Lead a food vision that changes children\'s livesAt London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), we believe every child deserves healthy, nutritious food - and the habits that will help them thrive for life. Across our 43 nurseries, food is a core part of our pedagogy. It\'s woven into learning, family life, community, joy... and it depends on dedicated kitchen teams who bring that vision to life every day.

We\'re looking for a Health & Nutrition Manager to lead this mission.

Think of it as being the unofficial Head Chef for the organisation: guiding, coaching and inspiring our senior and nursery chefs to deliver consistently brilliant food, safe kitchens, and engaging food experiences for children.

It\'s a role for someone who cares deeply about great nutrition, understands what excellent kitchen practice looks like, and thrives on building capability in others. Someone who can talk confidently to parents, influence policy partners, shape menus at scale and still get hands‐on in a training kitchen when needed.

If you want your skills and voice to help London\'s youngest children eat well and grow well, this is the place to do it.

What you\'ll be doingLead and elevate food practice across 40+ nurseries

Visit sites regularly to embed best practice, check standards, and strengthen food culture

Coach and develop our chefs and kitchen teams

Champion safe kitchens, smart processes, and management of allergies and intolerances

Drive our Early Years food vision

Shape menus and recipe banks that are nutritious, adventurous and culturally diverse

Maintain and evolve our nutrition standards

Support nursery acquisitions to transition smoothly into the LEYF food approach

Deliver training that inspires people

Lead our CACHE‐accredited Level 3 Chef Academy programmes for chefs, kitchen professionals and educators

Create, refresh and present training materials confidently

Run sessions in our Stockwell training kitchen, as well as online and across nurseries

Influence beyond LEYF

Be active in our sector shaping the national conversation on Early Years nutrition

Partner with sector organisations and policy groups to push for meaningful change

Represent LEYF at events - cooking, speaking and advocating for healthier food systems

Deliver engaging parent workshops that strengthen healthy habits at home

Shape sustainable practice

Develop an effective approach to food procurement

Support research on barriers to healthier food for families on low incomes

Work with Marketing to share our Chef Academy programmes and impact externally

We\'re looking for someone who...Has the expertise and motivation

Been a Chef and can cook well especially for children

Strong understanding of nutrition, food safety, dietary requirements and kitchen operations

Trained and coached others before - ideally with experience assessing learning or working towards CAVA/IQA

Experience in procurement, menu development or large‐scale kitchen practice is a bonus

Has the behaviours that make this role shine

Personable presenter & assertive - can command a room with calm confidence

Warm, kind, collaborative and able to influence

A natural coach who brings the best out of others

Pragmatic, unflappable and solutions‐focused (multi‐site life never stands still)

Articulate and persuasive with stakeholders

Curious, adaptable and loves learning

Motivated by helping children and families to eat well and stay well

Why you\'ll love it here

Be part of something meaningful for children

Shape the standards, training and practice for a whole organisation and influence the sector

Hybrid working in a warm, people‐centred culture

Sociable work hours (Monday to Friday nursery opening times)

Inhouse head chef role with the opportunity to influence the sector

70% childcare discount for your children or grandchildren

26 days\' holiday plus bank holidays and your birthday off

7% employer pension contribution

We welcome you exactly as you areA diverse team makes us better. Whatever your background, if you share our passion for great food, strong training and improving children\'s lives, we\'d love to hear from you.

Apply online and tell us why this role matters to you. We\'re reviewing applications as they come in so please don\'t wait too long!

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