Regional Operations Manager
Bristol Area
Impact Food Group (IFG) is one of England’s fastest-growing school food providers, serving around one million students every day across more than 1,500 schools. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality, nutritious meals that support student wellbeing and enjoyment.
Our brands include Innovate, Cucina, Chapter One (Independent Schools), Hutchison, and Dolce, reflecting our breadth of experience and reach across the school catering sector.
We’re growing fast, and we’re looking for an experienced Operations Manager to oversee a portfolio of schools, supporting our teams and ensuring exceptional food, service, and operational standards. This is a field-based role, so you’ll need to be prepared to travel between sites.
What You’ll Do:
We are looking for a self-motivated, resilient, and highly organised multi-site Operations Manager with a background in high-quality food catering services. As an Operations Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind multiple school kitchens, ensuring every site runs smoothly:
Lead, motivate, and develop your teams to deliver outstanding results
Build strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and stakeholders
Monitor and improve operational performance across your portfolio
Ensure food quality, hygiene, and compliance standards are consistently met
Manage financial performance, including budgets, commercial and fixed-price contracts
Support Chef Managers with recruitment, HR, and day-to-day operations
Present data, reports, and insights to demonstrate operational success
Who We’re Looking For
You’re a hands-on, results-driven manager who thrives in a fast-paced environment. You’ll have:
Experience as an Area Manager or Operations Manager in contract or retail catering, managing at least 8 sites
A proven track record of leading multi-site teams, with strong people management skills
Confidence communicating with everyone—from kitchen teams to senior stakeholders
Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise effectively
Strong proficiency with Office tools, spreadsheets, and presentations
A passion for fresh, contemporary food and delivering outstanding service
We’re looking for someone who leads by example, motivates teams, and genuinely cares about people and food.
What’s in It For You
We don’t just offer a job, we offer a career you can be proud of:
25 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays
Life assurance and company pension
Healthcare
Access to our online learning and development platform
Employee wellbeing programme
Salary sacrifice electric car scheme
IFG Rewards high-street discounts
Annual Summer Party with company awards
If you’re ready to lead high-performing teams, make a real impact, and take your career to the next level, we’d love to hear from you!
Please note: An interview and assessment will be part of the recruitment process.
IFG are committed to the safeguarding of children, and our employees share this commitment. Successful candidates are required to undergo an enhanced DBS disclosure and children’s barred list check, which IFG will pay for.
We are a committed equal opportunities employer - if you require any assistance for the interview process, please detail within your application. All information is kept confidential and in compliance with GDPR requirements