Operations Manager

Wilson Vale; Leeds; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Wilson Vale is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead kitchen and hospitality services at a flagship workplace restaurant in Leeds. This full-time position offers the chance to innovate and enhance service delivery, managing a dedicated team while maintaining high standards in food and service quality.

Benefits

Work-life balance

Career development opportunities

Craft-focused training

Paid bespoke training

Employee Assistance Programme

Online employee benefits scheme

Birthday off after one year

Enhanced Maternity Pay

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar operations management role required.
• Proven track record of developing efficient processes.
• Strong understanding of hospitality services management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee kitchen and hospitality operations for a team of 15 staff.
• Ensure services meet high standards and drive continuous improvement.
• Manage labor budget and develop tailored hospitality solutions.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Customer Service

Innovation

People Management

Job description

We are currently recruiting for an experienced and dynamic Operations Manager to lead our kitchen and hospitality services at a flagship workplace restaurant in Leeds city centre, just steps from the train station.

This is a full-time position based on a 40-hour working week. Core hours are typically 7:00am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday, but you will be expected to manage your time effectively to meet the needs of the business. This may occasionally include evening or weekend work in support of hospitality events. Day-to-day the kitchen caters for around 150 people, plus hospitality.

This brand-new role, created as part of a recent restructure, reflects our commitment to exceptional service, innovation, and team development. It presents a fantastic opportunityfor an experienced manager to truly showcase their skills, take ownership of a thriving service, and be a driving force for innovation across both kitchen and hospitality departments.

As Operations Manager, you will oversee a team of approximately 15 staff across the kitchen and hospitality departments. You will be responsible for the smooth day-to-day running of operations while also driving innovation and continuous improvement across both areas.

The kitchen offers a vibrant, freshly prepared menu that includes breakfast and lunch services. Breakfast options range from full English breakfasts to a yoghurt and toppings bar, along with fresh baked goods. Lunch features world cuisine, bistro dishes, deli selections, and a seasonal salad bar, with three specials each week and some plant-based options included.

We’re looking for a confident, capable leader who is passionate about great food, high-quality service, and team development. You’ll be proactive, customer-focused, and ready to inspire and support your team in delivering a consistently excellent experience.

As part of your role, you'll also enjoy a freshly prepared meal while on shift, provided by our in-house kitchen team.

Wilson Vale is an established, quality-led contract caterer. We work with amazing clients across the UK who place huge value on great food as a key part of their culture and community. We work in office restaurants, independent schools and at conference venues with the same high-end ethos throughout.

Our culture unites us. We stand for craft, quality, creative freedom, forward thinking and integrity. We never compromise on our commitment to fresh, seasonal produce and the fantastic people that make it all happen!

The role requires someone who is commercially minded with the ability to demonstrate a track record of developing efficient and cost-effective processes and that you have first class communication skills and a keen eye for detail.

Responsibilities, Skills and Experience:

• Ensure that all hospitality services are delivered to the highest standards
• Must be comfortable leading from the front and working hands-on as needed in a fast-paced environment
• Able to design and deliver bespoke hospitality solutions tailored to a variety of events and audiences.
• Health & safety / compliance knowledge
• Staff development including training and motivating staff
• Manage labour budget / Manage cost
• Must have a love for great food and service
• Excellent people management and communication skills
• Experience in a similar role
• Experience of leading and managing teams to deliver results
• Able to work in a pressurised environment and be able to multi-task
• Understanding of P&L accounts
• Good customer service and strong communication skills
• Strong premium hospitality experience in another venue
• A passion for exceptional service is essential
• Strong understanding of service styles, food trends
• Innovation and creativity
• Exceptional presentation skills
• Articulate and very well organised
• Proactive and reliable

OUR CULTURE:

• Craft at our core – we pride ourselves on our craft-skilled chefs who create wonderful fresh food from scratch.
• It’s all about the food – the menu is the most important document our chefs write every week.
• Quality, seasonal ingredients – 300+ British suppliers and our chefs can source locally.
• Freedom to create – our teams love to cook up exciting food themes and pop-ups to keep the food fun.
• Support like no other – our business was founded by family and we have stayed true to those same family values of nurturing development, protecting our values and building trust and loyalty.
• Making food that not only tastes great but is good for the planet. We have always had a strong environmental ethosand are dedicated to our social and environmental commitments.
• We believe in tailored training and opportunities to build your career with us.

WILSON VALE PERKS:

• Our working hours are some of the best you'll find in catering - we are strong believers in work-life balance
• Our working environment is fun and inspiring, with excellent career development opportunities
• Craft Works – Free craft-focused career development training programme
• Paid training bespoke to you
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme- your wellbeing is very important to us
• Online employee benefits scheme -monetary savings on everyday items!
• Your Birthday offevery year after 1 years’ service.
• Enhanced Maternity Pay

Wilson Vale is an equal opportunities employer that strives to create an inclusive working environment for all. We are committed to supporting our people and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. From each and every person in our catering teams, to our operations and central support teams – everyone at has a voice.