Assistant Manager

Compass Group Ireland; Dublin; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Compass Group Ireland is seeking an Assistant Catering Manager to lead a dynamic on-site catering team, focusing on operations, staff development, and client engagement to deliver exceptional service. You will collaborate with the Catering Manager to run a smooth operation and uphold contract standards.

You will work to manage budgets, ensure health and safety compliance, and drive sales and sustainability initiatives while maintaining a high level of customer service.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience managing and developing teams.
• Strong operational and communication skills to lead teams effectively.
• Solid understanding of health & safety regulations in catering/hospitality.
• Experience in a fast-paced service environment (hospitality, retail, or facilities management preferred).

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the catering team to ensure smooth operations, maintaining high service standards.
• Oversee and coordinate all food service and hospitality functions, ensuring alignment with contract specifications.
• Recruit, train, and manage a high-performing team focused on excellent customer service.
• Develop strong client relationships, acting as a key point of contact for service-related matters.
• Drive sales and engagement through effective marketing and promotional initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and food safety regulations.
• Monitor budgets and financial targets, ensuring efficient cost management.
• Support sustainability initiatives by managing food waste and contributing to Net Zero commitments.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Operations management

Communication

Health & safety

Job description

As an Assistant Catering Manager, you will lead a dynamic team to deliver exceptional food service and customer experience. This role focuses on operational management, team leadership, and client engagement, rather than hands-on food preparation. You will provide motivation and guidance for your team in daily activities while supporting the Catering Manager in running a smooth and efficient operation. You will collaborate with the onsite team and business leaders to ensure outstanding service delivery.

This is a full time position, working 40 hours per week.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support the catering team to ensure smooth operations, maintaining high service standards.
• Oversee and coordinate all food service and hospitality functions, ensuring they align with contract specifications.
• Recruit, train, and manage a high-performing team focused on excellent customer service.
• Develop strong client relationships, acting as a key point of contact for service-related matters.
• Drive sales and engagement through effective marketing and promotional initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and food safety regulations.
• Monitor budgets and financial targets, ensuring efficient cost management.
• Support sustainability initiatives by managing food waste and contributing to Net Zero commitments.Support the catering manager in organising and leading the preparation and presentation of all food and hospitality services to the highest of standards and in line with the contract specification

About You

• Proven leadership experience, with a track record of managing and developing high-performing teams.
• At least 1 year of experience in a similar catering, hospitality, or food service management role.
• Strong operational and communication skills with the ability to lead teams effectively.
• A solid understanding of health & safety regulations within a catering or hospitality setting.
• Experience in a fast-paced service environment (hospitality, retail, or facilities management preferred).
• This role does not involve hands-on cooking; rather, it focuses on managing operations and team performance.

At Compass Ireland, our people are our business. When you join the Compass Group you will be joining a supportive network of incredible individuals, each united by their passion for going the extra mile for the organisations we partner with. We are building a team who care about providing a great customer experience and want to grow and develop as we do. We are dedicated to investing in every colleague joining us and pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer; we celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all our colleagues. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. Please review our Privacy Notice for details on how we maintain, protect and why your personal data is collected when you apply for a job with Compass Group. We will not retain any CV's or job applications for longer than necessary. Job Reference: com/2107/91993001/52821674/ROI #Republic of Ireland 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!