Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end-of-life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness, they’re likely to die from. 

The care and support we provide is highly valued by the people we care for and their loved ones, but at present we are only reaching around 10% of dying people at the end of life. Right now, one in four people in the UK with a terminal illness, do not get the care or support they deserve at the end of their lives.  

We want a different society than the one we live in now. Our mission for the next five years is to close the gap in the number of people missing out on what they need at the end-of-life, through 3 ways:  

• Growing and transforming our direct care and support  
• Delivering more practical information and support  
• Leading in shaping the end-of-life experience   

Are you an experienced and passionate chef looking for a leadership role where you can make a genuine difference every day? 

At Marie Curie Edinburgh Hospice, we're seeking an exceptional Head Chef to lead our dedicated catering team and deliver high-quality, nutritious meals that bring comfort, enjoyment and dignity to patients, families, visitors, volunteers and colleagues. 

This is a unique opportunity to combine your culinary expertise with inspiring leadership, helping to create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone who comes through our doors. 

Why Join Marie Curie? 

Food plays a vital role in the comfort and wellbeing of those receiving hospice care. As our Head Chef, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day, using your skills to create meals that truly matter. 

In return, you'll join a caring and supportive team within a respected national charity, where your contribution will be valued and your work will make a real difference to patients and their families. If you're ready to lead a talented team and use your culinary skills to make every meal count, we'd love to hear from you. 

What you will be doing:  

• Leading the day-to-day operation of the catering department, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality food service for patients, visitors, volunteers and staff. 
• Creating and developing varied, nutritious and seasonal menus, ensuring all dietary, nutritional and allergen requirements are met. 
• Managing and inspiring a team of catering staff and volunteers, overseeing recruitment, training, development, rota planning and performance management. 
• Ensuring the highest standards of food safety, hygiene and compliance, including HACCP, COSHH, Natasha's Law, allergen management and preparation for internal and external audits. 
• Managing the catering budget, stock control, procurement and supplier relationships to deliver an efficient and cost-effective service. 
• Building strong relationships with patients, clinical teams and colleagues to ensure individual dietary needs are understood and catered for, while acting on feedback to continually improve the service. 
• Planning and delivering catering for functions, events and special occasions, while maintaining a safe, welcoming and professional dining experience across the hospice. 

What we’re looking for:   

•  Proven experience leading and motivating a catering team within a busy hospitality, healthcare or catering environment. 
• Strong knowledge of current food hygiene legislation, HACCP principles, COSHH regulations and allergen management requirements. 
• Experience managing and developing teams, including staff supervision, training, rota planning and performance management. 
• A recognised catering qualification, such as City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or an equivalent Professional Cookery qualification (SCQF Level 5 or 6). 
• A minimum Level 3 Food Handling qualification, along with Basic and Intermediate Food Hygiene certifications. 
• Experience delivering high-quality catering services and maintaining exceptional standards of food quality, safety and customer service. 
• A positive, flexible and proactive approach, with excellent organisational skills and the ability to adapt to changing priorities. 
• A collaborative team player who can build strong relationships with colleagues, patients, volunteers and visitors. 
• A commitment to continuous professional development and a willingness to work towards higher-level catering and management qualifications. 

Please see the full job description here: 

What’s in it for me?  

Salary: Marie Curie Clinical Pay Scale Band 5 £34,544 to £43,039 per annum plus enhancements 

Contract:  Permanent 37.5 hours per week Shift patterns which will include some weekends  

Based: Marie Curie Edinburgh Hospice, Frogston Road West EH10 7DR 

Benefits You’ll Love 

• Annual leave allowance 27 days plus 10 public holidays (pro rata)  
• Competitive Policy for parental/sick Leave    
• Continuous Professional development    
• Industry leading training programmes    
• Season ticket loan for travelling to and from work    
• Defined contribution schemes for Pension     
• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme    
• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and satellite navigation systems      
• Introduce a friend scheme    
• Help with eyecare cost  
• Entitled to Marie Curie Blue Light Card     
• Entitled to Benefit-Hub Discount Scheme     
• 15% staff discount in all Marie Curie Shops 
• Life assurance – for all employees 

Application Process 

• Close date for applications: 23rd August 2026 

• Interview Dates: W/C 31st August 2026  

• As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV.   Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role.   

**We reserve the right to close this advert early should we receive a sufficient number of applications. ** 

At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone — staff and volunteers alike — supportive, inclusive and rewarding.  We take stringent steps to ensure that anyone who joins our organisation are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings.  We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support, please contact us at [email protected].

Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you — your experience, perspective and voice.