Operations Manager

Operations Manager

Contract: Education
Location: Covering sites across West Sussex
Hours of work: 37.5
Contract Type: Permanent

Our client, a leading provider of facilities services in the UK, is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day management of multiple school catering locations, ensuring the safe and consistent delivery of food services.

Job Overview

This role is responsible for leading and managing catering operations across multiple education sites, ensuring operational excellence, financial performance and consistent service delivery. The Operations Manager will play a key role in embedding strong compliance, safety and quality standards across all locations.

Working closely with clients, internal teams and on-site managers, the postholder will ensure contractual commitments are met, budgets and KPIs are achieved, and teams are supported to deliver a high-quality catering experience that meets the diverse needs of pupils and stakeholders.

Location: Primarily based on school sites across West Sussex, with occasional travel to Weybridge and London (E14 9SH), and some remote working.

Key Responsibilities

• Take personal responsibility for own health and safety and that of others, promoting a culture of safety excellence.
• Own and manage health, safety and food safety issues identified through audits, inspections or incidents, ensuring effective corrective actions.
• Ensure full compliance with food policies, including cultural, religious, ethnic, allergy and special diet requirements.
• Work collaboratively with peers, customers and internal performance teams to develop menus informed by operational and customer feedback.
• Maintain full knowledge of tender proposals and contractual requirements, ensuring all commitments are delivered.
• Build and maintain positive client relationships, attending scheduled meetings and managing agreed actions and outcomes.
• Proactively plan succession, support staff development and ensure all HR policies and procedures are followed.
• Develop and implement operational improvements to drive standards, performance and consistency across all sites.

Person Specification

• Level 3 (or above) Food Safety Certificate and Intermediate Health & Safety qualification.
• Experience at Area Manager level within the food or hospitality sector, ideally including school catering and multi-site operations.
• Proven experience managing a full Profit & Loss account.
• Excellent presentation, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure, using initiative to resolve operational issues.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage and motivate teams.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Solid financial and commercial awareness.
• Must hold UK driving licence - for travel.