Catering and Hospitality Manager

ISS Facility Services UK; Luton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading facility management company is seeking a Catering and Hospitality Operations Manager to oversee food operations at a high-profile client site. The candidate will manage daily services across various areas, ensuring high quality and compliance. Responsibilities include financial monitoring, guest interactions, and stakeholder communications. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in food-led hospitality, stakeholder management, and team leadership. The role offers a dynamic work environment within a diverse and inclusive organization.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in premium, food‑led hospitality.
• Experience managing senior stakeholders.
• Background in contract catering preferred.
• Ability to work at pace, adapt quickly, and remain resilient in a high-profile operational environment.
• Exceptional attention to detail across service, operations, and financial accuracy.
• Strong communication skills, able to manage sensitive situations and turn feedback into improvements.
• Confident team manager with experience coordinating both front and back of house operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations across food services.
• Manage coordination between front and back of house.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and hygiene standards.
• Monitor financial performance including cost control, stock management, waste, and P&L accuracy.
• Handle guest interactions, including escalated queries or complaints, ensuring swift and professional resolution.
• Implement and maintain operating standards through audits, performance reviews, and guest feedback.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, hygiene, health & safety, and site property standards.
• Coordinate and support project-based work such as menu changes, refurbishments, or new service initiatives.
• Work closely with stakeholders at all levels to communicate operational updates and align on service expectations.

Skills

Food-led hospitality management

Stakeholder management

High-pressure adaptability

Attention to detail

Strong communication

Team leadership

Team leadership

Job description

Catering and Hospitality Operations Manager

Contract: Professional Services, Production & Technology

Location: Luton, LU1 3PG

Hours of work: 40 (Monday - Friday)

Contract Type: Permanent

We are seeking an exceptional Operations Manager to lead the food and hospitality operation at a high-profile client site.

This hands‑on position oversees a Unity coffee bar, staff restaurant, hospitality services, and an outdoor BBQ area.

The role requires a highly visible operator who is confident engaging with high-profile guests and senior stakeholders.

Job Description

We are looking for someone who can take full ownership of the site’s food operation, working closely with a Supervisor and Head Chef to ensure consistently high standards across service, presentation, compliance, and commercial performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations across the coffee bar, staff restaurant, hospitality services, and BBQ area.
• Manage and support the Supervisor and Head Chef, ensuring smooth coordination between front and back of house.
• Maintain consistent food quality, service standards, and presentation across all service points.
• Monitor financial performance including cost control, stock management, waste, and P&L accuracy.
• Handle guest interactions, including escalated queries or complaints, ensuring swift and professional resolution.
• Implement and maintain operating standards through audits, performance reviews, and guest feedback.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, hygiene, health & safety, and site property standards.
• Coordinate and support project‑based work such as menu changes, refurbishments, or new service initiatives.
• Work closely with stakeholders at all levels to communicate operational updates and align on service expectations.

Professional and Personal Competencies/Qualifications

• Proven experience in premium, food‑led hospitality (contract catering, fine dining, boutique hotels, or similar).
• Experience managing senior stakeholders and high‑profile guests.
• Background in contract catering (preferred).
• Ability to work at pace, adapt quickly, and remain resilient in a high‑profile operational environment.
• Exceptional attention to detail across service, operations, and financial accuracy.
• Strong communication skills, able to manage sensitive situations and turn feedback into improvements.
• Confident team manager with experience coordinating both front and back of house operations

The Company

ISS is a world‑leading workplace and facility management company, connecting people and places to make the world work better. Working with customers day by day, side by side, we understand every aspect of the user experience.

Through a unique combination of intelligent solutions, high standards and people who care, to help our customers achieve their purpose, whether it’s hospitals healing patients, businesses producing the next great innovation, or airports bringing passengers home to their families. ISS is committed to doing business the right way, taking its corporate responsibility very seriously. Our passion is people.

We offer you a challenging and exciting career in an organisation with people at its heart. In ISS, everyone has the opportunity to develop, grow and make a difference.

ISS is proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer.

ISS welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity or gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race (which includes race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and caste), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.

We are proud to be a Gold Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) award holder and a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising our commitment to supporting veterans, reservists, and military families. Through our Joint Forces Programme, we provide mentoring and support to members of the Armed Forces community and their spouses as they transition into civilian careers.

We are a Disability Confident Committed (Level 2) employer, proudly supporting and promoting inclusive hiring practices in line with the UK government’s Disability Confident scheme.

Our passion for inclusivity and diversity makes ISS a more creative, productive and happy place to work.