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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and enhance catering operations in schools, ensuring exceptional food experiences.
- Company: Join Wes Rice, a market leader in school food catering with a passion for creativity.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private healthcare, car allowance, and extra paid leave for your birthday.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on young minds through fantastic food experiences and team leadership.
- Qualifications: Proven team leadership skills and excellent communication abilities.
- Other info: Comprehensive learning programmes for professional growth and development.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
Join to apply for the Operations Manager role at Wes Rice: Development + Design. Aspens Services is a market‑leading contract caterer specialising in school food. We don’t just serve meals; we create fantastic food experiences that fuel young minds! By blending deep knowledge of the education sector with the latest high‑street food trends, we encourage creativity and excitement in every kitchen. Our commitment to quality care for both clients and children has fueled rapid growth, and we are looking for passionate people like you to join our journey.
The Role
We are seeking a highly accomplished and results‑driven Operations Manager to assume responsibility for a specific operational area within one of our busy regions, overseeing the comprehensive performance of our catering operations across a portfolio of Primary and Secondary school contracts. This pivotal role involves leading your team to deliver exceptional food operations while exceeding client expectations.
Core Responsibilities and Accountabilities
- 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
- 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 Join Us?
- Career Investment: We provide comprehensive learning and development programmes, offering the opportunity to gain professional qualifications with dedicated support.
- Total Rewards Package: Alongside a competitive salary and a car allowance, our comprehensive benefits programme includes Private Healthcare, Enhanced parental leave, your birthday as an additional day of paid leave.
Please note: we expect all staff to share our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/young people so an enhanced DBS disclosure will be sought by the company.
Operations Manager employer: Wes Rice: Development + Design
Contact Detail:
Wes Rice: Development + Design 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 current employees at Wes Rice. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company’s values and recent projects. Show us you’re not just interested in any job, but specifically in how you can contribute to creating fantastic food experiences at Wes Rice.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! We want to hear about times you’ve successfully managed teams or improved operations. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your skills and achievements.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Wes Rice.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role shine through! We want to see how your passion for food and education aligns with our mission to create fantastic food experiences.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure to customise your CV to highlight relevant experience that matches the Operations Manager role. We love seeing how your past achievements can contribute to our growth and success!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your skills and experiences are easy to spot and understand at a glance.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at Wes Rice: Development + Design
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into Wes Rice's mission and values. Understand their approach to school food and how they blend education with culinary trends. This will help you align your answers with their goals and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As an Operations Manager, you'll be leading a team. Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached and developed teams in the past. Highlight specific instances where your leadership made a difference in service standards or team engagement.
✨Be Financially Savvy
Brush up on your financial oversight skills. Be ready to discuss how you've managed budgets, controlled costs, and improved profitability in previous roles. Use concrete numbers and outcomes to illustrate your success in this area.
✨Emphasise Compliance and Safety
Given the importance of Health & Safety and Hygiene in catering, prepare to discuss your experience with compliance. Share how you've ensured rigorous adherence to safety standards and how you handle risk management in operations.
