Waiting Staff (Restaurants & Events)

House of Commons

The House of Commons a unique and exciting place to work right at the heart of the UK's thriving democratic system. 

Behind the scenes, the House of Commons Service is made up of more than 3,000 employees who support and facilitate the smooth day to day running of the House. They provide professional services to Members of Parliament, their staff, and the wider parliamentary community.

Staff Benefits

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including: 

• 30 days’ annual leave (increasing to 35 days after first full leave year). 
• Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. 
• Access to training and development. 
• Flexible working. 
• Interest free season ticket loan and bicycle loan. 

Introduction 

The Customer Experience and Service Delivery team delivers integrated facilities management services to ensure a comfortable, safe, and efficient environment for MPs, their staff, and staff of the House to work in; as well as providing a welcoming and functional environment for all visitors to the House of Commons.

Catering Services sits within the Customer Experience and Service Delivery team and are responsible for the efficient operation of the House of Commons catering facilities. Catering Services at the House of Commons promotes a culture that adheres to the highest ethical standards across all areas of our business. Our commitment to excellence in all we do, combined with a desire to understand, and fulfil our guests’ requirements translates into our customer experience.

The Role 

We are currently recruiting for Waiting Staff in our Restaurants and Events teams.

This is a great opportunity for a customer focused individual to join a thriving team within a busy fine dining restaurant and a front of house events team, right in the heart of the Parliamentary community.  We want to inspire our customers to love great food. We are all about embracing passion, energy, and teamwork to serve memorable moments for every one of our customers.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to deliver an excellent guest dining experience; to provide exceptional care and give a polished and professional service, exceeding our customers’ needs and expectations.

The successful candidate must be passionate about food and drink, customer service and the delivery of an effective and efficient product. They must be focused on a personalised experience throughout the entire customer journey delivering a friendly, efficient customer experience and create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all our customers, with the key aim of retaining and attracting new customers.

Some of the responsibilities for this role include:

Restaurants:

• Interact with customers, assess customers’ needs and references, and take orders. Respond promptly to requests from customers in a polite and professional fashion, making recommendations and up-selling additional products with a positive suggestive sales approach when appropriate.
• Record all orders and customer payments accurately using the EPOS system. Balance the cash register at the start and close of each shift. Ensure cash handling procedures are followed and all transactions are carried out as set out in the Cash Handling Policy.

Events:

• Serve within teams: canapes, sit-down dinners, drinks (bars and tray service), and food and beverage stations as assigned, following standard policies and procedures.
• Setting up and/or breaking down event spaces or other special food service tables, stations, and equipment, as needed. Assisting with the preparations for the events, polishing glasses and cutlery, folding napkins, etc. Other Skills: Boxing tables, ruching, carrying three plates when serving and clearing 5+

General:

• Maintain an up-to-date working knowledge of the menu items and daily specials, including allergen information. Demonstrate product knowledge by advising the customer/answering queries, explaining how products are made, ingredients within a dish.
• Respond to the dynamics of the service environment, being proactive at quiet times whilst anticipating and meeting the needs of the fast-paced restaurant environment, offering help to other team members when requested.

Skills and Experience 

To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:

• Essential - Experience in a hospitality venue, visitor attraction or other busy customer facing environment.
• Experience of delivering an excellent standard of hospitality service within a customer facing catering role, demonstrating flexibility and the ability to respond to the ever-changing dynamics of the service environment and the needs of different groups of people.
• Evidence of the ability to engage with a variety of people and adapt style and content to meet audience needs whilst upholding the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of how personal behaviour affects others.
• Experience of delivering a high standard of service in line with the objectives of a hospitality business in a diverse environment of customers and other stakeholders, demonstrating a positive suggestive sales approach.
• Ability to work successfully within a team demonstrating a flexible approach; understanding team goals and objectives; offering help to team members when requested and being proactive at quiet times.

Next Steps and Additional Information

If you would like to apply for this role, please submit your anonymous CV and covering letter with a 500 word limit. 

More information on the role and the full criteria can be found in the Job Description. 

Please note that most job offers will be made at the minimum of the salary range, other than in exceptional circumstances.

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