Operations Manager

Chartwells Independent; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension scheme

Career Pathways and MyLearning

Digital GP and wider healthcare

Travel discounts with major providers

Discounts on groceries

Cinema discounts

Cashback rewards

Wellness and fitness classes

Job summary

Grazing is seeking an Operations Manager for a hands‑on, multisite role covering Bermondsey, Central London, the City and West End. You’ll oversee multiple contracts, events and teams, balancing operational leadership with client relationships, commercial thinking and a real passion for food.

You’ll manage budgets, logistics and HR processes, ensuring training and compliance across contracts while driving service excellence.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years’ experience in operations or senior management within contract catering.
• Strong B&I experience and understanding of CPU and free‑issue models.
• Experience managing client relationships and budgets.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• A strong eye for detail and commercial awareness.
• Calm, proactive and solutions‑focused under pressure.
• Genuine passion for food and hospitality.
• Hands‑on, flexible approach—not desk‑bound.

Responsibilities

• Oversee multiple contracts across client sites and events.
• Manage and develop a team, including chefs and FOH staff.
• Lead, coach and motivate teams; establish high‑performance culture.
• Build strong client relationships and ensure exceptional service.
• Manage relief teams and resources across locations.
• Own budgets, food costs and labour costs.
• Work across CPU and free‑issue catering models.

Skills

Team leadership

Operations management

Contract catering

Client relationship management

Budget management

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Calm under pressure

Job description

Operations Manager - Bermondsey, London - £65,000 + benefits

This isn’t your average Operations Manager role, and we’re not your average caterer.

At Grazing We’re looking for an Operations Manager who’s ready to take ownership, shake things up and help drive the business into its next chapter.

This is a hands‑on, multisite role covering Central London, the City and West End. You’ll oversee multiple contracts, events and teams, combining operational leadership with strong client relationships, commercial thinking and a real passion for food.

You’ll be the person keeping everything moving behind the scenes - from managing teams and client relationships to overseeing budgets, logistics and events.

What you’ll be doing as Operations Manager:

• Oversee multiple contracts ensuring operations run smoothly across multiple client sites and events
• Manage and develop a team, including chefs, FOH and relief teams
• Lead, coach and motivate teams, setting clear expectations and creating a high-performance culture
• Build strong relationships with clients and key stakeholders, ensuring consistently excellent service
• Manage relief teams and resources across multiple locations
• Take ownership of budgets, financial performance, food costs and labour costs
• Work confidently across CPU and free-issue catering models
• Manage HR processes and support with people‑related issues across the contracts
• Ensure training, compliance, food safety and financial records are maintained to a high standard
• Coordinate and support events, including the practical side of delivery
• Be prepared to get stuck in - from picking and packing to loading trolleys into vans and supporting grazing‑food events
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, service and commercial performance

Who are we looking for?

You may currently be:

• A General Manager running a large B&I site, ready to step into multisite operations
• An experienced Operations Manager with a background in contract catering
• Someone with B&I and multisite experience, particularly across smaller, hands‑on sites
• A strong people leader who understands both the operational and commercial sides of catering
• Someone who has worked across different sites and environments throughout their career

You’ll ideally have:

• 3–5 years’ experience in operations or senior management within contract catering
• Strong B&I experience and an understanding of CPU and free‑issue models
• Experience managing client relationships and budgets
• Excellent organisational and communication skills
• A strong eye for detail and commercial awareness
• The ability to stay calm, proactive and solutions‑focused under pressure
• A genuine passion for food and hospitality
• A hands‑on, flexible approach - this isn’t a role where you’ll be sitting behind a desk all day
• The drive and attitude to make things happen; we’re looking for someone eager and ambitious, not necessarily someone with every box already ticked

This is an opportunity to step into a role with real ownership and visibility, managing a varied operation with plenty happening behind the scenes.

If you’re a hands‑on catering leader who enjoys variety, thrives in a fast‑moving environment and is ready for your next challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• 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

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/1809/43030001/52789659/R/SU #Grazing

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!