At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop education catering contracts while ensuring compliance and high-quality service.
- Company: Join Chartwells, a leading provider in the education sector with a focus on health and nutrition.
- Benefits: Enjoy exclusive travel discounts, food shop savings, and access to a Digital GP.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on students' lives through nutritious meals and excellent service.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing multiple sites in catering or hospitality is essential.
- Other info: Opportunities for career growth and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
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:
- Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
- Monday to Friday
- Car or Car Allowance
- Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
- Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
- Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
- Regular emails filled with the best discounts and savings available
- Receive Wow Points every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
- You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
- Contributory pension scheme
- Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
About the role
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Regional Manager to lead, support and develop a portfolio of education catering contracts. This is a senior operational role with full accountability for health & safety, food quality, people leadership, financial performance and client relationships across multiple sites. You will play a key role in driving standards, ensuring compliance, improving customer experience and delivering sustainable commercial growth, while inspiring teams to deliver great food and service every day.
Key responsibilities
- Health, Safety & Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with HSE and food safety policies across all units
- Conduct regular assessments, hazard spotting and risk management
- Ensure effective implementation of waste management
- Oversee responses to food safety audits and ensure timely follow‐up actions
- Complete new unit and temporary catering facility assessments prior to opening
- Operational Excellence
- Lead and support site teams to deliver efficient, safe and high‐quality food services
- Regularly visit sites, reviewing customer journeys and operational productivity
- Ensure compliance with standards, training records and management
- Manage mobilisations for new and retained contracts
- Resolve food buying, stock control and waste issues
- Nutrition & Food Quality
- Support compliance with School Food Standards and Chartwells food strategies
- Ensure menus meet guidelines and allergen requirements
- Coach and develop teams to deliver consistent food quality
- Drive engagement with students, parents and schools to maximise uptake
- Attend and contribute to SNAG meetings and similar forums
- People Leadership
- Lead, coach and develop Unit Managers and wider teams
- Ensure 100% compliance with DBS checks and mandatory training
- Support recruitment, staffing levels and workforce planning
- Manage performance, wellbeing, employee relations and development plans
- Champion career pathways and continuous improvement
- Financial & Commercial Management
- Manage budgets, forecasts and financial compliance cycles
- Control labour, overheads and spend against benchmarks
- Identify and propose investment and growth opportunities
- Negotiate and deliver additional services
- Ensure robust cash handling and sales compliance
- Client & Stakeholder Relationships
- Build strong, proactive relationships with clients and key stakeholders
- Deliver client retention plans and support tender and ITT processes
- Work closely with senior leadership to plan contract renewals
- Capture and share success stories, case studies and references
- Consumer & Marketing
- Deliver pricing strategies and identify opportunities for growth
- Support theme days, food education and cultural events within schools
- Collaborate with central marketing and support functions
- Champion innovation, customer insight and brand standards
About you
Essential:
- Proven experience managing multiple sites or contracts within catering, hospitality, facilities, retail or a similar environment
- Strong commercial acumen with a track record of delivering results
- Excellent stakeholder management, communication and negotiation skills
- Confident leader who can engage, develop and motivate teams
About Us
Part of Compass Group UK&I, Chartwells is the leading provider of catering and support services to the education sector. For over a quarter of a century, Chartwells has been focusing on helping those in education to build strong bodies, sharp minds and lead long healthy lives. Every week, Chartwells serves millions of nutritious and delicious meals to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools, academies, independent schools, colleges, and universities across the UK. Chartwells is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all employees to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to successfully completing pre‐employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and a Children's Barred List check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and we ask applicants to declare all previous convictions and cautions in order to assess their suitability to work with children. 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!
Regional Manager - Cheshire in London employer: Chartwells
Contact Detail:
Chartwells Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Regional Manager - Cheshire in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend local events, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Regional Manager role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Know their values, recent news, and what makes them tick. This will help you tailor your answers and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of the team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or family to get comfortable with common questions. This will help you articulate your experience and skills confidently when it counts.
✨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!
We think you need these skills to ace Regional Manager - Cheshire in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Regional Manager role. Highlight your experience in managing multiple sites and your strong commercial acumen. We want to see how your skills align with what we’re looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you’re passionate about the education sector and how you can drive standards and improve customer experience. Keep it engaging and personal!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a Regional Manager, people leadership is key. Share examples of how you've successfully led and developed teams in the past. We love to see how you inspire others to deliver great food and service every day!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s quick and easy, and you’ll be one step closer to joining our fantastic team at Chartwells!
How to prepare for a job interview at Chartwells
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the role of a Regional Manager in the education catering sector. Familiarise yourself with health and safety regulations, food quality standards, and financial management practices. This will help you answer questions confidently and demonstrate your expertise.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Regional Manager, you'll be leading teams across multiple sites. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams in the past, focusing on your ability to motivate and develop staff. Highlight any specific achievements that showcase your leadership style and effectiveness.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Client and stakeholder relationships are crucial in this role. Be ready to discuss how you've built strong relationships in previous positions. Think about specific strategies you've used to engage clients and ensure their satisfaction, as well as how you’ve handled any challenges.
✨Prepare Questions
Interviews are a two-way street! Prepare thoughtful questions about the company culture, career development opportunities, and how they measure success in this role. This shows your genuine interest in the position and helps you assess if it's the right fit for you.