Operations Manager, Patient Catering Services

Provide operational and strategic leadership for patient catering services across Barts Health, ensuring compliance with NHS standards, food safety legislation and CQC requirements. Lead service performance, ensuring food safety, quality assurance, allergen management and nutritional standards are consistently met. Oversee digital systems such as Synbiotix to support performance monitoring, stock control and cost management. Ensure delivery against KPIs and SLAs aligned to the Trust's WeCare values. Provide leadership to catering teams, embedding effective supervision, appraisal, training and development.

Main duties of the job: Barts Health NHS Trust manages one of the largest operational estates in the NHS, serving some of the busiest and most complex hospitals in the country. With a strong group model and embedded leadership teams at each site, we are committed to delivering safe, effective, and high‑quality environments that enable outstanding care across East London.

EEO Statement: We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are underrepresented within Barts Health at this band.

Person Specification – Experience

• Significant demonstrable experience of senior management in patient catering or large scale food service operations, preferably within a healthcare or similarly regulated environment.
• Experience of working in partnership with dietetic, infection prevention, and clinical nutrition teams to ensure safe and compliant food provision.
• Evidence of using digital systems (e.g. Synbiotix or CAFM platforms) for operational management, performance reporting, and cost control.
• Demonstrable experience of leading service transformation and using data analytics to drive efficiency, quality, and compliance improvement.
• Proven ability to set and manage budgets, forecast expenditure, and achieve cost improvement targets in complex operational settings.
• Strong background in managing change, influencing stakeholders, and embedding new ways of working across large and diverse teams.
• Experience of preparing and presenting concise reports and business cases to senior management and board level audiences.
• Experience of leading multi‑site or large scale catering operations exceeding 1,000 staff.
• Experience of designing and implementing cost improvement or waste reduction programmes in catering or food service environments.
• Understanding of how patient catering supports overall patient recovery, satisfaction, and operational efficiency in a healthcare setting.

Skills

• Ability to work as a senior operational leader within a complex, multi site organisation.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, capable of motivating and developing large, multidisciplinary teams.
• Proven ability to remain calm under pressure, managing competing priorities in dynamic healthcare settings.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex operational and financial data.
• High standard of written and verbal communication, able to convey complex information clearly to a range of audiences.
• Effective presenter, capable of articulating service performance and improvement plans to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to identify risks, develop mitigations, and respond decisively to operational challenges.
• Demonstrable record of innovation and self‑driven improvement in service delivery.
• Experience of managing emergency catering responses or business continuity situations.
• Evidence of leading staff development and training programmes across multiple sites.
• Proven success in driving operational efficiency and cost savings while maintaining service quality.

Knowledge

• Comprehensive understanding of NHS Food Standards, national hospital food and drink guidance, and relevant legislation including the Food Safety Act and HACCP requirements.
• Knowledge of allergens, nutrition, and special diet management within healthcare catering.
• Familiarity with quality assurance frameworks and audit methodologies relevant to food service.
• Understanding of the governance structures, reporting requirements, and compliance expectations within NHS Soft FM functions.
• Knowledge of health and safety and environmental management systems relevant to catering operations.
• Strong awareness of digital and data‑driven management systems for monitoring catering performance.
• Understanding of sustainable catering practices, including local sourcing and waste minimisation.
• Experience of deploying digital menu or meal ordering systems within healthcare.
• Knowledge of CQC inspection frameworks relating to patient food and nutrition.

Qualifications

• Educated to master’s degree level or equivalent through experience in senior catering or facilities management.
• Level 4 or above qualification in Food Safety and Hygiene (or equivalent).
• Recognised project management qualification such as PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of continuous professional development in catering, facilities, or operational leadership.
• Membership of the Institute of Hospitality or similar professional body.
• NEBOSH/IOSH Managing Safely certification.
• Formal training in nutrition or menu planning for healthcare settings.

Other

• Excellent communication and influencing skills, able to engage senior executives, clinicians and operational teams alike.
• Ability to interpret and act on highly complex, sensitive and contentious information.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities under pressure.
• Commitment to the Trust’s WeCare values and to delivering safe, compassionate and equitable patient services.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and openness to learning new technologies and systems.
• Ability to coach and mentor others across professional disciplines.
• Proven ability to build collaborative relationships with internal and external partners to drive shared outcomes.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.