collaboratively with clinical teams to support nutrition and hydration plans.
  • Leading and supporting the Catering Team to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient kitchen operations.
  • Deputising for the Catering Manager when required.

What we’re looking for

  • Significant prior experience working as a cook or in a similar professional kitchen environment (this experience is essential for the role).
  • A current Food Safety & Hygiene qualification.
  • Strong organisational skills, including stock control and budget awareness.
  • The ability to lead a team, prioritise workloads, and maintain high standards in a busy environment.
  • Empathy, professionalism, and a commitment to the values of St Peter & St James Hospice.

If you are creative, reliable, and passionate about using your cooking skills to support outstanding care, we would love to hear from you.

Please find the full job description and person specification at the bottom of the page.

If you have any questions about the role, or require any additional support or reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact Nicky Brown, Catering Manager by emailing nbrown@stpjhospice.org.

The Organisation

St Peter & St James Hospice is a leading provider of specialist palliative and end of life care for our Mid-Sussex community. People affected by life-limiting illness are central to everything we do and it is our mission to ensure they receive the best possible care, in the right place, at the right time. Our services are free of charge and can be accessed at home, in a care setting, or at the Hospice in North Chailey.

We achieve our goals through the organisation’s talented people, by attracting, retaining and developing a highly skilled, diverse and engaged workforce. Over 150 employees and 400 volunteers work in a variety of roles across our Clinical Services, Retail and Support Functions.

If you're looking to put your skills to use in an organisation that makes a difference for its local community and values Compassion, Integrity, Accountability, Excellence and Inclusivity then click 'Apply Now'!

Benefit 1

Benefit 2

Benefit 3

Benefit 4

  • Innovation

We are creative and fearless in our work.

  • Accountability

We take ownership of our work and lead from the front.

  • Teamwork

We collaborate widely and build supportive environments.

27 days holiday

Company sick pay scheme

Enhanced maternity/adoption pay

Monthly occupational health clinics

Leadership development programme

20% discount in our charity shops

  • Vrishali Pawar
  • People Services Assistant

"If you have the appetite to develop your skills, you are encouraged and empowered to learn and grow within the organisation."

  • Jon Anderson
  • Community Clinical Nurse Specialist

"Being a part of someone’s end of life care and supporting their loved ones through their grieving process is a real privilege."

  • Victoria Webber &
    Wendy Agate
  • Relationship Fundraisers

"Every pound raised for our hospice brings comfort and dignity to those facing life's most challenging moments, making every effort deeply meaningful."

  • Andrea Sutton
  • Data & Admin Team Officer

"Helping to change people's perception of specialist palliative and end of life care by sharing how we support patients and their loved ones is a privilege."

  • Gavin Carby & James Dickens
  • Facilities Manager & Maintenance Technician

"We love that we get discounts in our shops and can benefit from the Blue Light Card like NHS workers do."

  • Maddie Lewis
  • Retail Manager

"It's great to know that each day is an opportunity to make a difference for our local community."

Our people are our strength. We value diversity and inclusion so encourage applications from everyone, regardless of race, national origin, sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability or age.

Please ensure you have your own means of transport as the hospice is not accessible by bus and is located on a main road without public footpath. Our precise location can be found here: https://stpjhospice.org/contact-us/

If you have any questions about this vacancy or require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please contact us on hr@stpjhospice.org.

Please note we may shortlist and interview candidates as applications are received. Offers of employment are subject to satisfactory results from pre-employment checks (right to work, references, Occupational Health, and DBS if applicable).

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