Summer conference staff – closing date 6 May
St Catherine’s College has a number of vacancies for Conference Staff this summer vacation during the periods 21 June – 17 August and 31 August – 5 October. Pay, meals (when the Kitchen is open) and accommodation will be provided during the working periods.
Accommodation without meals would also be available as an option for those staff who wish to remain in College over the closure period (18 – 30 August).
Details of the work available
Vacancies will be available in a number of departments. You will be assigned to a specific department but you will be expected to work in any of the departments if needed. Please identify in your application which department(s) you would prefer to be appointed to as your main department (you can select more than one).
The departments in which you may be asked to work include:
Hall: Duties include waiting on tables, laying up cutlery, setting up service stations, clearing away after meals.
Housekeeping: Duties include cleaning rooms, delivering linen, restocking tea and coffee in rooms.
Lodge: Duties include providing a reception service to delegates / visitors to the College, taking delegates’ luggage to their rooms, checking keys in and out and checking room occupancies.
Operations: Duties include cleaning rooms, serving tea and coffee to conference delegates, moving furniture, setting up AV equipment and trouble-shooting basic AV problems that may arise.
Kitchen: Duties include assisting the Chefs with the preparation of food and helping plate hot and cold meals.
Bar: Duties include serving and selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to customers in the Bar, ensuring the Bar area is kept clean and tidy, bar service at events outside the Bar.
All roles will involve a degree of interaction with conference delegates. This will require you to have an enthusiasm about customer service, the ability to put the needs of the customer first, an outward-going attitude and an ability to communicate clearly with guests. Attention to appearance and the dress code for casual staff will also be of the very highest importance.
Pay and hours
The rate of pay for all roles is £11.44 per hour plus holiday pay. All positions include free accommodation and meals in College (when you are on shift and the Kitchen is open) for the period you are working. Please note that you may be asked to move rooms during your stay due to maintenance work and other operational requirements.
There are no guaranteed hours of work per day or per week; the availability of work is entirely dependent on the level of conference business at that time. Whilst there are no guaranteed minimum hours per week for any of these vacancies, it is expected that you will work all reasonable hours offered to you, and be able to commit to at least 30 hours per week. All roles may involve split shifts, and work at evenings and weekends. By applying you are confirming your willingness to work flexibly in accordance with the needs of the College and to undertake any duties which may be reasonably requested of you. In addition, a number of departments may be able to offer fixed contracts guaranteeing 40 hours work per week.
How to apply
To apply, you need to complete an application form. In completing the form please make sure you identify which department(s) you would like to be considered for, when you are available to work and that you include details of any relevant experience.
Completed forms should be sent by email to the Personnel Advisor (personnel@stcatz.ox.ac.uk) and must be received by midday on Monday 6 May 2024. Applications received after this date will not normally be considered.
Application form
Please note that no offers of employment will be made until after the closing date, when all the applications have been assessed. You should not, therefore, make arrangements (e.g. travel) until it has been confirmed whether or not your application has been successful. Offers of employment will be subject to references and the successful completion of a brief online interview.