General Manager - Defence
Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire
Salary: £40,000 Per Annum
Hours: 40 hours per week Monday-Friday
Reports to: Regional Manager
Services: Catering, Hospitality, Facilities & Retail
About the Role
We're looking for a dynamic and experienced General Manager to lead operations at a Defence site in Salisbury. This is a high-impact leadership role, overseeing multiple service lines across Catering, Hospitality, Facilities Management, and Retail. You'll manage key relationships with our clients-Army personnel and Ministry of Defence stakeholders-while driving operational excellence and exceptional service delivery.
You'll lead a team of 6 departmental managers and oversee approximately 70 team members, ensuring consistent quality, compliance, and efficiency across all service areas.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead, coach, and inspire your management team and frontline staff to deliver exceptional results across all Soft FM services.
* Manage client and stakeholder relationships effectively, always acting with commercial awareness and professionalism.
* Ensure full compliance with company policies, health & safety regulations (HACCP, Risk Assessments, Incident Reporting), and MOD standards.
* Drive continuous improvement in service delivery, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.
* Manage budgets, oversee Profit & Loss performance, and ensure financial targets are met or exceeded.
* Work closely with strategic partners, subcontractors, and clients to ensure contractual KPIs and service expectations are achieved.
* Implement and maintain CRM and retention plans in collaboration with the Regional Manager.
What We're Looking For
Essential:
* Proven leadership experience in a Soft FM, foodservice, or similar operational role.
* Experience managing a diverse, multi-functional team in a fast-paced environment.
* Strong commercial acumen with previous P&L accountability.
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
* Demonstrable success in growing organic sales and improving service delivery.
* Strong understanding of health and safety protocols and operational compliance.
Desirable:
* Military or Defence sector experience, or working knowledge of MOD contracts.
* Project/change management capabilities.
* Strong IT literacy and comfort with web-based communication tools.
* Experience in hospitality, food production, or facilities management operations.
We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:
* Compass will be providing a free meal or equivalent Subsidy while working
* Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, and many more
* Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
* Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
* Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
* Regular emails filled with the best discounts and savings available
* Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
* Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
* You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
* Contributory pension scheme
* Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
About Us
Part of Compass Group UK&I, ESS is the Defence, Government, and Energy services sector of Compass Group UK & Ireland. We support 250+ UK military establishments, high profile police, secure environments and government sites, along with a range of onshore and offshore facilities including platforms, drilling rigs, floatels and offices for the energy sector. We know that a friendly face makes all the difference, so we look for people who are passionate about delivering excellent customer service, at all levels, to join our teams.
Compass Group UK&I wants everyone in our business to feel able to be themselves at work and to have an equal opportunity to progress their career. We want to create a culture where we respect and embrace everyone's talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities. Where our colleagues feel valued, can reach their full potential, and thrive - Diversity is Our Strength!