School Group Manager - Hampshire

Chartwells Schools; England; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension scheme

Career development programmes

Digital GP and wider healthcare

Travel discounts

Discounts on groceries

Cinema discounts

Cashback offers

Wellbeing programs

Job summary

Chartwells is seeking a Group Manager – School Catering to lead a portfolio of 18 school contracts across Hampshire. You will drive operational excellence, coach Unit Managers, and build strategic client relationships to retain contracts and maximise revenue.

You will oversee budgeting, costs, and compliance while promoting high standards of food safety and customer satisfaction across multiple sites. This role requires strong leadership and remote team management skills.

Qualifications

• Experience operating across multiple sites.
• Background in foodservice or similar operational environment.
• Proven leadership of teams and delivery of results.
• Multi-site operational management experience.
• Track record of growing sales and retaining business.
• Budget management and/or P&L experience.
• Strong commercial awareness.
• Excellent communication with senior stakeholders.
• Good food knowledge and experience.
• Chef background, facilities management or retail experience advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Unit Managers across 18 school contracts.
• Build strategic client relationships to support contract retention.
• Ensure contractual commitments and customer expectations are delivered.
• Coach, train and develop teams, including succession planning.
• Manage costs, gross profit, sales performance and purchasing compliance.
• Identify opportunities to grow sales and maximise additional revenue.
• Ensure marketing and promotional activities are implemented effectively.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, health & safety and operational compliance.
• Monitor customer and client feedback and implement appropriate actions.
• Minimise food waste and maintain accurate cost and sales records.

Skills

Multi-site leadership

People management

Sales growth

Budget management

P&L experience

Commercial awareness

Client relationships

Communication with senior stakeholders

Food knowledge

IT skills

Job description

Multi-site role

Are you an experienced multi-site catering leader who knows how to get the best from people, build strong client relationships and deliver great food services?

Group Manager – School Catering

Location: Hampshire

Multi-site role

Are you an experienced multi-site catering leader who knows how to get the best from people, build strong client relationships and deliver great food services?

We’re looking for a Group Manager to lead a portfolio of 18 school contracts across Hampshire. This is a varied operational role where you’ll support and lead Unit Managers, ensure contracts deliver against their commitments, drive commercial performance and help create consistently high standards across every site. [Group Mana...shire.docx | Word]

What you’ll be doing

• Leading and developing Unit Managers across 18 school contracts
• Building strong, strategic relationships with clients to support contract retention
• Ensuring contractual commitments and customer expectations are delivered
• Coaching, training and developing teams, including succession planning
• Managing costs, gross profit, sales performance and purchasing compliance
• Identifying opportunities to grow sales and maximise additional revenue
• Ensuring marketing and promotional activity is implemented effectively
• Maintaining high standards of food safety, health & safety and operational compliance
• Monitoring customer and client feedback and ensuring appropriate actions are followed through
• Minimising food waste and maintaining accurate cost and sales records. [Group Mana...shire.docx | Word]

What we’re looking for

You’ll already have experience operating across multiple sites and be comfortable leading teams remotely. A background in foodservice or a similar operational environment is essential. [Group Mana...shire.docx | Word]

You’ll Also Bring

• Proven experience of leading successful teams and delivering results
• Multi-site operational management experience
• A track record of growing sales and retaining business
• Budget management and/or P&L experience
• Strong commercial awareness
• Excellent communication skills, including confidence working with senior stakeholders
• Good food knowledge and experience
• Strong IT and computer skills. [Group Mana...shire.docx | Word]

A chef background, facilities management or retail experience, knowledge of food production, and project/change management experience would be advantageous. [Group Mana...shire.docx | Word]

Why this role?

This is an opportunity to take real ownership of a multi-site operation. You’ll have the scope to influence performance across a significant portfolio, develop your teams and build lasting client relationships while ensuring customers receive a consistently high-quality service.

If you’re a commercially minded catering operator who enjoys leading people across multiple locations and wants your next challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, Chartwells is the leading provider of catering and support services to the education sector. For over a quarter of a century, Chartwells has been focusing on helping those in education to build strong bodies, sharp minds and lead long healthy lives. Every week, Chartwells serves millions of nutritious and delicious meals to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools, academies, independent schools, colleges, and universities across the UK. Chartwells is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to successfully completing pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and a Children's Barred List check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and we ask applicants to declare all previous convictions and cautions in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

Job Reference: com/2210/L97801/52841612/SU #State Schools

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!