Director of Operations

Compass Group UK; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food service provider in the United Kingdom seeks a Director of Operations to lead strategic initiatives and operational performance. This critical role requires extensive experience in change management and operational integration, ensuring high quality and safety standards while driving continuous improvement. The successful candidate will oversee major operational projects and foster a culture of excellence and resilience within the organization.

Benefits

Discounts on various brands

Flexible working hours

Free parking

Career Pathways

Learning & development programs

Access to wellness programs

Employee Assistance Program

Exciting appreciation days

Qualifications

• Experienced senior operations leader with Director-level experience.
• Proven track record in change management and operational compliance.
• Comfortable leading operations during significant change.

Responsibilities

• Act as the senior operational lead for Glanmore Foods.
• Report on operational performance, risk, and compliance.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement across the business.

Skills

Change management

Operational integration

LEAN methodologies

Leadership

Analytical skills

Project leadership

Job description

We are recruiting for a Director of Operations on a full time (40 hours), permanent contract to join our senior leadership team in the Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 area!

As Director of Operations, you will be a key senior leader within Glanmore Foods. You will drive transformational change, lead operational integration, embed compliance and governance frameworks, and oversee enterprise-wide projects that strengthen operational resilience and performance.

This role has significant strategic accountability and involves direct reporting to the Managing Director of Compass Group Ireland, contributing to national operational strategy and Group-wide performance initiatives.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities include:

• Act as the senior operational lead for Glanmore Foods, responsible for delivering against strategic operational objectives.
• Report on operational performance, risk, compliance, strategic priorities, and transformation progress. Lead organisation-wide change management, embedding new systems, cultural change, and improved ways of working.
• Foster a culture of excellence, ensuring high standards in food quality and service.
• Lead, mentor, and develop management teams to achieve business goals and enhance performance.
• Oversee all major operational projects, including system rollouts, process re‑engineering, optimisation, and infrastructure enhancements.
• Establish, refine, and enforce robust operational governance, compliance processes, and audit standards.
• Lead LEAN programmes to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and strengthen cross‑functional collaboration.
• Build and embed operational resilience through proactive risk management, contingency planning, and business continuity frameworks.
• Provide strong and visible leadership to senior managers, ensuring alignment, accountability, and high performance across all operational functions.
• Review, monitor, and analyse operational KPIs, delivering high-quality executive reports and insights.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, operational discipline, and people development across the business.
• Shape the long‑term operational roadmap for Glanmore Foods, aligning with Compass Group Ireland’s national strategy.
• Oversee the integration of new systems, processes, and operational standards, ensuring consistency and scalability across the business.
• Drive system and process implementation, ensuring strong adoption, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Work cross‑functionally with production, quality, commercial, and finance teams to ensure operational delivery supports business growth and service excellence.
• Review, refine, and standardise operational processes to support compliance, efficiency, and scalable operations.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, leadership, and high performance.

About You:

• A highly experienced senior operations leader with a proven track record in Director‑level or equivalent roles, ideally within complex, multi‑site, or scaling environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in change management, operational integration, and embedding new systems, cultures, and organisational structures.
• Strong programme and project leadership capability, with significant experience leading large‑scale, cross‑functional transformation.
• Deep understanding of operational compliance, regulatory governance, audit standards, and risk management.
• Strong experience in LEAN, continuous improvement, or operational excellence methodologies, with demonstrable results.
• A strategic thinker capable of translating organisational goals into measurable operational plans.
• An influential and credible leader able to effectively engage, influence, and challenge senior stakeholders, including executive and Group‑level leadership.
• Commercially and financially astute, with strong analytical, decision‑making, and problem‑solving abilities.
• Exceptional leadership skills with experience managing and developing senior managers and operational teams.
• Technologically adept, with experience in system implementation, digital transformation, and operational reporting tools.
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable leading operations during periods of significant change and rapid growth.
• Experience in food manufacturing, FMCG, contract catering, or regulated environments is helpful but not essential.
• Passionate about delivering quality, safety, operational efficiency, and a culture of continuous improvement.

Some of the benefits we offer:

As well as a competitive salary, we also have a large range of other benefits, such as

• Discounts on brands across the Island of Ireland (restaurants, high street stores, hotels, day out venues, gyms, golf courses and many more)
• Flexible working to support work life balance
• Free parking at the office
• Career Pathways to support career progression and/or skills development
• Learning & development programs available for personal and professional development & growth
• Access to wellness programs to promote mental health and wellbeing of our colleagues
• Employee Assistance Program to guide and support our employees
• Exciting appreciation days

About Us:

Glanmore Foods is apart of the Compass Group, located in Blanchardstown, Dublin. At Compass Ireland, our people are our business. When you join the Compass Group you will be joining a supportive network of incredible individuals, each united by their passion for going the extra mile for the organisations we partner with. We are building a team who care about providing a great customer experience and want to grow and develop as we do. We are dedicated to investing in every colleague joining us and pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer; we celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all our colleagues. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

Please review our Privacy Notice for details on how we maintain protect and why your personal data collected when you apply for a job with Glanmore Foods. We will not retain any CV’s or job applications for longer than necessary.