Find your place in the field of good food

Our goal is to connect good people with good food. We advertise sustainable food jobs and training opportunities to help jobseekers and employers find each other.

Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

Project Officer

School Food Matters
London

Posted: 23 Dec 2025

Deadline: 21 Jan 2026

Compensation: £31,138 per annum

Living Wage employer

Paid Full-time Flexible hours Fixed term / contract

Job description

• Job Title: Project Officer
• Salary: £31,138 per annum
• Position Type: Full time / Fixed term Feb 2026 to Dec 2026
• Reports to: Programme Manager
• Based at: Blackfriars Settlement, 9 Rushworth Street, SE1 0RB (with flexibility – see below)
• Working Hours: Five days a week, 9am-5pm
• Pension: School Food Matters pays pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings
• Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

The role is split between working at School Food Matters’ offices (9 Rushworth Street) and Southwark Council offices (160 Tooley Street). You will also be required to travel to schools in Southwark approximately 2-3 days per week.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Job Purpose

To support Southwark Council’s School Food Team to create a sustainable food environment using a whole school approach in Southwark schools

Key Tasks include

• Work closely with Southwark Council’s School Food Team to support their aims through the Southwark School Meals Transformation Programme
• Perform school visits for quality monitoring of school food (training provided) and write a report with key recommendations
• Support secondary schools in Southwark to write and implement a school food action plan and policy following these visits
• Support with the development of Southwark Council branded resources and workshops for school staff
• Create and deliver in-person and online workshops to support school staff to become school food champions
• Maintain an excellent relationship with Southwark Council, and support with written and verbal reports
• Complete the Southwark Council Mandatory training as required
• Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the programme
• Gather content for our website and social media platforms
• Keep line manager updated on progress
• Keep up to date with SFM safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures
• Contribute to the smooth-running of SFM at this time of growth
• Maintain the ethos of the charity and positively promote our work at all times
• The Project Officer will also undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time. Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential!

Person Specification

Essential

• Registered nutritionist or advanced understanding of nutritional guidelines and health promotion
• Good interpersonal skills, with experience of building relationships
• Confident engaging with a variety of audiences (students, headteachers, school staff and parents), including communications via email, virtual and face to face meetings with the ability to deliver workshops & presentations
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail
• Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email
• Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude
• An interest in food education and children’s health

Desirable

• Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation
• Experience of working in or with schools
• Experience in delivering food education and/or improving children’s health

Application information

Once you have thoroughly read this job description and had a careful look at our website, please complete the application form here. The electronic form can be saved but you may also find it helpful to use the word document here as a template.

Applications must be submitted by midnight on 6 January 2026 with interviews held in our offices in (Blackfriars Settlement, 9 Rushworth Street, SE1 0RB) on 15 January 2026.

Please note: 

School Food Matters is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. If you are offered employment, you will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service record check.

School Food Matters is a London Living Wage employer and is committed to creating an inclusive work environment, where our team members are supported in expressing themselves and delivering their best work. So, however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if the role is one that would make you excited about coming into work every day. 

School Food Matters is only able to employ people who are entitled to work in the UK and cannot assist with work permit or immigration issues.

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs