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- Tasks: Lead operations, manage teams, and ensure quality catering services in schools.
- Company: Caterlink is a leading education catering specialist serving over 1 million meals weekly.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, performance bonuses, private healthcare, and generous holiday allowance.
- Why this job: Join a passionate team dedicated to fresh food solutions and making a positive impact in education.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills, team management experience, and a background in contract catering required.
- Other info: Flexible work schedule with school term breaks for planning and personal time.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Company Description
Caterlink is the education sector catering specialist. For over 20 years, the Company has delivered fresh food solutions to pupils and staff at Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Colleges across the UK. The company caters more than 1,000,000 meals a week. Our \”Fresh Food Policy\” is the foundation of our success and growth in the market coupled with a desire to truly deliver on the promises we make to our clients and support our site-based teams.
Job Description
We are currently recruiting for experienced Operations Directors across our business.
As Operations Director you will be responsible for delivering against our KPIs – Health and Safety, Retention, Quality and Finance. You will be expected to have the confidence and credibility to lead your teams and create strong client relationships, as well being commercially astute.
You should be able to demonstrate evidence of supporting and developing a growing team, encouraging them to succeed and help you achieve your objectives. You will remain calm and focused, showing leadership and strength appropriate for your role as Director. If you believe in People, Perception, Passion, and Pride to grow our business this could be the position you are looking for.
Qualifications
WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE:
- First class communication skills and proven experience in managing client relationships
- A proven record in building and motivating teams, to meet key business targets.
- Successful progressive background in contract catering and hospitality.
- Strategic thinking and critical reasoning skills to set and implement the business strategy across the operations teams.
- Well-developed leadership skills, achieving results through others, building loyalty and a sense of belonging in the team.
- Exceptional communication skills (written/spoken/presentation) at all levels, both internally and externally.
- Commercially astute with a service delivery focus
Additional Information
WHAT\’S IN IT FOR YOU:
- Competitive salary + performance related bonus
- Company Car / Car Allowance
- Private Health Care for your family with BUPA
- 33 Days holiday inclusive of bank holidays
- You will be eligible to join our Workplace Pension Scheme with Aviva
- Death in Service benefit
- Bespoke training and development
- A range of discounts and benefits available from high street shops to holidays and cinemas
- As our core business is mainly in term time, the school breaks do enable the opportunity to catch up and plan for the next term, which isn\’t always a luxury in a business operating 52 weeks of the year
Education Catering Operations Director - London/South East employer: WSH Group
Contact Detail:
WSH Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Education Catering Operations Director - London/South East
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Caterlink's 'Fresh Food Policy' and their approach to education catering. Understanding their core values and how they operate will help you align your experience and vision with theirs during discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the education catering sector, especially those who have worked with or for Caterlink. This can provide you with insider knowledge about the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully led teams and met KPIs in previous roles. Highlighting your leadership style and results-driven approach will demonstrate your suitability for the Operations Director position.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your strategic thinking skills by being ready to discuss how you would implement business strategies across operations teams. Think about potential challenges in the education catering sector and how you would address them.
We think you need these skills to ace Education Catering Operations Director - London/South East
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in contract catering and hospitality. Emphasise your leadership skills and any achievements related to managing client relationships and building teams.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for the education sector and how your values align with Caterlink's Fresh Food Policy. Use specific examples to demonstrate your strategic thinking and ability to meet KPIs.
Showcase Communication Skills: Since exceptional communication is key for this role, ensure that your application reflects your written and verbal communication abilities. Consider including examples of successful presentations or client interactions.
Highlight Team Development Experience: Provide evidence of how you have supported and developed teams in previous roles. Mention any training initiatives you led or how you motivated your team to achieve business targets.
How to prepare for a job interview at WSH Group
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As an Operations Director, demonstrating your leadership abilities is crucial. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past, focusing on how you motivated them to achieve key business targets.
✨Highlight Your Client Relationship Management
Caterlink values strong client relationships. Be ready to discuss specific instances where you've built and maintained successful partnerships, showcasing your first-class communication skills.
✨Demonstrate Strategic Thinking
Prepare to discuss your approach to strategic planning and implementation. Share examples of how you've set and executed business strategies that align with operational goals, particularly in contract catering.
✨Emphasise Your Commercial Acumen
Being commercially astute is key for this role. Be prepared to talk about how you've balanced service delivery with financial performance, and provide examples of how you've achieved results through effective resource management.