Operations Manager- University of London

Gather + Gather; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal development

Life assurance

Pension scheme

Holiday allowance

Healthcare support app

Eye care

Wellbeing strategy

Family friendly support

Volunteering days

Professional subscriptions

Recognition schemes

Long service awards

Discount vouchers

Job summary

Gather + Gather is recruiting an Operations Manager for the University of London in London. The role leads catering operations across multiple sites, driving service standards, profitability, and customer focus. You will coach managers, shape culture, and ensure H&S and food safety compliance.

This is a hands-on leadership role, requiring a proactive approach, commercial sense, and ability to manage complex operations in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in hospitality, retail, or catering operations, ideally within a multi-site setting.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support catering operations across multiple sites, ensuring exceptional service and operational standards.
• Drive performance, efficiency, and profitability while maintaining a strong customer focus.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with University stakeholders.
• Lead, coach, and develop managers and teams to create a high-performing culture.
• Champion Health & Safety, compliance, and food safety standards.
• Deliver operational improvements and ensure key projects and initiatives are successfully implemented.

Job description

Great food in the workplace isn’t simply about fuel.It’s about increasing productivity and improving performance; it’s about happy, motivated people and inspiring environments. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do – we live to bring food and people together.

We are brave, bold and curious adventurers in food and drink. Never shy of being different, always challenging the conventional.

Our passionate team of chefs, baristas, servers, nutritionists and much more, love nothing more than creating memorable moments that enrich the everyday.Come and join our award-winning teams – we are currently recruiting for a Operations Manager to join our team at University of London.

We're looking for an exceptional Operations Manager who thrives on leading people, driving results, and making a real impact. You'll combine creativity with commercial awareness and operational expertise, lead from the front, follow through on every commitment, and be passionate about supporting your teams while helping shape the future of catering across the University of London.

Location: WC1E 7HU

Working Pattern: 40 hours per week, mainly Monday - Friday with shifts between 7am to 7.30pm however occasional flexibility outside of these hours is required. There is potential for one Saturday or Sunday per month at busy periods.

Salary: £55,000 per annum

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support catering operations across multiple sites, ensuring exceptional service and operational standards.
• Drive performance, efficiency, and profitability while maintaining a strong customer focus.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with University stakeholders.
• Lead, coach, and develop managers and teams to create a high-performing culture.
• Champion Health & Safety, compliance, and food safety standards.
• Deliver operational improvements and ensure key projects and initiatives are successfully implemented.

Our Ideal Candidate

• A proactive, hands‑on leader who takes ownership and gets things done.
• Creative and commercially minded, with a passion for improving customer experiences and operational performance.
• Resilient, driven, and committed to following through on commitments.
• People‑focused, with the ability to inspire, develop, and support teams.
• Confident building relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Comfortable working independently in a fast‑paced environment.
• Experienced in hospitality, retail, or catering operations, ideally within a multi‑site setting.
• Passionate about delivering results, maintaining high standards, and helping shape the future of the University of London catering operation.

What’s in it for you?

Working with Gather + Gather has its perks! People are at the heart of everything we do, so we've developed a range of benefits to keep you happy.

• Personal Development and Training opportunities
• Life assurance scheme
• Pension scheme
• Holiday allowance
• Access to Healthcare Support App which includes Annual health check, Digital GP, Mental Health Consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinion
• Eye care
• A great wellbeing strategy – including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance
• Family friendly support
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders
• A holiday purchase scheme
• Volunteering days
• Professional subscriptions
• Recognition schemes and people awards
• Long service awards
• Access to some great high street discount vouchers

About Us

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/0610/42470001/52837867/SU #Gather and Gather

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!