Regional Operations Manager
Salary: £60,000 – £65,000 + Car Allowance + Paid Mileage + Bonus
Location: M3/M4 Corridor (Basingstoke, Ascot, Wembley, Bournemouth)
Contract: Monday- Friday, 40 Hours per week
Reporting to: Regional Operations Director
The Opportunity
Our client is a market-leading and rapidly growing contract catering specialist within the education sector. Known for bridging the gap between high-street food trends and school dining, they create exciting, creative, and nutritious food experiences for children across the UK.
Due to continued expansion, they are seeking a driven Regional Operations Manager to lead their South East portfolio. This is a high-level leadership role designed for an expert operator who can manage multiple Operations Managers, maintain exceptional client relationships, and drive commercial performance across a diverse region.
Key Responsibilities
* Strategic Leadership: Oversee and guide a team of Operations Managers to ensure full compliance with contractual specifications. You will be responsible for ensuring services consistently meet or exceed client and company standards.
* Financial Management: Collaborate with senior leadership to set financial and commercial targets. You will analyse regional performance against budgets and implement actionable solutions for any variances.
* Operational Compliance: Track and manage regional adherence to the company’s Business Management Systems, ensuring all QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment) standards are rigorously maintained.
* Team Development: Lead, coach, and assess direct-report managers using formal appraisal processes to drive professional growth and high-performance results.
* Business Growth: Actively contribute to the sales and retention process, assisting with bid preparations and high-stakes presentations to secure and maintain contracts.
* Client Excellence: Act as a senior point of contact for clients, managing expectations and building trusted, long-term partnerships.
The Ideal Profile
* Industry Background: Currently operating in a multi-site leadership role within the hospitality or contract catering sector (Education catering experience is desirable).
* Proven Leadership: A skilled coach who can instil a passion for high standards in their team and foster a collaborative, results-driven environment.
* Commercial Acumen: Deep experience in P&L management, budgetary control, and identifying opportunities for service enhancements to protect margins.
* Communication: Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to lead high-level client meetings and manage complex challenges with a solution-focused mindset.
* Organisational Skills: Proactive, IT-literate, and comfortable working independently across a large geographical area.
What’s On Offer
* Financials: Competitive salary up to £65k + Car Allowance + Paid Mileage + Performance Bonus.
* Security: Company Pension, Private Healthcare, and Life Insurance.
* Work-Life Balance: 5 weeks annual leave plus a day off for your birthday.
* Career Trajectory: Join one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent businesses with \"no ceiling\" on career progression and access to fantastic learning and development programmes.
Note: As this role involves working within the education sector, an Enhanced DBS disclosure will be required.
Pineapple Recruitment is acting as a Recruitment Agency on behalf of our client for this vacancy.