Operations Manager- Monday - Friday

Chartwells Independent; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Car / Allowance

Bonus

Private Healthcare

Job summary

Compass Group UK&I is seeking an Operations Manager to lead a portfolio of catering contracts across Peterborough and Northamptonshire. You will oversee multiple site managers, drive service excellence, profitability, and client satisfaction while building strong relationships with clients.

The role requires hands-on leadership, a strong commercial mindset, and the ability to travel across sites. A passion for food, people development, and delivering a best-in-class customer experience is

Qualifications

• Experience managing P&L across multiple contracts or sites.
• Proven leadership of multi-site teams in catering or hospitality.
• Strong strategic thinking with a data-driven approach.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations across multiple catering sites in Peterborough/Northamptonshire.
• Mentor Unit Managers to uphold high standards across locations.
• Develop teams and cultures of accountability and collaboration.
• Oversee recruitment across the portfolio, ensuring right hires.
• Maintain proactive client relationships and contract compliance.
• Manage budgets, forecasting, and cost controls.

Skills

P&L management

Team leadership

Communication

Data-driven

Travel flexibility

Hospitality experience

Job description

Operations Manager – Northamptonshire, Peterborough

• £55,000 - £60,000 per annum
• Company Car / Allowance
• Bonus
• Private Healthcare

Are you a driven and experienced operations professional with a passion for food, service excellence, and people leadership? We’re seeking an Operations Manager to join our dynamic team and take the lead across a portfolio of catering contracts throughout Peterborough and Northamptonshire.

As Operations Manager, you will oversee a diverse range of catering contracts, ensuring operational excellence, financial performance, and client satisfaction. You’ll lead a team of site managers, inspire frontline teams, and build trusted relationships with our clients.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the day‑to‑day operations across multiple catering sites throughout the Southwest, ensuring consistent service excellence.
• Support and mentor a team of Unit Managers to deliver high standards across all locations.
• Develop and inspire high‑performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, growth, and collaboration.
• Oversee recruitment across your portfolio, ensuring the right people are hired at the right time.
• Build and maintain strong, proactive client relationships across your geographic area, acting as a trusted partner.
• Ensure full contract compliance while maximising profitability, enhancing client satisfaction, and driving retention.
• Manage financial performance including budget planning, forecasting, and effective cost control measures.
• Promote exceptional food quality, uphold safety standards, and drive continuous innovation in service delivery.
• Lead the mobilisation of new contracts and contribute to tender processes and bid development as required.
• Champion best practices across HR, health & safety, compliance, and sustainability throughout all operations.

About You:

• Demonstrated experience in a mid‑level, multi‑site operations role within the contract catering or wider hospitality sector.
• Strong commercial focus with a solid track record in managing P&L performance across multiple contracts.
• Confident and effective leader with outstanding communication and team‑building skills.
• Skilled in managing challenging conversations with professionalism, empathy, and clarity.
• Analytical and commercially astute, using data insights to make informed, strategic decisions.
• Flexible and mobile, with the ability to travel frequently throughout the patch as required.
• A genuine passion for food, people development, and delivering a best‑in‑class customer experience.

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!