Head of Maintenance in London

Head of Maintenance in London

London Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Popeyes Louisiana Chicken UK

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and scale maintenance for our rapidly growing restaurant estate.
  • Company: Popeyes UK, a fast-growing brand with big ambitions.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, private healthcare, 33 days holiday, and career development.
  • Other info: Hybrid role with travel across restaurants and a focus on inclusivity.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while ensuring safety and compliance.
  • Qualifications: Proven leadership experience in multi-site maintenance and strong commercial acumen.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

Location: Ealing Broadway, London

Popeyes UK is growing fast, with big ambitions across the UK and Ireland. As we add 50 new restaurants a year to our rapidly expanding estate, we’re investing in the infrastructure, standards and operational excellence needed to support that growth. Maintenance plays a vital role in keeping our restaurants safe, compliant, efficient and guest‑ready, while helping us scale at pace and build a best‑in‑class operation.

We’re looking for a strategic, hands‑on Head of Maintenance to lead and scale our maintenance function as we continue to grow. This role is critical to keeping our sites safe, compliant, efficient and operational, while ensuring our restaurants consistently meet brand standards. You’ll set the direction for the function, build the right structure and lead teams and suppliers to deliver an effective, scalable maintenance operation across a fast‑moving estate. This is a hybrid and field‑based role, with regular travel across our restaurant estate, and the expectation to be in our Ealing Broadway office twice a week.

What You’ll Do

  • Set and lead the maintenance strategy to support a rapidly growing, multi‑site restaurant estate
  • Ensure all restaurants are maintained to high standards of safety, compliance, functionality and brand presentation
  • Oversee planned preventative maintenance and reactive repairs across the estate, ensuring issues are resolved quickly and effectively
  • Act as the senior point of escalation for critical maintenance matters, supporting restaurants and internal stakeholders
  • Manage contractor and supplier performance, ensuring compliance, service levels and quality standards are consistently met
  • Work closely with Development and Operations teams on new openings, refurbishments and handovers into live operation
  • Own the maintenance budget, including forecasting, cost control, Capex spend and third‑party recharge management
  • Use systems, reporting and KPIs to improve performance, reduce downtime and drive continuous improvement across the function

What You’ll Bring

  • Proven senior maintenance leadership experience in hospitality or other multi‑site environments
  • Strong track record of supporting rapid growth across a multi‑site estate
  • Experience managing large contractor networks and internal teams
  • A strategic mindset with the ability to stay close to operational detail
  • Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, forecasting and cost control
  • Excellent stakeholder management skills, with confidence working across site teams and senior leadership
  • Calm, decisive and solutions‑focused, with the ability to perform under pressure
  • Strong understanding of kitchen equipment and building fabric
  • Solid knowledge of UK statutory compliance requirements
  • Experience supporting new site openings, refurbishments and estate growth

Benefits

  • Competitive salary
  • Private healthcare + Life assurance
  • 33 days holiday (including bank holidays) + your birthday off
  • Career development and progression opportunities
  • Access to wellbeing and lifestyle benefits through our platform
  • Cycle to work scheme and gym discounts

At Popeyes, everyone counts. Inclusivity and respect sit at the heart of who we are, and we strive to create a place where everyone can be their true self. That’s why we assess each application on the aptitude to do the job – and nothing else.

Head of Maintenance in London employer: Popeyes Louisiana Chicken UK

Popeyes UK is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Ealing Broadway, London, where inclusivity and respect are paramount. As we expand rapidly, we provide our employees with competitive salaries, private healthcare, and ample opportunities for career development, ensuring that every team member can thrive while contributing to our mission of operational excellence across our growing restaurant estate.
Popeyes Louisiana Chicken UK

Contact Detail:

Popeyes Louisiana Chicken UK Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Maintenance in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the hospitality and maintenance sectors. Attend industry events or join relevant online groups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Show up and shine! If you get an interview, treat it like a chance to showcase your strategic mindset and hands-on experience. Prepare examples of how you've led maintenance teams or managed budgets effectively. Make sure they see you as the solution to their needs!

✨Tip Number 3

Research is key! Dive deep into Popeyes UK’s values and recent developments. Understanding their growth strategy will help you tailor your conversations and demonstrate that you're not just another candidate, but someone who truly gets their vision.

✨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 being part of the Popeyes family. Let’s make it happen together!

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Maintenance in London

Maintenance Strategy Development
Safety Compliance
Planned Preventative Maintenance
Reactive Repairs Management
Contractor and Supplier Management
Budget Management
Forecasting
Cost Control
Stakeholder Management
Operational Detail Orientation
Understanding of Kitchen Equipment
Knowledge of UK Statutory Compliance
Experience in Multi-Site Environments
Calm Under Pressure
Solutions-Focused Approach

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience that align with the Head of Maintenance role. Highlight your leadership experience in multi-site environments and any relevant achievements that showcase your ability to support rapid growth.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for Popeyes UK. Share specific examples of how you've successfully managed maintenance operations and improved performance in previous roles. This is your chance to show your strategic mindset!

Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills: In both your CV and cover letter, emphasise your experience working with various teams and senior leadership. We want to see how you’ve effectively communicated and collaborated to achieve operational excellence in past positions.

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 about the recruitment process. Plus, we love seeing applications come through our own platform!

How to prepare for a job interview at Popeyes Louisiana Chicken UK

✨Know Your Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of maintenance strategies, especially in a multi-site environment. Understand the specific challenges that come with maintaining a fast-growing restaurant chain like Popeyes UK. This will show that you're not just familiar with the role but also genuinely interested in how to make it work effectively.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Prepare examples of how you've successfully led maintenance teams or managed contractor networks in the past. Be ready to discuss your approach to stakeholder management and how you ensure compliance and quality standards are met. This is crucial for a strategic role like Head of Maintenance.

✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions

Expect questions that put you in hypothetical situations related to maintenance issues. Think about how you would handle critical escalations or rapid growth challenges. Practising these scenarios can help you articulate your thought process and decision-making skills during the interview.

✨Understand the Brand and Culture

Familiarise yourself with Popeyes UK’s brand values and culture. They emphasise inclusivity and respect, so be prepared to discuss how you align with these values and how you would foster a positive team environment. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a fit for the role, but also for the company.

Head of Maintenance in London
Popeyes Louisiana Chicken UK
Location: London

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