Operations Manager - Didcot

Compass Group UK; East Hagbourne; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Eurest in Didcot is seeking an inspirational Operations Manager to lead food & beverage operations across a campus site. You will drive exceptional service, commercial performance and customer experience while developing a team and ensuring contractual profitability.

Responsibilities include overseeing multiple outlets, identifying growth opportunities, and delivering improvements in line with brand standards and client expectations.

Qualifications

• Senior operational leadership experience in hospitality or catering.
• Experience managing large-scale, multi-outlet hospitality operations.
• Strong commercial understanding in competitive markets.
• Proven track record delivering change programmes and improvements.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with senior clients and partners.
• Excellent communication, influencing and presentation skills.
• Experience delivering work within brand standards for consistent excellence.
• Passion for food, hospitality and memorable customer experiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire operational teams to deliver service, performance and customer satisfaction.
• Oversee food and beverage delivery across multiple campus outlets with consistent quality.
• Grow and develop the hospitality offer by identifying opportunities and responding to client needs.
• Deliver contract profitability through strong leadership, financial oversight and operations support.
• Review performance, identify areas for improvement, ensure compliance with standards.
• Analyze customer feedback and market trends to enhance the customer experience.
• Communicate strategy and objectives clearly to engaged teams.
• Build relationships with internal teams, clients, suppliers and senior stakeholders.
• Lead change programmes delivering measurable operational improvements.
• Ensure services align with brand guidelines and commercial objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Operational management

Hospitality management

Commercial awareness

Change management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Brand standards

Customer experience

Job description

Operations Manager - Didcot
Salary: Up to £45,000 per annum
Hours: Monday - Friday with occasional evenings and weekends as required

Lead Exceptional Workplace Hospitality Across a Thriving Campus Environment

At Eurest, we believe food has the power to transform the working day. We create better breaks through exceptional food, outstanding service, and memorable experiences that bring people together.

We’re looking for an inspiring and commercially focused Operations Manager to lead our food and beverage operations across a prestigious campus in Didcot. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced operational leader to shape the future of hospitality across multiple outlets, driving innovation, engagement, and customer satisfaction.

As Operations Manager, you will take ownership of delivering an outstanding food and beverage experience for both client and public customers, while leading teams to achieve operational excellence and commercial success.

About the Role

You will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of multiple hospitality outlets across the campus, ensuring exceptional standards across food quality, service, compliance, and customer experience.

Working closely with clients, stakeholders, and operational teams, you will identify opportunities to grow the current offer, introduce improvements, and ensure the contract continues to exceed expectations.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and inspiring operational teams to deliver exceptional service, commercial performance, and customer satisfaction.
• Overseeing food and beverage delivery across multiple campus outlets, ensuring consistent quality and outstanding hospitality.
• Growing and developing the current hospitality offer by identifying new opportunities and responding to customer needs.
• Delivering contract profitability through effective leadership, financial management, and operational support.
• Reviewing contract performance, identifying areas for improvement, and ensuring full compliance with company and client standards.
• Analysing customer feedback and market trends to develop solutions that enhance the customer experience.
• Communicating strategy and business objectives clearly, ensuring teams are engaged and improvements are successfully implemented.
• Building strong relationships with internal teams, clients, suppliers, and senior stakeholders.
• Leading change programmes that deliver measurable operational improvements.
• Ensuring all services are delivered in line with brand guidelines and commercial objectives.

About You

You’ll be an experienced hospitality or catering leader with a strong track record of managing complex operations and delivering results in a commercially driven environment.

You will have:

• Proven experience in a senior operational management role, leading and motivating teams to achieve outstanding results.
• Experience managing large-scale hospitality, catering, or multi-outlet operations.
• A strong commercial understanding, with experience working in competitive and price-sensitive markets.
• Demonstrable experience delivering change programmes and continuous improvement initiatives.
• The ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with senior-level clients and third-party partners.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and presentation skills.
• Experience working within brand standards to deliver consistent operational excellence.
• A passion for food, hospitality, and creating memorable customer experiences.

Why Join Eurest?

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a business that puts people and customers at the heart of everything we do. You’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact, develop a talented team, and shape the future of hospitality across a unique campus environment.

If you’re a passionate operational leader who thrives on driving change, building relationships, and delivering exceptional experiences, we’d love to hear from you