Operations Manager

The role

We are looking for an Operations Management Trainee to own the day-to-day running of the business, releasing the founder to focus less on the day to day operations and more on the work required to scale and grow the business to achieve his long term vision:

Your time will be split between

• The Camden kitchen unit: our production base and on-site kitchen, where prep, service, delivery orders all come together
• External events: planning and delivering our food truck and stall at festivals, seasonal markets and private or corporate bookings, from the first application through to pack-down.

This is a fun and intense hands-on role. You will be responsible for all operational aspects to deliver our service, this will range from building the team rota, managing stock, ensuring production happens on time and to quality, planning event logistics and ensuring H&S standards are complied with. You need to be energetic, people-oriented and flexible.

What you will do

Run the Camden kitchen

• Take overall responsibility for the smooth daily running of the unit: opening and closing standards, prep planning and execution
• Work with the kitchen team to keep food quality and portioning consistent within agreed recipes and specs.
• Manage stock, ordering and supplier relationships, keeping waste low and traceability intact.
• Plan production for events and catering orders ensuring that when the truck/stall arrive on site everything is ready for smooth service and successful event
• Look after equipment and comply with all H&S standards and requirements.

Deliver festivals and events

• Manage operational relationships with organisers ahead of booked events.
• Plan each event end to end: Stock, staffing, transport, power, water, gas and waste. Note: Menu planning and sales volume estimation will be provided in collaboration with Neo.
• Prepare and maintain event paperwork: risk assessments, HACCP, allergen information, insurance, gas and electrical safety certificates.
• Oversee set-up, service and pack-down on site
• Lead the crew in person at events.
• Review each event operationally afterwards providing clear feedback to Neo around queue times, customer satisfaction what worked and what to change.
• Lead the team in understanding and driving upsells and crossells at the counter

Support corporate catering

• Coordinate catering bookings from booking to delivery: confirming menus and dietary needs, production and logistics.
• Make sure every order arrives on time, looks like the proposal, and is clearly labelled for allergens.
• Comply with all location related H&S and compliance requirements as well as the usual requirements of Smashing Plates.

Lead the team

• Recruit, train and schedule the kitchen team and pool of seasonal event staff.
• Build rotas that cover the kitchen and events without burning people out, within the labour budget.
• Set clear standards, give regular feedback and deal with issues early and fairly.
• Protect the culture: welcoming, generous, hard-working and fun to be part of.

Keep us safe and compliant

• Maintain food safety, allergen and health and safety standards across the kitchen and all mobile units, with records kept up to date.
• Be the lead contact for Environmental Health visits and event organiser audits, aiming for a 5 food hygiene rating at all times.
• Make sure licences, insurance, vehicle documents and staff training certificates are current.

Support the Founder to Manage and improve the numbers

• Support to drive down waste and drive up profit for example by: Efficient labour scheduling, minimising wastage for the kitchen and for each event, driving production speed up without sacrificing quality
• Give views and input on which events to repeat, drop or grow, based on views on commercial success
• Improve systems and processes (ordering, checklists, rotas, event packs) as the business scales.

ABOUT YOU

Essential

• A love of Greek food and excitement for our vision!
• At least 2-3 years in an operations or general management role in street food, quick-service, events catering or a multi-site food business.
• Direct experience of trading at festivals or large outdoor events, including the logistics and paperwork that go with it.
• Solid working knowledge of UK food safety, HACCP and allergen law; Level 3 Food Safety (or willingness to complete it straight away).
• Confident managing rotas, stock, food cost and labour, and comfortable with operational numbers and spreadsheets
• A calm, practical problem-solver who leads from the front with sleeves rolled up alongside the team
• A strong people manager who can hire well, train quickly and keep a seasonal team motivated
• Flexible on hours: event season means long days, weekends, bank holidays and some nights away
• Full UK driving licence and the right to work in the UK

Nice to have

• Existing relationships with festival organisers, market operators or event caterers.
• Health and safety qualification (IOSH or similar), first aid, or a personal licence.

What we offer

• Variable bonus linked to business sales performance on top of the salary
• Time off in lieu after heavy event periods to ensure that the average 45 hours per week is maintained across the year.
• Travel, accommodation and expenses covered for events away from London.
• Real ownership of a vital part of a growing business, working directly with the founder – lots of opportunities for development and progression as the business grows.

Pay: £35,000.00-£45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Discounted or free food
• Pay rise

Work Location: In person