Operations Manager

Impact Food Group; Woking; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Life assurance

Company pension

Healthcare

Learning platform

Wellbeing programme

Electric car salary sacrifice

Discounts (IFG Rewards)

Annual Summer Party

Job summary

Impact Food Group is seeking an experienced Regional Operations Manager to oversee a portfolio of school kitchens across Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. This field-based role requires travel between sites and a hands-on leader who can drive food quality, service and operational excellence.

You will lead multi-site teams, build relationships with clients and suppliers, monitor performance, and support HR and day-to-day operations.

Qualifications

• Experience as an Area Manager or Operations Manager in contract or retail catering.
• Managing at least 8 sites.
• Strong people management and leadership experience.
• Excellent communication with kitchen teams and senior stakeholders.
• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Proficient with Office tools, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• Passion for fresh, contemporary food and delivering outstanding service.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate, and develop multi-site teams to deliver results.
• Build relationships with clients, suppliers, and stakeholders.
• Monitor and improve operational performance across portfolio.
• Ensure food quality, hygiene, and compliance standards.
• Manage budgets and contracts (commercial and fixed-price).
• Support Chef Managers with recruitment, HR, and day-to-day operations.
• Present data, reports, and insights to demonstrate operational success.

Skills

Leadership & people management

Multi-site management

Stakeholder communication

Organisational skills

Office tools & Excel

Budgeting & financial oversight

HR & recruitment support

Tools

Office tools

Job description

Regional Operations Manager

Surrey / Hampshire / Berks - M3 corridor

Impact Food Group (IFG) is one of England’s fastest-growing school food providers, serving aroundone million students every dayacross more than1,500 schools. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality, nutritious meals that support student wellbeing and enjoyment.

Our brands include Innovate, Cucina, Chapter One (Independent Schools), Hutchison,and Dolce, reflecting our breadth of experience and reach across the school catering sector.

Due to business growth we’re looking for an experienced Operations Manager to oversee a portfolio of schools, supporting our teams and ensuring exceptional food, service, and operational standards. This is a field-based role, so you’ll need to be prepared to travel between sites.

What You’ll Do:

We are looking for a self-motivated, resilient, and highly organised multi-site Operations Manager with a background in high-quality food catering services. As an Operations Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind multiple school kitchens, ensuring every site runs smoothly:

• Lead, motivate, and develop your teams to deliver outstanding results
• Build strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and stakeholders
• Monitor and improve operational performance across your portfolio
• Ensure food quality, hygiene, and compliance standards are consistently met
• Manage financial performance, including budgets, commercial and fixed-price contracts
• Support Chef Managers with recruitment, HR, and day-to-day operations
• Present data, reports, and insights to demonstrate operational success

Who We’re Looking For

You’re a hands-on, results-driven manager who thrives in a fast-paced environment. You’ll have:

• Experience as an Area Manager or Operations Manager in contract or retail catering, managing at least 8 sites
• A proven track record of leading multi-site teams, with strong people management skills
• Confidence communicating with everyone—from kitchen teams to senior stakeholders
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise effectively
• Strong proficiency with Office tools, spreadsheets, and presentations
• A passion for fresh, contemporary food and delivering outstanding service

We’re looking for someone who leads by example, motivates teams, and genuinely cares about people and food.

What’s in It For You

We don’t just offer a job, we offer a career you can be proud of:

• 25 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays
• Life assurance and company pension
• Healthcare
• Access to our online learning and development platform
• Employee wellbeing programme
• Salary sacrifice electric car scheme
• IFG Rewards high-street discounts
• Annual Summer Party with company awards

If you’re ready to lead high-performing teams, make a real impact, and take your career to the next level, we’d love to hear from you!

Please note: An interview and assessment will be part of the recruitment process.

IFG are committed to the safeguarding of children, and our employees share this commitment. Successful candidates are requiredtoundergo an enhancedDBS disclosure and children’s barred list check, which IFG will pay for. We are a committed equal opportunities employer - if you require any assistance for the interview process, please detail within your application. All information is kept confidential and in compliance with GDPR requirements.