At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire teams across 220 sites to deliver exceptional food and service.
- Company: Join HCL, a values-driven organisation transforming school food experiences.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, car allowance, pension scheme, and career progression opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of school food services while making a real impact.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in multi-site operations and strong commercial acumen required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with excellent development opportunities in a supportive environment.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: Field-based, with regular regional travel (Head Office: Mundells, Welwyn Garden City)
Salary Grade: M4 + Car Allowance
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Reports to: Head of Operations
Lead Operational and People Excellence Across Our Catering Portfolio
Are you a driven, people-centred leader passionate about delivering outstanding food and service in education? Join HCL as a Regional Business Manager, taking ownership of people, performance, safety, service quality and commercial outcomes across a diverse regional portfolio of approximately 220 sites spanning multiple counties including London, Essex, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire.
What You’ll Lead
- Inspire and develop a team of Senior Operations Managers, ensuring consistent service, food quality, presentation and safety.
- Workforce planning and leadership development for operational teams.
- Regional performance reviews, incident management and continuous improvement plans.
- A strong QHSE culture, ensuring audit action closure across all sites.
- Commercial growth through client retention, upsell opportunities and strategic engagement.
- Executive-level relationships with MATs/Trusts, shaping long-term account value.
- Full regional P&L ownership, including budgeting, forecasting and margin improvement.
What You’ll Bring
- Being an ambassador for HCL with a fresh enthusiastic vision that will inspire your teams, by being purpose lead and reflecting our values.
- Proven leadership in multi-site operations within contract catering (education desirable).
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, with full P&L accountability.
- QHSE expertise and compliance governance whilst delivering continuous improvement.
- Authentic engagement of senior stakeholders including Trust executives.
- Experience leading change (digital systems, pricing, innovation).
- A calm, resilient leadership style with strong service and safety focus.
Why Join HCL?
- Competitive salary + car allowance
- Good pension scheme
- Life assurance & Employee Assistance Programme
- Excellent development and career progression opportunities
- A values-driven organisation dedicated to improving food experiences in schools
If you’re ready to lead a region and shape the future of school food services, we’d love to hear from you.
Regional Business Manager in Welwyn Garden City employer: HCL
Contact Detail:
HCL Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Regional Business Manager in Welwyn Garden City
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨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 showcase your passion for delivering outstanding food and service, just like HCL does!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! Be ready to share examples of how you've inspired teams, managed change, and driven performance. Highlight your experience in multi-site operations and how you’ve achieved commercial growth.
✨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 you’re genuinely interested in joining HCL and making a difference in school food services.
We think you need these skills to ace Regional Business Manager in Welwyn Garden City
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Regional Business Manager role. Highlight your leadership in multi-site operations and any relevant achievements in contract catering, especially in education.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to express your passion for food service in education and how your values align with ours at HCL. Be sure to mention your experience with P&L accountability and stakeholder engagement.
Showcase Your QHSE Knowledge: Since QHSE expertise is crucial for this role, make sure to include specific examples of how you've ensured compliance and driven continuous improvement in your previous positions. This will show us you’re serious about safety and quality.
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 during the process!
How to prepare for a job interview at HCL
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you understand the ins and outs of HCL's catering portfolio. Familiarise yourself with their values, mission, and the specific challenges they face in the education sector. This will help you demonstrate your passion for delivering outstanding food and service.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading multi-site operations. Think about times when you've inspired teams or improved service quality. Be ready to discuss how you can engage senior stakeholders and drive change effectively.
✨Be Financially Savvy
Brush up on your commercial and financial acumen. Be prepared to talk about your experience with P&L accountability, budgeting, and margin improvement. Showing that you can manage financial performance will be key to impressing the interviewers.
✨Emphasise QHSE Expertise
Since QHSE compliance is crucial in this role, come armed with examples of how you've ensured safety and quality in previous positions. Discuss any continuous improvement initiatives you've led and how they positively impacted service delivery.