Education Catering Operations Director

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.

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Operations Director for our schools catering business across the primary, secondary and college sectors across Cheshire, Staffordshire and West Midlands.

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.

Caterlink is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be obtained for this role. Salary dependant on experience.

Caterlink strives to always provide a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for all our teams where every individual is treated with respect, integrity and has the opportunity to grow and be treated equally and with fairness at all times.

What you bring to the table:

• Background in client relationships and have 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

There are many advantages to working for us including:

• Competitive salary plus a performance-related bonus
• Monthly car allowance or company car
• BUPA cover and Virtual GP for you and your family (eligibility rules apply)
• Fully expensed company laptop + mobile phone
• We offer you access to our Employee Discount Platform where you can make great savings at supermarkets, cinema, restaurants as well as holiday discounts, family days out and many more!
• Our Employee Assistance Program and Virtual GP benefits are there for you and your family to use free of charge at any time
• With Caterlink you have the opportunity to a blended learning programme that can include formal qualifications including Apprenticeships, classroom training, eLearning and on the job training to support and encourage your development and enable you to be the best you can be. Everyone who joins us is provided with an induction where they learn more about us and enable them to be the best they can be. We invest in development opportunities and are always looking to recruit, train and retain the best people for our own future talent and your own future development.
• You will be eligible to join our Workplace Pension Scheme with Aviva