General Manager

Aramark; Manchester; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Online benefits platform discounts

Life assurance

Pension contributions

Holiday entitlement with option to buy

Career progression

Apprenticeship schemes

Training

Job summary

Aramark UK is seeking an experienced General Manager to lead our catering operations at Withington Girls' School. You will deliver exceptional food, service and customer experiences while driving commercial success through strong financial and people leadership.

Working with senior stakeholders, you will oversee multiple sites, inspire high-performing teams, implement growth opportunities and ensure safety, quality and compliance across all operations.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in catering/hospitality or contract catering.
• Strong budget management and P&L accountability.
• Excellent stakeholder and client relationship skills.
• Knowledge of food safety, HACCP, health & safety, and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage catering operations across locations, ensuring exceptional food quality, service standards, and operational excellence.
• Drive financial performance through budget management, cost control, P&L accountability, and revenue targets.
• Build and maintain strong client and customer relationships, ensuring high satisfaction and service delivery.
• Provide effective leadership, coaching and support to management and operational teams; foster a high-performance culture.
• Develop, engage and retain talent through performance management and career development initiatives.
• Ensure full compliance with policies, food safety regulations, HACCP, health and safety, and contractual obligations.
• Identify opportunities for growth, innovation and revenue generation.
• Monitor and improve operational and financial performance through data-driven decisions and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

P&L management

Team development

Stakeholder management

Food safety HACCP

Communication

Job description

Job Description

Aramark UK are looking for an experienced and inspirational General Manager to lead our catering operations, delivering exceptional food, service and customer experiences at Withington Girls' School. This is a high-profile leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, maintaining strong client relationships, and ensuring commercial success through effective financial and people management.

The successful candidate will be a commercially minded leader with a passion for innovation, team development and service excellence. Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will oversee multiple operations, inspire high-performing teams, identify growth opportunities and ensure the highest standards of quality, compliance and customer satisfaction are consistently achieved.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all employees and workers to share this commitment. All roles are subject to safer recruitment checks, including references and an enhanced DBS check, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).

What's in it for you:

• £46,000 dependant on experience
• You will have access to our online benefits platform which includes 100's of discounts, including savings on your weekly supermarket shop and weekend treats!
• We also offer a company package including life assurance, pension contributions, generous holiday entitlement with the option to buy more, and many more perks.
• You will also be joining a great team, with fabulous career prospects and could lead to all sorts of opportunities – we LOVE to promote from within!
• As we are passionate about developing our people from within, great training is provided. We also offer apprenticeship schemes, so your learning journey can continue!

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and manage catering operations across all locations, ensuring exceptional food quality, service standards, and operational excellence.
• Drive financial performance through effective budget management, cost control, P&L accountability, and achievement of revenue and profit targets.
• Build and maintain strong client and customer relationships, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and service delivery.
• Provide effective leadership, coaching, and support to management and operational teams, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Develop, engage, and retain talent through performance management, succession planning, training, and career development initiatives.
• Ensure full compliance with company policies, food safety regulations, HACCP standards, health and safety requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Identify and implement opportunities for business growth, innovation, increased participation, and revenue generation.
• Monitor, analyse, and improve operational and financial performance through data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Requirements

• Proven leadership experience within catering, hospitality, retail, or contract catering operations.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including budget management and P&L responsibility.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, develop, and retain high-performing teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with a strong focus on client and customer satisfaction.
• Thorough knowledge of food safety, HACCP, health and safety, and compliance requirements.
• Strong organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to drive operational excellence and business growth.

About Aramark

At Aramark UK, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone is valued and empowered to thrive. As a proud Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from individuals of all abilities and are dedicated to supporting employees with disabilities throughout their career journey.

We ensure our recruitment process is accessible, and reasonable adjustments are available at every stage, from application to interview and employment. If you require any accommodations or have any questions, please reach out to our recruitment team – [e-mail]

Join us in fostering a workplace where everyone can achieve their full potential.