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- Tasks: Lead and enhance catering operations in schools, ensuring top-notch food experiences.
- Company: Join a fast-growing contract catering company focused on school food innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private healthcare, enhanced parental leave, and unique birthday perks.
- Other info: Endless career development opportunities and a commitment to employee wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives through exciting food experiences.
- Qualifications: 2+ years in contract catering, strong leadership, and excellent communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Our Client is a market leading contract catering company specialising in school food. By combining their understanding of the education sector and their knowledge of what’s on trend in the food world, they encourage creativity and excitement in their kitchens, allowing teams to do what they do best and provide fantastic food experiences for the children. By providing excellent care and services to both clients and children, they have ensured the successful growth of the company and to keep up with the rapid pace of this growth, they are now looking for an experienced Operations Manager to join the team.
The role: As the new Operations Manager, you will be responsible for the Nottingham / Derby / Mansfield region, overseeing the performance of the catering operation for a number of Primary & Secondary school contracts, and leading your team in delivering an excellent food operation whilst meeting and exceeding the clients' expectations.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Contract Management & Enhancement: Ensuring all contracted services are adhered to, efficiently delivered, and enhanced to surpass the expectations of clients, customers, and the company.
- Financial Oversight & Control: Reviewing the performance and profitability of each contract, strictly controlling costs, without compromising service quality or delivery standards.
- Culinary Standardisation: Upholding the highest food quality standards, ensuring menus and service delivery align with current high street trends and industry best practices.
- Team Leadership & Development: Managing, supporting, and fostering the professional development, progress, and performance of line-reporting managers, maintaining high team engagement.
- Business Growth Support: Collaborating with sales to support business retention and proactively assist in obtaining new business opportunities.
- Compliance & Risk Management: Ensuring rigorous compliance with all relevant Health & Safety and Hygiene procedures across all sites.
About you: Energetic and driven, you hold a min of 2 years experience in the contract catering/education sector within a similar, multisite role. Demonstrated ability to coach and develop teams, instilling a collective commitment to maintaining high service standards and professional conduct. Excellent communication skills, capable of leading client meetings, effectively managing client expectations, and navigating complex challenges to achieve positive outcomes. Being both service-focused and process-led, ensuring all operational standards, procedures, and systems are rigorously maintained. Excellent computer skills, strong initiative, and a profound desire for continuous learning and professional achievement.
Why apply? As one of the UK's fastest growing independent businesses, you’ll be joining a company where people are at the core and the opportunity to develop your career is endless. Our client offers fantastic learning and development programmes and the ability to gain qualifications whilst supporting you all the way. They understand that the health and wellbeing of their employees is vital so as well as a competitive salary and car allowance, they’ve also just launched a brand new benefits programme which includes private healthcare, enhanced maternity & parental leave, ways to save money and the opportunity to spend your birthday doing something special to you rather than working!
Interested? Please apply for further information. Please note, our client expects all staff to share their commitment of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/young people so an enhanced DBS disclosure will be sought by the company.
Operations Manager employer: PINEAPPLE RECRUITMENT LTD
Contact Detail:
PINEAPPLE RECRUITMENT LTD Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Manager
✨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 your own. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their 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 Operations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience that match the Operations Manager role. Highlight your experience in contract catering and team leadership, as these are key for us.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about food service in schools and how you can contribute to our mission of providing fantastic food experiences.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to enhance operations and lead teams effectively. Numbers and results speak volumes!
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 from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at PINEAPPLE RECRUITMENT LTD
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into the company’s values and their approach to school catering. Familiarise yourself with current food trends and how they apply to the education sector. This will show that you’re not just interested in the role but also passionate about what they do.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. Think about specific challenges you faced and how you motivated your team to overcome them. Highlighting your ability to develop others will resonate well with their focus on team leadership and development.
✨Financial Savvy is Key
Brush up on your financial management skills. Be ready to discuss how you've controlled costs while maintaining service quality in previous roles. They’ll want to see that you can balance profitability with excellent service delivery.
✨Be Ready for Compliance Questions
Since compliance and risk management are crucial in this role, prepare to discuss your experience with health and safety regulations. Have examples ready that demonstrate your commitment to maintaining high standards and how you’ve ensured compliance in past positions.