Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire teams in catering operations while driving performance and growth.
- Company: Join Compass Group UK&I, a leader in catering and hospitality with a commitment to diversity.
- Benefits: Enjoy a supportive culture, opportunities for growth, and a focus on work-life balance.
- Why this job: Shape a thriving team culture and make a real impact in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in a director role within catering or hospitality; strong leadership and financial skills required.
- Other info: We celebrate diversity and empower every individual to reach their full potential.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Operations Director
- Competitive salary + Company car + benefits
- Compass exclusive offers on PerksAtWork
- Access to a wide range of programs to train and develop you
- Pension contribution
Operations Director Somerset and Gloucestershire
An opportunity has arisen for a talented Operations Director to join us in ESS where you will play a key role within the leadership team, and our shared commitments.
- Competitive Salary
- Attractive benefits package
- Excellent development opportunities
- Pension contribution
As an Operations Director you will be responsible for multi-site delivery of a wide range of food-led Soft FM services, and managing client and stakeholder relationships whilst ensuring contractual compliance and adherence to company policies. Appropriately drive and review business performance and growth and nurture a service-led culture within which your large team deliver their best to our clients and customers every day. You will work closely with a wide stakeholder group to deliver collaborative, winning solutions in an exciting Defence environment. You will drive value, be innovative and strive for service excellence. Develop and deliver strong leadership to your team of General Managers and support them in their development and performance through growth.
- Exercise tight control of your P&L, with experience of when and where to make the right interventions and appropriately manage all risks and opportunities.
- Collaborate with our regional HRBP to develop and execute a strong people strategy across your region. You will be coaching, and developing people to grow as individuals and within teams, raising levels of employee engagement as well as building a rich and talented succession plan.
- Champion the development and execution of a first-rate food and retail services ensuring high satisfaction rates from those who use our services, listen to the voice of our customers and, work with our brand and other subject matter experts, generating innovative new offerings.
- Grow and maintain strong, collaborative and enduring relationships with our senior client base.
- Ensure consistency and exceptional service is delivered across all our service streams to all our customers every day, placing service excellence at the heart of everything we do.
- Cohesively form a key part of the Regional Senior Leadership Team, working collaboratively and supportively with your Business Director as well as other Operations Directors and SMEs to ensure achievement of shared objectives.
Who you are:
- You will be ambitious and keen to grow your career. Success in this role will help you achieve your life goals.
- Excellent understanding, and appreciation of what is entailed to successfully deliver Soft FM support services. Previous experience of delivering food-led support services will be very useful, but we believe this role will appeal to a wide range of more senior professionals used to building on the strength of people and logistics to deliver a customer and client-led suite of services.
- Previous experience in a broadly similar service delivery sector. A military background might be of some advantage, and this role will suit someone with first class experience of, and a commitment to, delivering first class support services.
- Strong influencing, coaching and people development skills.
- Tactical nous, the ability to plan appropriately and the capability to execute plans to time, budget and resulting in desired outcomes.
- Experience of leading and managing large and complex teams over multiple geographical locations to deliver first class results.
- A self-starter. Excited about food, service and people and has their finger on the pulse of what is current and trending.
- Strong record of winning leadership.
- Able to build positive, collaborative relationships quickly with colleagues and clients.
- Able to drive change with effective project and stakeholder management skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proactive, pragmatic, and commercial approach
Operations Director employer: Compass Group UK
Contact Detail:
Compass Group UK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the catering and hospitality industry. Attend relevant events or join online forums where you can connect with others who may have insights into the role of Operations Director at StudySmarter.
✨Tip Number 2
Research our company culture and values thoroughly. Understanding how we prioritise people and growth will help you align your leadership style with our expectations during any discussions.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've driven performance and fostered team development in previous roles. Highlighting your achievements will demonstrate your capability to inspire and lead teams effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Familiarise yourself with current trends in the catering and hospitality sectors, especially around client relationship management and operational excellence. This knowledge will show your proactive approach and strategic thinking.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your leadership experience and achievements in operations management. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to inspire teams and drive growth, particularly in a multi-site environment.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for developing high-performing teams and fostering a culture of growth. Mention how your strategic thinking and financial acumen align with the company's goals and values.
Highlight Relevant Experience: When detailing your work history, focus on your experience in contract catering or hospitality. Emphasise your track record of managing client relationships and delivering service excellence, as these are key aspects of the role.
Showcase Problem-Solving Skills: Include examples of how you've successfully navigated challenges in previous roles. Highlight your proactive approach and solutions-oriented mindset, which are essential for driving operational excellence and innovation.
How to prepare for a job interview at Compass Group UK
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
As an Operations Director, your leadership style is crucial. Be prepared to discuss how you inspire and motivate teams, share examples of successful team development, and highlight your collaborative approach to decision-making.
✨Demonstrate Financial Acumen
Since the role involves overseeing budgets and performance metrics, be ready to talk about your experience with financial management. Discuss specific instances where you've successfully managed budgets or improved profitability in previous roles.
✨Highlight Client Relationship Management
Client relationships are key in this position. Prepare to share examples of how you've built and maintained strong client partnerships, and discuss any strategies you've used to identify growth opportunities within those relationships.
✨Emphasise a Culture of Excellence
The company values a culture where people thrive. Be sure to articulate your vision for fostering such an environment, including how you encourage innovation and continuous improvement among your teams.
