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- Tasks: Lead catering operations across 32 educational sites, ensuring quality and client satisfaction.
- Company: Caterlink, a leading education catering specialist with over 20 years of experience.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonuses, generous holiday, and private healthcare.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a supportive environment while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in education catering and strong operational management skills required.
- Other info: Opportunities for professional development and a diverse, inclusive workplace.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
Company Description
Caterlink is the education sector catering specialist. For over 20 years, the Company has delivered fresh food solutions to pupils and staff at Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Colleges across the UK. The company caters more than 1,000,000 meals a week. Our “Fresh Food Policy” is the foundation of our success and growth in the market coupled with a desire to truly deliver on the promises we make to our clients and support our site-based teams.
Job Description
We’re looking for an experienced Operations Manager to lead a portfolio of 32 educational sites, including 2 nurseries, 29 primary schools, and 1 secondary school – all conveniently located in the Reading area with minimal travel required. Based close to our Head Office, you’ll benefit from direct access to our dedicated Support Teams. At Caterlink, we believe that people work for people. That’s why we’re seeking someone with strong leadership skills, confidence, and credibility – someone who can inspire and develop teams, build lasting client relationships, and drive operational excellence across their sites.
What You’ll Bring
- Proven experience in education catering and operational management
- A hands‑on approach with the ability to support location based teams
- Commercial awareness and a focus on delivering results
- A passion for team development and client satisfaction
This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact in a well‑supported environment, working with a diverse group of schools and a company that values its people. We believe that living by our KPIs is key to success - Health & Safety, Retention, Quality and Finance. In addition to this, if you believe that People, Perception, Passion and Pride could also enhance your growth, success and development then this may be the role for you and we would love to hear from you!
Successful applicants will be required to complete an enhanced DBS disclosure.
Salary dependant on experience
Caterlink strives to always provide a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for all our teams where every individual is treated with respect, integrity and has the opportunity to grow and be treated equally and with fairness at all times.
Additional Information
- Competitive salary plus a performance‑related bonus
- Monthly car allowance or company car
- 33 days holiday inclusive of bank holidays
- You will be eligible to join our Workplace Pension Scheme with Aviva
- Private health care with BUPA
- Fully expensed company laptop + mobile phone
- Virtual GP for you and your family (eligibility rules apply)
- We offer you access to our Employee Discount Platform where you can make great savings at supermarkets, cinema, restaurants as well as holiday discounts, family days out and many more!
- Our Employee Assistance Program and Virtual GP benefits are there for you and your family to use free of charge at any time
- With Caterlink you have the opportunity to a blended learning programme that can include formal qualifications including Apprenticeships, classroom training, eLearning and on‑the‑job training to support and encourage your development and enable you to be the best you can be.
- Everyone who joins us is provided with an induction where they learn more about us and enable them to be the best they can be.
- We invest in development opportunities and are always looking to recruit, train and retain the best people for our own future talent and your own future development.
- As our core business is mainly in term time, the school breaks do enable the opportunity to catch up and plan for the next term, which isn’t always a luxury in a business operating 52 weeks of the year.
Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level
Employment type: Full‑time
Job function: Management and Manufacturing
Industries: Food and Beverage Services
Education Catering Operations Manager employer: Cater Link Limited
Contact Detail:
Cater Link Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Education Catering Operations Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the education catering sector and let them know you're on the hunt for an Operations Manager role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on openings at Caterlink or other companies.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Caterlink's values and their Fresh Food Policy. Show us that you’re not just another candidate, but someone who truly aligns with our mission and can inspire teams to deliver top-notch service.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! We want to hear about times you've developed teams or improved operations. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your hands-on approach and commercial awareness.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows us you’re genuinely interested in joining the Caterlink family.
We think you need these skills to ace Education Catering Operations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Education Catering: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for education catering shine through. We want to see how your experience aligns with our mission of delivering fresh food solutions to schools and how you can inspire teams to achieve operational excellence.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills: Make sure to emphasise your leadership experience in your application. We’re looking for someone who can build strong relationships and develop teams, so share examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past.
Be Specific About Your Achievements: Use concrete examples to demonstrate your commercial awareness and focus on results. We love to see numbers and outcomes, so if you've improved efficiency or client satisfaction, shout about it!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us during the process.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cater Link Limited
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in Caterlink’s Fresh Food Policy and their commitment to quality. Brush up on your knowledge of education catering and operational management, as they’ll likely ask you how your experience aligns with their mission.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your leadership style and how you've inspired teams in the past. Think about specific situations where you’ve developed team members or improved client relationships, as this is key for the role.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Awareness
Be ready to discuss how you’ve driven results in previous roles. Familiarise yourself with KPIs relevant to the education catering sector, such as Health & Safety and Quality, and be prepared to explain how you’ve met or exceeded these in your past positions.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions that show your interest in the company culture and their approach to team development. Inquire about their strategies for maintaining client satisfaction and how they support their site-based teams, which will demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.