Our Client is a market leading contract catering company specialising in school food.

By combining their understanding of the education sector and their knowledge of what’s on trend in the food world, they encourage creativity and excitement in their kitchens, allowing teams to do what they do best and provide fantastic food experiences for the children.

By providing excellent care and services to both clients and children, they have ensured the successful growth of the company and to keep up with the rapid pace of this growth, they are now looking for an experienced Operations Manager to join the team.

The role:

As the new Operations Manager, you will be responsible for the Nottingham / Derby / Mansfield region, overseeing the performance of the catering operation for a number of Primary & Secondary school contracts, and leading your team in delivering an excellent food operation whilst meeting and exceeding the clients' expectations.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Contract Management & Enhancement: Ensuring all contracted services are adhered to, efficiently delivered, and enhanced to surpass the expectations of clients, customers, and the company.
• Financial Oversight & Control: Reviewing the performance and profitability of each contract, strictly controlling costs, without compromising service quality or delivery standards.
• Culinary Standardisation: Upholding the highest food quality standards, ensuring menus and service delivery align with current high street trends and industry best practices.
• Team Leadership & Development: Managing, supporting, and fostering the professional development, progress, and performance of line-reporting managers, maintaining high team engagement.
• Business Growth Support: Collaborating with sales to support business retention and proactively assist in obtaining new business opportunities.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensuring rigorous compliance with all relevant Health & Safety and Hygiene procedures across all sites.

About you:

Energetic and driven, you hold a min of 2 years experience in the contract catering/education sector within a similar, multisite role.

• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop teams, instilling a collective commitment to maintaining high service standards and professional conduct.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of leading client meetings, effectively managing client expectations, and navigating complex challenges to achieve positive outcomes.
• Being both service-focused and process-led, ensuring all operational standards, procedures, and systems are rigorously maintained.
• Excellent computer skills, strong initiative, and a profound desire for continuous learning and professional achievement.

Why apply?

As one of the UK's fastest growing independent businesses, you'll be joining a company where people are at the core and the opportunity to develop your career is endless.

Our client offers fantastic learning and development programmes and the ability to gain qualifications whilst supporting you all the way.

They understand that the health and wellbeing of their employees is vital so as well as a competitive salary and car allowance, they've also just launched a brand new benefits programme which includes private healthcare, enhanced maternity & parental leave, ways to save money and the opportunity to spend your birthday doing something special to you rather than working!

Interested? Please apply for further information.

Please note, our client expects all staff to share their commitment of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/young people so an enhanced DBS disclosure will be sought by the company