Operations Manager - Independent High End Contract Caterer

ZipRecruiter; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading independent contract caterer is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee their expanding Independent Education client base in West London and Home Counties. This role demands high energy and a commercial mindset, with responsibilities including management of client relationships and operational excellence. If you are solution-oriented and have a track record in rebranding and elevating service standards, we want to hear from you.

Qualifications

• Experience in re-establishing and rebranding in Education or B&I sectors.
• Ability to manage multiple clients with diverse expectations.
• Strong finishing skills and ability to think on one's feet.

Responsibilities

• Manage operations for 8-10 Independent school clients.
• Handle compliance and operational tasks.
• Introduce improvements in food quality and service delivery.

Skills

High energy

Commercial awareness

Problem solving

Team training

Compliance handling

Job description

Job Description

Operations Manager (not a corporate!)

High Quality Independent Education contracts

Location: West London & Home Counties

This brilliant, truly independent client of mine is winning more wonderful Education clients in the top-end Independent Schools market and hence needs an additional operations manager to join them!

My client is highly driven and fast-paced, so I need someone who is high energy, able to move at speed, very food-focused, and commercial. This true independent contract caterer (one of the rare true independents left!) is embarking on a period of change come September, so ideally, I need you to have experience in, and be adept at, re-establishing and rebranding a sector, be it B&I or Independent Education. As of September, my client aims to make a step change in everything from uniforms to the look and feel of counters, as well as team training.

In a nutshell, the goal is to introduce more of a B&I feel to the Independent schools, aligning with market trends and client expectations. The clients have pastry chefs in their schools, so the quality of food is comparable to that within a city law firm.

I need someone who can think on their feet, is a strong finisher, and can handle the less exciting tasks like compliance. My client would love someone with their own ideas, happy to problem-solve across sites, and suggest solutions.

Overall, you would start managing between 8 and 10 Independent school clients, each with Head teachers and Bursars, with a combined turnover of roughly 3 million, and this would grow up to 12 schools as new sites are acquired. The location of your patch would stretch from Chelsea to Croydon to Reigate, so anywhere west as a base would be suitable. Please do get in touch if this interests you — I’d love to hear from you!

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