At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead our roastery operations, ensuring quality and efficiency in production and customer experience.
- Company: Join Caravan Restaurants, a B Corp-certified coffee roaster with a passion for great-tasting coffee.
- Benefits: Enjoy 50% off food, weekly team lunches, and unlimited coffee on site.
- Other info: Great career progression opportunities with 80% of management roles filled internally.
- Why this job: Be a hands-on leader driving operational excellence and sustainability in a growing company.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in operations, lean mindset, and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 42750 - 52250 £ per year.
We’ve been passionate about great-tasting, 100%-traceable speciality coffee since roasting our first coffee in the basement of our original restaurant 16 years ago.
Today, we’re a B Corp-certified roaster, producing fresh coffee from our North London roastery, supplying our nine restaurants, Brew Bars, and a growing customer base.
We’re looking for a hands‑on
Head of Operations to lead our end‑to‑end roastery operation.
You’ll own the operational engine: planning, packaging & consumables procurement, production, fulfilment, customer experience and cost management.
You’ll build a scalable, efficient operation that delivers consistently high standards of quality and service, whilst leading the team through a period of change and growth.
- Head of Operations
- Company: Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters
- Job type: Permanent
- Posting date: 13 Oct 2026
- People, Cost & Compliance
- Lead and develop the Operations and Customer Experience teams, building a high-performing, solution-focused culture.
- Own operational budgets and drive better purchasing, resourcing, production and fulfilment efficiency.
- Own site Health & Safety, risk management and compliance, including SALSA and Fairtrade standards.
- Embed B Corp principles and measurable sustainability improvements across the operation
- Planning & Production
- Own the S&OP process, bringing clear decisions through the exec routine, turning demand forecasts into green coffee, packaging, capacity and production scheduling plans.
- Drive lean manufacturing and continuous improvement across the roastery, reducing waste, improving workflows and delivering measurable efficiency gains.
- Lead major operational change and automation projects, from business case through to implementation.
- Use AI and automation to simplify planning, reporting and operational workflows.
- Own Unleashed as the operational source of truth, ensuring accurate inventory, stock movements and master data.
- Be hands‑on when needed, stepping onto the production floor to solve problems and keep things moving.
- Procurement & Supplier Management
- Own strategic relationships with third‑party production and logistics partners, holding them to agreed SLAs, quality and service standards.
- Ensure packaging and consumables are competitively priced and regularly benchmarked.
- Oversee quality assurance, complaints and compliance documentation.
- Customer Experience
- Support the Customer Experience Manager to deliver a seamless customer journey across D2C and B2B, providing operational support with customer communication, order‑to‑cash, technical servicing, SLAs and senior‑level escalations.
- The Person
• Experienced operator
- Proven senior operations experience in food, beverage or FMCG manufacturing.
• Lean mindset
- Practical experience with Lean/Six Sigma and a track record of delivering measurable improvements.
• Hands‑on leader
- Comfortable getting into the detail, troubleshooting problems and making things happen.
• People leader
- Able to build, motivate and lead teams through change.
• Commercially sharp
- Strong planning, budget management and data‑driven decision‑making skills.
• Supply chain savvy
- Strong understanding of procurement, inventory and production planning; AI/automation experience essential.
• Customer focused
- High standards of service and experience leading customer‑facing teams.
Benefits
- 50% off all food in our Brew Bars
- Dining discount when visiting our restaurants
- Weekly roastery team lunch
- All of the coffee you can drink on site
- Weekly allowance of coffee for home
- Bike to work scheme
- Mental health and well‑being support
- Financial health education and support
- Leadership training and development
- Birthday & Anniversary Treat: on your birthday and work anniversary, you'll receive a Caravan voucher to spend in any of our restaurants
- Development and career progression: 80% of all our management roles are filled internally
- Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.
Head of Operations employer: Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters
At Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant work culture centred around community, diversity, and sustainability. As a bartender in our London location, you'll enjoy competitive pay, free meals, and extensive development opportunities, with 80% of management roles filled internally. Join us to be part of a team that values your growth while delivering an unforgettable customer experience in a dynamic environment.
Contact Details:
Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Operations
✨Join Food Science Communities
Get involved in food science forums and communities, both online and offline. Platforms like LinkedIn Groups or Reddit can be goldmines for job leads and valuable insights. Plus, you’ll connect with other food enthusiasts who might even point you towards openings at companies like Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters.
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✨Show Off Your Passion for Food Tech
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We think you need these skills to ace Head of Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Projects:When applying for a role in food science and technology at Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters, make sure to highlight any relevant projects or research you've worked on. Whether it’s a dissertation, a lab experiment, or a product development idea, detail these experiences to demonstrate your hands-on skills in the field—employers love to see practical applications of your knowledge!
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Tailor Your Cover Letter:As this is a full-time position, your cover letter should convey not just why you want the job, but also how you fit into the company's vision. Talk about your passion for food science and how your background uniquely positions you to contribute to Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters. Make it personal and compelling!
Include Certifications:If you have any certifications related to food science, safety, or technology, be sure to mention them. These can really set you apart from other candidates! List them prominently on your CV and discuss how they relate to the role at Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters. It shows you're committed to your professional development.
How to prepare for a job interview at Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters
✨Know Your Lab Tech!
Given that you’re diving into food science and technology, brush up on the specific technologies and lab equipment mentioned in the job description. Familiarising yourself with tools like gas chromatography or texture analyzers will show that you’re serious about the technical side of things.
✨Show Off Your Project Experience
Prepare to discuss any relevant projects or research you've undertaken in food science. Whether it’s developing a new recipe, conducting taste tests, or analysing nutritional content, having tangible examples can really show off your expertise and passion for the field.
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Don't underestimate the importance of teamwork and communication in food science roles. Be ready to highlight instances where you’ve effectively collaborated with others or communicated complex scientific ideas clearly. This can make a huge difference in landing that full-time gig!
✨Stay Up-to-Date with Industry Trends
Make sure you’re clued up about the latest trends in food science and technology — think sustainability, food safety, and innovative processing techniques. Discussing these topics during your interview can demonstrate your enthusiasm for the field and how you can contribute to Caravan Restaurants and Coffee Roasters’s mission.
