Senior Operations Manager Area 4
Location: Field-based across Hitchin, Luton, Bedford (Head Office: Mundells, Welwyn Garden City)
Salary Range: £43,591 - £49,014 per Annum (DOE)
Car allowance: £2,000 per Annum
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Reports to: Regional Operations Manager
Lead High‑Quality Operational Delivery Across a Multi‑Site Catering Portfolio
Are you an experienced multi‑site operations leader who thrives on delivering exceptional food, service and safety standards? HCL is seeking a Senior Operations Manager to oversee a portfolio of primary and secondary school contracts in leading Operations Managers and ensuring schools receive high‑quality, nutritious and engaging food experiences.
This role covers the following areas:
- Hitchin, Luton, Bedford
What You’ll Lead
- Operational performance across a large multi‑site portfolio, ensuring consistent food, service and safety standards.
- A team of Operations Managers and mobile workforce, providing coaching, development and performance oversight.
- Strategic relationships with clients, acting as a senior escalation point for service reviews and queries.
- Commercial performance, including food and labour cost control and contract retention.
- Mobilisation of new contracts, ensuring full operational readiness and compliance.
- Digital adoption across sites, ensuring accurate reporting and effective use of company systems.
What You’ll Bring
- Experience leading multi‑site operations in education or contract catering.
- Strong commercial acumen including pricing, contract variations and budgeting.
- Ability to build senior client relationships and deliver solutions that balance value and sustainability.
- Proven people leadership with experience developing managers and chefs.
- Knowledge of Food Safety, Health & Safety, safeguarding and compliance requirements.
- A proactive, organised and resilient approach in a fast‑paced environment.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel widely across the region.
Why Join HCL?
- Competitive salary
- Generous holiday entitlement
- Good pension scheme
- Life assurance & Employee Assistance Programme
- A values‑driven organisation committed to quality, innovation and community
- Strong focus on personal development and leadership growth
If you’re a forward‑thinking operational leader who enjoys driving performance, inspiring teams and delivering outstanding customer outcomes, we’d love to hear from you.
Senior Operations Manager Hitchin Luton Bedford employer: HCL
HCL is an excellent employer for those seeking a fulfilling role as a Catering Assistant at St Andrews School, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises the welfare of children and young people. With a commitment to employee growth through training opportunities and a focus on work-life balance with term-time hours, HCL ensures that staff feel valued and rewarded, including benefits like a generous referral scheme. Join us to be part of a team dedicated to crafting outstanding dining experiences in a vibrant school environment.
