Contract Director - Knightsbridge

Compass Group UK; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 68,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

Eurest in London is seeking a Contract Director to lead the premium food and beverage operations within a prestigious department store. You will drive commercial success, shape the guest experience and manage senior stakeholder relationships to uphold world-class standards.

Leading a high-performing team across multiple offers, you will innovate, optimise operations and ensure compliance while delivering exceptional customer service in a luxury retail environment.

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience in contract catering or premium retail settings.
• Proven P&L management and strong commercial acumen.
• Experience leading large, multi-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead all catering, hospitality and retail food operations on site.
• Deliver exceptional customer experiences that exceed expectations.
• Own financial performance including full P&L accountability, budgeting and forecasting.
• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Coach and develop management teams to reach their potential.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement in food concepts.
• Ensure top standards of food quality, health & safety and compliance.
• Identify commercial opportunities to increase revenue and profitability.
• Create a culture of engagement, accountability and excellence.

Skills

Senior leadership experience

P&L management

Team management

Client/stakeholder management

Premium food & hospitality

Operational excellence

Change leadership

High-performing culture

Job description

Contract Director - Knightsbridge

Up to£75,000 pr annum

Lead an Exceptional Hospitality Experience

Are you a commercially astute hospitality leader with a passion for delivering world-class customer experiences? We're looking for an exceptional Contract Director to lead the catering and hospitality operation within one of the UK's most prestigious luxury department stores. This is a unique opportunity to shape an outstanding food and beverage experience in a premium retail environment where quality, innovation and impeccable service are at the heart of everything we do. You'll inspire high-performing teams, build strong client relationships and drive commercial success, ensuring every customer experience reflects the standards expected of a world-renowned luxury brand.

About the Role

As Contract Director, you'll have full responsibility for the operational and commercial performance of the contract. You'll lead multiple food and beverage offers, hospitality services and retail catering operations, creating an environment where both colleagues and customers receive an exceptional experience every day. Working closely with senior stakeholders, you'll identify opportunities for growth, champion innovation and ensure operational excellence across every aspect of the business. This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a confident, commercially focused individual who thrives in premium environments and enjoys building engaged, high-performing teams.

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Leading all catering, hospitality and retail food operations across the site.
• Delivering exceptional customer experiences that exceed expectations.
• Owning financial performance, including full P&L accountability, budgeting and forecasting.
• Building trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Leading, coaching and developing management teams to achieve their full potential.
• Driving innovation, new food concepts and continuous improvement.
• Ensuring the highest standards of food quality, health & safety and compliance.
• Identifying commercial opportunities to increase revenue and profitability.
• Creating a culture of engagement, accountability and excellence.

What We're Looking For

• Significant senior leadership experience within contract catering, hospitality or premium retail environments.
• Strong commercial acumen with proven P&L management.
• Experience managing large, multi-functional teams.
• Outstanding client relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• A passion for premium food, hospitality and customer service.
• A track record of driving operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• The ability to inspire teams and create a positive, high-performing culture.
• Confidence leading change while maintaining exceptional service standards.

Why Join Eurest?

At Eurest, we're on a mission to make work better by helping people enjoy better breaks. We believe that great food, welcoming spaces and meaningful moments have the power to bring people together, boost wellbeing and create thriving workplace cultures. Every day, we help millions of people enjoy better breaks that fuel productivity, connection and happiness. As part of our team, you'll do more than provide a service—you'll help create experiences that make a genuine difference to people's working lives. Whether you're serving customers, preparing food, supporting operations or driving innovation, your work contributes to stronger teams, healthier habits and more successful workplaces. We work together, support one another, take pride in what we do and never stop looking for ways to improve. We're ambitious, people-focused and passionate about creating opportunities for our colleagues to learn, grow and build rewarding careers. If you're looking for a leadership role where you can be yourself, make a real impact and help shape the future of workplace experiences, we'd love to hear from you.