Guildford
The Clink Charity changing attitudes, transforming lives , creating second chances The Clink Charity Chef Trainer (Surrey) Salary: £32,000 - £36,000 FTE Contract: Permanent Working pattern: Full-time; 39 hours p/w Location: Clink Café Guildford Guildford Crown Court, Bedford Road, Guildford, GU1 4ST Applications close on Friday 21 August 2026 but will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early applications are advised. About The Clink Charity The Clink Charity, founded in 2009, aims to prevent and reduce reoffending through training, rehabilitation, and support. We deliver hospitality and horticulture training behind the prison walls and in the community by creating an environment where our students are supported to gain the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to rebuild their lives. Since that time, we have trained approximately 5,000 people in prison and delivered 2,600 City & Guilds qualifications in a variety of hospitality and food courses. What makes The Clink so unique is our post-release support and mentoring programme that rehabilitates an offender back into society through assistance with health and mental health issues, housing, employment, family connections and friendships. The charity operates an award-winning fine-dining restaurant open to the public inside HMP Brixton, training kitchens in the prison estate, horticulture projects at HMP Send and HMP Erlestoke, a commercial bakery in Brixton, and a bespoke delivery service, Catered by Clink. Additionally, Clink Events is our social enterprise catering business with food produced by the women in HMP Downview and also in an additional kitchen at Herne Hill and then served by alumni on front of house at some of the best venues in London including: the Guildhall, the Science Museum, Cutty Sark, Kew Gardens and the Camden Roundhouse. In 2024, across 218 events, The Clink fed 36,000 people. More information can be found on our website and social media channels. About The Role The Clink Training Café, located in Guildford Crown Court, will be a real-life professional kitchen and café that will provide young people with meaningful work experience over a 12-week programme. During this time, participants will work towards five accredited City & Guilds qualifications while gaining hands-on hospitality and employability skills. We work closely with the Youth Justice Service, as well as Children in Care and Care Leavers teams, to engage vulnerable and at-risk young people in the programme. Many of the young people we support are at risk of criminal exploitation and grooming, and we also work with neurodivergent young people who have additional learning needs. At our café in Herne Hill, we have supported 100% of our students who have participated in the program to graduate into further education or employment. The role of the Chef Trainer is to work alongside both our Café Manager and Youth Support Worker in operating The Clink Café training kitchen, with the aim of training young people who are either NEET, or at risk of offending whilst preparing food and running The Clink Café social enterprise. Duties and Responsibilities As a Chef Trainer, you are responsible for: Key Responsibilities Operating the kitchen on a commercial basis. Maintaining high standards of training and food quality. Ordering all food and non-food items from nominated suppliers. Maintaining high standards of appearance and personal hygiene. Complying with our sustainability policies. Keeping up to date with industry trends and innovation. Controlling the food stocks, portion control and wastage and using recipes and specification sheets. Carrying out monthly stock takes and associated administration. Being responsible for the completion of the daily HACCAP sheets. Contributing to the design and development of menus and share best practice with chefs across The Clink charity. Working collaboratively with other departments within The Clink Charity. Training and Support Help learners to gain confidence, motivation and pride. Deliver one to one training and work-based mentoring. Carry out assessments of students work and knowledge. Create a supportive and safe learning environment for young people who may have experienced barriers in traditional education settings. Facilitate interactive workshops. Work with Café Manager in developing Scheme of Work, Lesson Plans and Assessment Resources. Safeguarding Champion safeguarding in all areas of work. Report any concerns to management and Designated Safeguarding Lead. Governance and reporting Contribute to data monitoring such as attendance records, qualifications completed and case studies. Person Specification Essential Level 2 or above Kitchen Qualification Level 2 or above in Barista Skills or relevant experience Level 3 or above Food Safety Qualification Relevant experience working in a professional kitchen at CDP or equivalent level. Desirable Experience in a charity or social enterprise. Understanding of Youth Work, supportive training, NEET or criminal justice sector. Level 3 TAQA (Assessing Qualification) or equivalent and relevant experience of delivering training in the workplace. Enhanced DBS on Update Service Personal Qualities Strong communication and interpersonal skills Able to build trust, motivate, and advise a diverse group of young people while maintaining professional relationships. Able to adopt a supportive, confident, and motivating approach, inspiring young people, building their self-esteem, and promoting positive personal development. Demonstrate empathy, patience, and understanding of the diverse obstacles young people may face, including personal, social, and emotional challenges. Demonstrate resilience and adaptability, able to respond to changing circumstances and manage stress effectively while maintaining a positive approach. Highly organised and proactive, able to manage multiple tasks and competing priorities efficiently without compromising the quality of support. Committed to teamwork and collaboration, working effectively with colleagues, external partners, and multi-agency teams to achieve the best outcomes for young people. Willingness to engage in continuous training, professional development, and reflective practice to enhance knowledge, skills, and performance. Reporting Lines & Management Expectations You will report directly to the Café Manager and the Executive Leadership Team. General Clink Charity Information All staff are expected to: Comply with all current legislation Comply with The Clink Staff Handbook Undertake such other duties within the scope of the post as may be requested by your manager Special Requirements: Must have an enhanced DBS for children & adults or willing to obtain one. A driving licence is preferred because of travel between sites but not essential. Company Benefits: 28 days holiday plus bank holidays Company pension scheme Free meals on duty when based in a restaurant or at Herne Hill site. Reporting lines & management expectations You will report directly to the Café Manager and the Executive Leadership Team. general clink charity information Application Process If you would like to apply for this post, please send your CV and a supporting statement (maximum 2 sides of A4) via the apply button below. In your supporting statement you should ensure that you try to address the desirable criteria set out in the person specification for the role. Make sure you give evidence which shows how you meet the criteria, not just telling us that you did it. Interviews will be arranged on a rolling basis for this role, so early applications are encouraged. The deadline for applications is 21 August 2026. We do not send individual acknowledgment of applications due to the high volume we receive, and we will only contact candidates who are shortlisted for an interview. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, your application has not been successful on this occasion. If you would like an informal chat about this role, we can offer a call with a member of The Clink Team. Even if you feel you do not meet some of the criteria listed above, we would still welcome applications from passionate candidates who are keen to make a difference. Appointment Process Applicants who have demonstrated that they meet the desirable criteria set out in the person specification will be contacted and interviews arranged on a rolling basis. Interview If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be invited to a selection process. A panel of two or more, including the recruiting manager conducts all interviews. If there are any special arrangements associated with the selection process e.g. tests or presentations, you will be informed accordingly. Interview Outcome If you are invited to attend an interview, you will be informed either verbally or in writing of the outcome. The successful candidate will have the decision confirmed in writing as an offer of employment. Unsuccessful candidates will be offered the opportunity for feedback. References If you are successful in your application, you are asked to provide us with the details of two referees. We only contact referees with your permission after an offer of employment has been made. All offers of employment are conditional upon the receipt of references that are satisfactory to The Clink Charity, verification of right to work in the UK and where applicable, verification of qualifications and Disclosure and Barring Service (where required). Personal Information The personal information that you have supplied will only be used for recruitment and selection purposes. You should refer to the Privacy Notice on our website, which sets out how The Clink Charity will deal with the personal and sensitive data you have provided in your application form and supporting information. EDI We welcome all applicants who reflect the diversity of the UK and the communities we serve. We would like to encourage applications from disabled people, those from LGBTQIA+ and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and those with lived experience. Accessible Recruitment The Clink Charity is committed to making our recruitment process and workplace accessible to all. If you are an applicant with a disability and/or have any specific needs or adjustments that you would like us to consider, at application, interview, or appointment stage, please make us aware in your application. TPBN1_UKCT