Vacancies
Join the Muslim Hands teamThe Open Kitchen Coordinator - Manchester
Position Location: Greater Manchester (On-site)
The Open Kitchen is a community-led initiative tackling food poverty and social isolation across the UK. Our kitchens, based in Hounslow (London), Nottingham, and Manchester, provide free, hot, and nutritious meals to individuals and families affected by homelessness, low income, or displacement as refugees.
Operating seven days a week, the Open Kitchen offers more than just food it provides a safe, welcoming space where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Each kitchen also serves as a community support hub, distributing essential household items and sleeping bags to those in need.
Through this initiative, we aim not only to alleviate hunger but also to connect service users with pathways to stability, empowerment, and independence.
Key Responsibilities
As part of the Open Kitchen project team, the role will involve ensuring the smooth, safe, and impactful operation of Open Kitchen Manchester.
Why Join Us?
As part of the Muslim Hands family, you’ll help create a place of warmth and friendship for those in need. Your presence will extend beyond service, contributing to a deeper mission of compassion, respect, and community uplift.
NB: This Job Description is illustrative and non-exhaustive in scope. The post-holder may be required to undertake any reasonable tasks as and when required by Line Manager from time to time to reflect the changing needs of the Organisation.
Position Summary
Operational Management
- Oversee day-to-day activities within Open Kitchen Manchester, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality, nutritious meals.
- Supervise and observe the cooking facility in the Manchester Open Kitchen, ensuring compliance with hygiene, health, and safety regulations.
- Manage food inventory, kitchen supplies, and procurement processes to ensure sustainability and efficiency.
- Ensure all food standards are followed.
Volunteer Coordination
- Recruit, train, and supervise volunteers to ensure effective service delivery and adherence to health and safety standards.
- Promote a positive and inclusive volunteer culture that reflects the values of compassion, respect, and community service.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and maintain partnerships with local food banks, the NHS, job centres, local councils, and rehousing services to offer holistic support to service users.
- Collaborate with community organisations, faith groups, and local businesses to strengthen the project’s reach and impact.
- Collaborating with strategic partners to drive the expansion of the open kitchen concept across multiple locations.
- Leading fundraising initiatives for the open kitchen and managing the facilitation of in-kind donations.
- Represent the Open Kitchen at community events and stakeholder meetings to promote collaboration and visibility.
Beneficiary Support
- Identify service users who may benefit from additional assistance, including access to healthcare, employment, housing, or welfare services.
- Coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure referrals and follow-ups are managed effectively.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Ensure all operational, financial, and compliance records are maintained accurately.
- Monitor performance indicators such as meals served, volunteer hours, and beneficiary outcomes, and report regularly to the management team.
- Support the continuous improvement of service quality and community impact.
- Create and provide daily Open kitchen feedback reports to monitor beneficiary numbers and meal distributions.
What We’re Looking For
- A genuine commitment to serving vulnerable and destitute individuals with care and respect.
- Right to work in the UK and a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check, completed before starting the role.
- Warm interpersonal skills, comfortable engaging with people from all walks of life.
- A dependable, team-oriented attitude and availability for weekend shifts.
About Muslim Hands
Muslim Hands is a UK based international relief organisation working in over 40 countries worldwide. The Head Office in Nottingham and a fundraising team in Whitechapel London; occasional travel between the two locations. Muslim Hands UK is seeking an enthusiastic and passionate individual to join our team during an exciting period of growth and change as we have ambitious plans to grow our activities by 2026.
Muslim Hands is an NGO that is at the forefront of delivering live saving aid and emergency relief to those who need it most, as well as building long term solutions that help the needy and impoverished worldwide.
The Fundraising team is young, diverse and dynamic and is set up to deliver and turn around tasks efficiently in a fast-moving sector. We thrive on new and creative ideas, always keeping the needs of our donors first and foremost.
How To Apply
Application is by CV and covering letter by email to hr@muslimhands.org.uk or by hard copy to our address.
Established in 1993, Muslim Hands is an aid agency and NGO helping those affected by poverty, conflict and natural disaster in over 20 countries worldwide.
The Open Kitchen Coordinator - Manchester
Application is by CV and covering letter by email to hr@muslimhands.org.uk
Vacancy Reference: OKMC/PR/UK-R1
Type: Full-Time
Duration: 6-Months’ Fixed-Term Contract (with a 3-Month Probationary Period)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: up to £35,000 per year
Location: Greater Manchester, on-site at The Open Kitchen
Deadline: 12/02/2026
What is The Open Kitchen?
The Open Kitchen is a community-led initiative tackling food poverty and social isolation across the UK. Our kitchens, based in Hounslow (London), Nottingham, and Manchester, provide free, hot, and nutritious meals to individuals and families affected by homelessness, low income, or displacement as refugees.
Operating seven days a week, the Open Kitchen offers more than just food it provides a safe, welcoming space where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Each kitchen also serves as a community support hub, distributing essential household items and sleeping bags to those in need.
Through this initiative, we aim not only to alleviate hunger but also to connect service users with pathways to stability, empowerment, and independence.
Position Summary
Operational Management
- Oversee day-to-day activities within Open Kitchen Manchester, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality, nutritious meals.
- Supervise and observe the cooking facility in the Manchester Open Kitchen, ensuring compliance with hygiene, health, and safety regulations.
- Manage food inventory, kitchen supplies, and procurement processes to ensure sustainability and efficiency.
- Ensure all food standards are followed.
Volunteer Coordination
- Recruit, train, and supervise volunteers to ensure effective service delivery and adherence to health and safety standards.
- Promote a positive and inclusive volunteer culture that reflects the values of compassion, respect, and community service.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and maintain partnerships with local food banks, the NHS, job centres, local councils, and rehousing services to offer holistic support to service users.
- Collaborate with community organisations, faith groups, and local businesses to strengthen the project’s reach and impact.
- Collaborating with strategic partners to drive the expansion of the open kitchen concept across multiple locations.
- Leading fundraising initiatives for the open kitchen and managing the facilitation of in-kind donations.
- Represent the Open Kitchen at community events and stakeholder meetings to promote collaboration and visibility.
Beneficiary Support
- Identify service users who may benefit from additional assistance, including access to healthcare, employment, housing, or welfare services.
- Coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure referrals and follow-ups are managed effectively.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Ensure all operational, financial, and compliance records are maintained accurately.
- Monitor performance indicators such as meals served, volunteer hours, and beneficiary outcomes, and report regularly to the management team.
- Support the continuous improvement of service quality and community impact.
- Create and provide daily Open kitchen feedback reports to monitor beneficiary numbers and meal distributions.
How to apply
Application is by CV and covering letter by email to hr@muslimhands.org.uk
The Open Kitchen Manchester - Chef
Application is by CV and covering letter by email to hr@muslimhands.org.uk
Vacancy Reference: OKMC/PR/UK-R1
Type: Part-time, 12- hours per week
Duration: 12-Months’ Fixed-Term Contract (with a 6-Month Probationary Period)
Salary: (Up to) £24.00 per hour which is equivalent to £15,000.00 per annum (commensurate with experience)
Location: Greater Manchester, on-site at The Open Kitchen
Deadline: 06/03/2026
What is The Open Kitchen?
The Open Kitchen is a community-led initiative tackling food poverty and social isolation across the UK. Our kitchens, based in Hounslow (London), Nottingham, and Manchester, provide free, hot, and nutritious meals to individuals and families affected by homelessness, low income, or displacement as refugees.
Operating seven days a week, the Open Kitchen offers more than just food it provides a safe, welcoming space where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Each kitchen also serves as a community support hub, distributing essential household items and sleeping bags to those in need.
Through this initiative, we aim not only to alleviate hunger but also to connect service users with pathways to stability, empowerment, and independence.
Position Summary
Key Responsibilities
As part of the Open Kitchen project team, the role will involve ensuring the smooth, safe, and impactful operation of Open Kitchen Manchester.
To lead the delivery of Muslim Hands’s free hot meal provision and structured cooking Facilities , ensuring that local communities can access nutritious hot meals in a safe, welcoming environment while also learning essential cooking skills to make everyday meals from food parcel ingredients. This role will directly contribute to reducing food insecurity, building confidence, and promoting independence among beneficiaries.
Responsibilities include:
- Oversee day-to-day activities within Open Kitchen Manchester, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality, nutritious meals.
- Plan, prepare, and cook hot meals for O.K’s free weekday lunch meals.
- Ensure all meals are healthy, nutritious, culturally appropriate, and prepared in line with food safety and hygiene regulations.
- Cooking with and preserving large quantities of surplus food.
- Supervise and observe the cooking facility to ensuring compliance with hygiene, health, and safety regulations.
- Manage food inventory, kitchen supplies, and procurement processes to ensure sustainability and efficiency.
- Ensure all food standards are followed.
- Train, and supervise volunteers to ensure effective service delivery and adherence to health and safety standards.
- Design and deliver weekly cooking classes for small groups, teaching participants how to prepare affordable, nutritious meals using food parcel items.
- Taking responsibility for safeguarding, health and safety and all policies relating to hot meals operations .
- Work collaboratively with volunteers, supporting their development and ensuring they are engaged meaningfully in meal preparation and delivery.
- Participant in staff meetings where required.
- Attend training and professional development sessions.
- Any other ad-hoc tasks as require by your line-manager.
What We're Looking For
- A genuine commitment to serving vulnerable and destitute individuals with care and respect.
- Right to work in the UK and a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check, completed before starting the role.
- Warm interpersonal skills, comfortable engaging with people from all walks of life.
- A dependable, team-oriented attitude and availability for weekend shifts.
Essential skills and experience:
- Professional cooking ability – proven experience preparing nutritious, balanced, and culturally appropriate meals at scale.
- Food safety & hygiene knowledge – Level 2 (or higher) Food Hygiene certificate and thorough understanding of health and safety regulations in kitchens.
- Menu planning & organisation – ability to plan and deliver hot meals within budget and using surplus food creatively.
- Teaching and facilitation skills – experience delivering group cooking sessions, workshops, or training in a practical, engaging way.
- Communication skills – approachable, clear communicator able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Nutritional awareness – knowledge of affordable, healthy meal preparation, particularly using food parcel ingredients.
- Safeguarding awareness – understanding of safeguarding responsibilities within a community setting.
- Team collaboration – ability to work with, support, and supervise volunteers of varying skill levels.
- Adaptability – confident working with surplus food and adjusting menus to available resources.
- Commitment to values – alignment with Muslim Hands’s mission to address poverty, food insecurity, and inequality
How to apply
Application is by CV and covering letter by email to hr@muslimhands.org.uk