At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and scale maintenance for a rapidly growing restaurant estate.
- Company: Popeyes UK, a fast-growing brand with big ambitions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private healthcare, life assurance, and 33 days holiday.
- Other info: Hybrid role with travel across restaurants and opportunities for career growth.
- 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 - 75000 £ per year.
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
- 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
- Competitive salary
- Private healthcare + Life assurance
- 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
Head of Maintenance in London employer: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Contact Detail:
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen 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 industry contacts and attend relevant events. 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 maintenance strategies and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can set you apart from the competition. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always looking for passionate individuals to join our team, and applying directly can give you an edge. Plus, it’s super easy!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Maintenance in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Maintenance role. Highlight your experience in multi-site environments and any relevant achievements that showcase your strategic mindset and leadership skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you’re the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've successfully managed maintenance operations and supported growth in previous positions.
Showcase Your Commercial Acumen: Don’t forget to mention your experience with budgets and cost control. We want to see how you’ve effectively managed finances in past roles, so include any relevant figures or outcomes.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get you on the path to joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
✨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 you can contribute to their success.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Head of Maintenance, you'll need to lead teams and manage contractors effectively. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led a team or managed a project under pressure. Highlight your strategic mindset and how you've driven operational excellence in previous roles.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical situations related to maintenance issues. Think about how you would handle critical maintenance matters or resolve conflicts with contractors. Practising these scenarios can help you articulate your thought process clearly during the interview.
✨Understand the Brand and Culture
Familiarise yourself with Popeyes UK's brand values and culture. Be prepared to discuss how you can align the maintenance function with their goals of safety, compliance, and guest readiness. Showing that you understand their mission will set you apart as a candidate who is not only qualified but also a good cultural fit.