At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire a team to deliver exceptional service across multiple sites.
- Company: Join Compass Group, a leader in the industry with a focus on growth and development.
- Benefits: Enjoy free meals, discounts, wellness classes, and a contributory pension scheme.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while developing your career in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading multi-site teams and strong financial acumen.
- Other info: Diversity is our strength; we celebrate unique talents and backgrounds.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We ensure you’re rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:
- Free meals on Duty
- Contributory pension scheme
- Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
- Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
- Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
- Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
- Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
- Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
- Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
- You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
Role Purpose
To lead, inspire and develop a team of Managers to deliver exceptional service across a multi-site portfolio. You will manage client and contractual relationships in a commercially astute manner, ensuring full compliance with company policies, contractual obligations and statutory requirements. You will be accountable for reviewing business performance, delivering key financial targets and demonstrating clear commercial value to your team, line manager and senior leadership—fully aligned with the Compass vision, values and business strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & People Development
- Build, lead and develop a high-performing management team across multiple sites
- Recruit, retain and develop great people, creating clear development pathways and a strong succession pipeline
- Drive a collaborative culture, sharing best practice and aligning activity across the sub-sector
- Manage performance in line with company procedures, including appraisals, labour management, grievances and disciplinary processes
- Challenge labour structures and ratios, ensuring teams are appropriately resourced and development plans are in place at all levels
Health, Safety & Compliance
- Promote a strong safety culture, ensuring full compliance with company and client Health & Safety procedures
- Provide a safe environment for all customers, colleagues and visitors across all contracts
- Ensure contracts operate in line with legal, company and client standards at all times
Commercial & Financial Performance
- Deliver profit targets for the sub-sector through effective leadership and financial control
- Review unit and contract performance, identifying improvement opportunities and driving corrective actions
- Demonstrate strong commercial awareness through budget management, forecasting and cost control
- Support Compass Foodbuy initiatives, ensuring supplier compliance and maximising purchasing income opportunities
Client & Stakeholder Management
- Develop and maintain strong, strategic relationships with clients and key internal and external stakeholders
- Review, implement and act upon client satisfaction surveys and feedback
- Ensure contract compliance while consistently exceeding client expectations
Customer Experience & Service Excellence
- Work with sector marketing teams to analyse market and customer insights, ensuring offers meet customer needs
- Ensure menus are fit for purpose, fully costed and delivered in line with specifications
- Drive consistency and innovation in food and service standards across all accounts
- Capture and act on customer feedback using all available channels to support continuous improvement, footfall growth and sales
Strategy & Continuous Improvement
- Support the development and delivery of sub-sector strategy, embedding strategic objectives within the team
- Align closely with central support functions to enhance service delivery and implement group initiatives
- Ensure centrally driven service and brand initiatives are fully supported and embedded at site level
Who You Are
- Proven experience leading and developing successful multi-site teams
- Commercially astute, highly organised and disciplined, with strong financial acumen
- Experienced in budget management, delivering financial targets and working to tight deadlines
- Strong industry knowledge and operational expertise
- Flexible in mindset and approach, able to adapt to changing priorities and environments
About Us
As part of Compass you’ll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK’s biggest businesses.
Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!
General Manager employer: Chartwells
Contact Detail:
Chartwells Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land General Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, or even reach out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with yours. This will help you stand out and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your interview skills with a friend or in front of a mirror. Focus on articulating your experience and how it relates to the role. Confidence is key, so the more you practice, the better you'll feel when the time comes!
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search. So, go ahead and take that step!
We think you need these skills to ace General Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the General Manager role. Highlight your leadership experience and any relevant achievements that demonstrate your ability to manage multi-site teams effectively.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about this role and how your background makes you the perfect fit. Be sure to mention specific examples of how you've driven performance and developed teams in the past.
Showcase Your Commercial Acumen: Since the role requires strong financial management, don’t forget to include any relevant experience with budget management and delivering financial targets. We want to see how you've made a positive impact on business performance in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of success. It’s super easy, and you’ll be able to keep track of your application status. Plus, we love seeing applications come in through our own platform!
How to prepare for a job interview at Chartwells
✨Know Your Numbers
As a General Manager, you'll need to demonstrate strong financial acumen. Brush up on key metrics related to budget management and profit targets. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed finances in previous roles.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've built and developed high-performing teams. Think about specific instances where you inspired your team or implemented effective training programmes. This will show your potential employer that you can lead across multiple sites.
✨Understand Compliance and Safety
Familiarise yourself with health and safety regulations relevant to the industry. Be prepared to discuss how you've ensured compliance in past roles and how you promote a strong safety culture within your teams.
✨Client Relationship Management
Think about your experience in developing strategic relationships with clients. Prepare to share examples of how you've exceeded client expectations and acted on feedback to improve service delivery. This will highlight your ability to manage client and stakeholder relationships effectively.