Operations Manager - Surrey

Operations Manager

Salary: £55,000 + Car Allowance + Paid Mileage + Bonus

Location: M25/M23 Corridor (Croydon, Horsham, Brighton, Guildford)

Contract: Monday - Friday, 40 Hours per week

The Opportunity

Our client is a market-leading contract caterer specialising in the education sector. They don’t just serve meals—they create fantastic food experiences that fuel young minds. By blending deep knowledge of the education sector with the latest high-street food trends, they encourage creativity and excitement in every kitchen.

Due to rapid expansion across the South East, they are seeking a highly accomplished and results-driven Operations Manager to oversee a portfolio of Primary and Secondary school contracts. This pivotal role covers a key operational area stretching from Croydon through West Sussex to Guildford, requiring a leader who can deliver exceptional food operations while exceeding client expectations.

Core Responsibilities

• Contract Management & Enhancement: Oversee the strategic delivery of all assigned contracts, ensuring services are efficiently delivered and enhanced to surpass client and company standards.

• Financial Oversight & Control: Review the performance and profitability of each contract. You will maintain strict cost control and budget management without compromising on service quality.

• Culinary Standardisation: Uphold the highest food quality standards, ensuring that menus and service delivery across all sites reflect current high-street trends and industry best practices.

• Team Leadership & Development: Manage, support, and foster the professional growth of line-reporting managers, maintaining high team engagement and performance levels.

• Business Growth Support: Collaborate with the sales team to support business retention and proactively assist in securing new business opportunities within the region.

• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure rigorous compliance with all relevant Health & Safety and Food Hygiene procedures across every site in your portfolio.

The Ideal Profile

• Experience: A seasoned hospitality or contract catering professional with current multi-site management experience (experience within education catering is highly desirable).

• Leadership: A proven ability to coach and develop teams, instilling a collective commitment to high service standards and professional conduct.

• Client Relations: Excellent communication skills with the ability to lead client meetings, manage expectations, and navigate complex challenges to achieve positive outcomes.

• Process-Driven: Both service-focused and process-led, with the discipline to ensure all operational standards and systems are rigorously maintained across multiple locations.

• Technical Skills: Strong computer literacy, high initiative, and a commitment to continuous professional achievement.

What’s On Offer

• Financials: Competitive salary of £55k + Car Allowance + Paid Mileage + Performance Bonus.

• Work-Life Balance: 40 hours per week plus an extra day of paid leave for your birthday.

• Health & Family: Private Healthcare and Enhanced Parental Leave.

• Career Growth: As one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent businesses, they offer limitless career progression and dedicated support for gaining professional qualifications.

Note: As this role is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, an enhanced DBS disclosure will be sought by the company.

Pineapple Recruitment is acting as a Recruitment Agency on behalf of our client for this vacancy.