Operations Manager
Salary:
£40,000 per annum
Location:
Multi-site role based in Buckinghamshire
Contract:
Full-time, Permanent
Hours:
40 hours per week
Working Weeks:
45.3 weeks per year (term time + 2 weeks)
We're partnering with a specialist education catering provider to appoint an experienced Operations Manager to oversee catering operations across multiple school sites in Buckinghamshire and South Northamptonshire.
This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially minded and people-focused leader to take ownership of operational performance, ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, service delivery and customer satisfaction.
We're particularly interested in candidates with experience managing teams within the education sector who are passionate about operational excellence, developing people and delivering high-quality catering services.
The Opportunity
As Operations Manager, you'll oversee the day-to-day delivery of catering services across multiple school locations, ensuring operations run efficiently while maintaining exceptional standards of quality, safety and service.
Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you'll play a key role in driving operational improvements, managing budgets and supporting the development of onsite teams.
This is a hands-on leadership position requiring someone who can balance strategic oversight with practical operational delivery, build strong relationships and inspire teams to consistently perform at their best.
Key Responsibilities
You'll play a key role in ensuring operational excellence by:
Overseeing catering operations across multiple school sites, maintaining consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and service delivery.
Managing operational budgets, controlling costs and monitoring contract performance to drive efficiency and profitability.
Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, customers, suppliers and onsite catering teams.
Leading, mentoring and developing site managers and catering teams, promoting a positive and collaborative working environment.
Conducting regular site visits to monitor performance, assess compliance and identify opportunities for improvement.
Implementing operational processes and best practices to improve productivity, consistency and customer satisfaction.
Overseeing stock management, procurement and equipment maintenance to support efficient daily operations.
Ensuring full compliance with food hygiene, Health & Safety and safeguarding policies and procedures.
Supporting continuous improvement and innovation across catering operations while maintaining exceptional service standards.
About You
You will be an experienced operations professional with a strong background in education, excellent leadership capabilities and a passion for delivering high-quality catering services.
You will also have:
Proven experience managing and developing teams within the education sector.
Strong operational management skills, with the ability to oversee multiple sites effectively.
Excellent communication, interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
Experience managing budgets, monitoring performance and identifying operational improvements.
A proactive, adaptable and solutions-focused approach to problem-solving.
Strong organisational and planning skills, with excellent attention to detail.
The ability to motivate, support and develop teams while maintaining high standards of performance.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and Outlook.
A full driving licence and willingness to travel between multiple locations.
A commitment to maintaining high standards of food safety, hygiene and safeguarding.
Why Apply?
This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a rewarding leadership role within a specialist education catering environment, making a meaningful impact on both operational performance and the quality of catering services delivered to schools.
In return, you'll benefit from:
Competitive salary of £40,000 per annum.
Full-time, permanent position.
Term-time working arrangement plus additional weeks.
Expensed travel between sites.
5 weeks of annual leave plus bank holidays.
A supportive and inclusive working environment with an open-door policy and flat management structure.
Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
The opportunity to lead and develop teams while contributing to a service that makes a positive difference to school communities.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
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