Deputy Lead Participant Dining, Food Services Department

Role Description

Job title: Deputy Lead Participant Dining, Food Services Department

Nature of engagement: Volunteer contract

Duration: From January 2026 until the end of the project in December 2027

Department description: The mission of the Department is to provide nutritious, diverse, and sustainable food options that cater to the needs of all Jamboree participants, while promoting the principles of healthy living and environmental stewardship.

The Deputy for Participant Dining supports the Participant Dining Lead in delivering a safe, efficient, sustainable, and well-resourced dining experience for all participants at the Jamboree. The deputy acts as the operational backbone of the team-coordinating people, processes, and resources-ensuring the vision and strategy set by the Food Services Department (FDS) leadership is implemented effectively.

What you should expect

Responsibilities

Assist the Participant Dining Lead(s) in implementing the vision, strategy, and delivery plan for the participant dining model, ensuring operations are safe, nutritious, on time, and within budget.
Oversee day-to-day functioning of participant dining areas, supporting market, hub, and catering operations as required.
Monitor operational performance of food market supplier and escalate issues promptly to the Lead or timely resolution.
Support the sourcing and coordination of required resources-including manpower, equipment, facilities, and associated services-by collaborating closely with other departments and suppliers.
Maintain up-to-date KPI checks to ensure operational readiness of suppliers during the Jamboree.
Support the Lead in managing IST assigned to the department, including:
- Ensuring completion of required training.
- Allocating job roles according to skill and demand.
- Creating or updating schedules and monitoring adherence.

Provide day-to-day supervision and problem-solving support for IST teams on shift.
Assist in managing relationships with suppliers, service providers, and market operators, ensuring compliance with contracts, quality standards, and operational needs.
Coordinate with the FDS Lead for HSEQ to implement and uphold food hygiene, safety, and environmental standards in all participant dining areas.
Support the implementation of measures to reduce food waste, encourage sustainable sourcing, and minimize environmental impact across participant dining operations.
Assist in overseeing market suppliers to ensure a reliable, diverse, and adequate supply of food items for participant units.
Alongside the contracted supplier, support the Lead to design, communicate, and deliver a clear operating model for market users.
Work with the Site and transport departments to plan and coordinate delivery of supplies to markets in line with menus, schedules, and safety protocols.

Commitments

Work collaboratively with the co-Heads of FDS, other FDS leads & team members, and cross-departmental partners to deliver well-organized, efficient participant dining and market operations.
Alongside the Subcamp Department, support the Lead in the design, setup, and operational planning of participant dining facilities.
Attend Jamboree meetings as required (in-person up to 2 per year, and virtually throughout the year).
Remain responsive to communication (email and Slack) and available for several hours across multiple days each week, with increased commitment approaching the event.
Maintain professionalism and adaptability in a multicultural, fast-paced environment.

Applicant Profile

Knowledge and skills

Scouting Knowledge: Familiarity with scouting principles and experience in Scout events is highly desirable.
Strong organisational and coordination skills.
Experience managing volunteers or teams in a fast-moving environment.
Familiarity with food safety, logistics, or large-scale events (preferred but not required)
Ability to work collaboratively, solve problems proactively, and support leadership under pressure.

Background Experience

Retail Operations: Experience in retail food operations and knowledge of food hygiene and safety standards is desirable but not essential.
Event Operations & Logistics: Coordinating large events, managing supplies, schedules, and resources; particularly large-scale Scouting events.
Team Leadership: Supervising volunteers or staff, delegating tasks, and problem-solving under pressure.
Cross-Department Collaboration: Working with multiple teams to coordinate resources and timelines.
Sustainability Awareness: Implementing food waste reduction and sustainable sourcing practices.
Soft Skills: Organized, adaptable, culturally aware and effective communicator.
Typical backgrounds: Retail, event managers, logistics coordinators, project management, or experienced Jamboree volunteers.

Formal requirements:

We welcome applicants from both within Poland and abroad, each with their respective requirements:

Applicants from Poland should meet the following requirements:

active membership in the Polish Scouting & Guiding Association (ZHP)
completed leader’s service in the previous year and an opinion of the relevant Regional Commissioner or Chief Commissioner (Komendant Hufca / Komendant Chorągwi / Naczelnik ZHP)
positive experience of projects at least at regional level (domestic)
ability to communicate freely in spoken and written English

Applicants from abroad should meet the following requirements:

active membership in one of the organisations belonging to the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)
a favourable opinion from the International Commissioner
positive experience of projects at international level
ability to communicate freely in spoken and written English

Why get involved

Why get involved

As a member of the Jamboree Planning Team (JPT), you’ll be vital to creating this exceptional scout event. We’re dedicated to supporting you fully, providing:

Comprehensive support from the People Department for personal and professional growth, including access to JPT Academy sessions and workshops
a volunteer agreement outlining your contributions and responsibilities
arrangements for in-person meetings in Poland, covering transportation, accommodation, and visa costs
a jamboree-specific email address and access to tools like Microsoft 365 and Slack for effective communication
a Planning Team kit including scarf, T-shirt, and other jamboree-related merch
a volunteer certificate at the end of your volunteer journey, acknowledging your contribution and dedication

How to Apply

The application should be submitted through the platform no later than 23:59 CET (UTC+01:00) on 31 December 2025 and should include:

A Curriculum Vitae that includes both your professional and scouting experience. The CV should be in English and indicate the candidate’s e-mail and mobile contact details. We recommend using the Europass standard format (https://europa.eu/europass/en).
A cover letter of no more than 4 paragraphs describing your experience, skills and the rationale for your application (in English).
An endorsement letter from your International Commissioner that includes their favorable opinion on your profile and application for this role. Candidates from Poland should request endorsement from the Regional Commissioner or Chief Commissioner (Pełnomocnik ds. Zagranicznych oraz Komendant Hufca / Komendant Chorągwi / Naczelnik ZHP).

All candidates who sent in their application correctly and on time will be contacted after the application deadline. A decision on the composition of the team is expected no later than 15/01/2026.

Click the button below to access the recruitment platform and submit your application. If you have any questions regarding the recruitment, please don’t hesitate to contact at [email protected].

Submit your application

After clicking the 'Submit your application' button, you will be taken to the Jamboree Planning Team recruitment platform at engage.wsj2027.org. Scouting is an inclusive, values-based Movement under the Scout Promise and Law. Applying for positions in the Jamboree Planning Team is open to all young people and adults who accept our fundamental values. The Jamboree Organisation stands against discrimination of any kind, including race, colour, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, social background, or political beliefs - so long as they are consistent with Scouting values. Respecting and valuing the diversity of all volunteers and employees involved in organising the World Scout Jamboree ensures that we maximise the potential of all young people and adults by creating better, fairer, safer working environments. Your personal data will be treated with utmost confidentiality in compliance with GDPR regulations, and will be used solely for this recruitment process. We store your information securely and will not share it with third parties without your prior consent. By submitting your application, you agree to the processing of your data in accordance with these terms.