General Manager

Compass Group UK & Ireland; Atherstone; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

A major catering company in Atherstone seeks a General Manager to lead catering operations at Twycross Zoo. The role includes managing a skilled team, driving revenue growth while ensuring compliance with safety standards. Ideal candidates will have over 3 years' experience in a similar role and a strong background in contract catering. A UK driving license is required. Benefits include a contributory pension scheme and employee discounts.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

Career development programs

Healthcare benefits

Travel discounts

Food shop discounts

Cinema ticket discounts

Cash rewards for spending

Wellness and exercise classes

Qualifications

• Must have a UK driving license.
• Experience in visitor attraction sites preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a motivated team.
• Manage labour planning and cost control.
• Drive commercial opportunities to maximize revenue.
• Maintain strong client relationships.
• Oversee operational delivery across all services.
• Ensure compliance with policies and health standards.

Skills

3+ years' experience in a similar role

Strong contract catering background

Excellent financial acumen

Proven experience in leading diverse teams

Exceptional communication skills

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Title: General Manager; Location: Twycross Zoo; Salary: Up to £51,000 per annum; Contract: Permanent, Full-Time, 5 out of 7 days per week.

As the General Manager at Twycross Zoo, you will be joining this well-known visitor attraction, to lead and develop the catering operations, whereby the guests remain at the heart of every decision. This role will be responsible for the multi-outlet catering operation based on site, which consists of a handful of smaller grab & go kiosks, three food concession units, a fish & chip outlet as well as a restaurant. Having a commercial and strategic approach to the catering offering at this site is key. This venue is predominantly retail food led, with approximately 90% of its F&B sales coming from this.

Twycross Zoo is currently undergoing some site developments to enhance its conference & events offering and increase the footfall and business coming into the venue. Because of the site developments as well as the existing catering offering, this role would be suited to an experienced contract catering individual who enjoys leading by example with their hands on the ground approach. Because of the location of Twycross Zoo, it is imperative that the successful individual has a UK driving license.

Responsibilities

• Leading, training and developing a motivated, skilled team of operators and culinary teams.
• Managing all aspects of labour planning, cost control and forecasting
• Identifying and driving commercial opportunities to maximise revenue within food & beverage
• Maintaining strong client relationships and ensuring their expectations are exceeded
• Overseeing operational delivery across all food and hospitality services
• Ensuring compliance with company policies, health and safety standards and financial targets
• Supporting and delivering the venue's growth strategy in partnership with the client

The Ideal Candidate

• 3+ years' experience in a similar General Manager role.
• A strong contract catering or food & beverage background (ideally from a visitor attraction site)
• Excellent financial and commercial acumen
• Proven experience leading a large, diverse team of contracted and casual staff
• Keen eye for detail when managing budgets and spotting areas for improvement and growth.
• Exceptional communication style with both client and on-site team and a clear leader.
• A genuine passion for development of the food & beverage offering and working with the client to progress this

Benefits

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, Restaurant Associates provides brilliant hospitality through our food, drink and services. We work with our partners and collaborate with our clients to achieve great things together. Every day, our teams of passionate hospitality professionals strive for excellence in delivering employee dining and hospitality to some of the UK's leading workplace as well as inspiring exceptional experiences in iconic cultural and heritage destinations.

Job Reference: com/0210/92635002/52544769/SU #RA Venues

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!