Catering Operations Manager

Position: Catering Operations Manager (Permanent)
Are you an experienced hospitality leader who thrives in high-volume, fast-paced environments? We're looking for a dynamic Catering & Events Operations Manager to oversee all catering operations-including in‑house teams, third‑party concessions, race day mobilisation, events delivery and F&B performance-across a busy, multi‑venue leisure and events setting.

This is a hands-on, strategic role leading large teams and high-profile events, with a focus on driving service standards, revenue growth, and exceptional guest experiences.

What you'll be doing

Deliver and execute the catering strategy across multiple venues.
Lead and develop all catering teams on site, ensuring top-tier food and service quality.
Plan and manage rotas, staffing levels and labour budgets for all events.
Work closely with sales and business teams to plan catering for racing and non‑racing events.
Take ownership of high-volume operations, delivering exceptional results for key clients.
Manage variable labour and F&B cost controls across hospitality, retail, kitchens and bars.
Support and develop team members through structured PDPs and regular reviews.
Help shape a unified catering and events strategy that maximises revenue and commercial opportunities.
Develop retail operations, brand presence and menu/offer across all venues.
Collaborate with chefs, site leaders and support teams to deliver consistent F&B standards.
Lead training initiatives focused on customer service, product knowledge and operational excellence.
Support recruitment, reduce agency reliance and build a stable, engaged casual workforce.
Maintain financial awareness, analyse reports and take action to improve performance.
Ensure venues operate at the highest standard through daily checks and operational oversight.
Coordinate all administrative, operational and planning tasks for race days and events.

What success looks like

Strong control of labour budgets
Improved staff recruitment & retention
Reduced agency usage
Increased spend per head across F&B areas
Consistent delivery of service excellence
Positive guest, owner & trainer feedback

What we're looking for

Essential:

Minimum 5 years' experience in large-scale leisure, sport or event environments (3,000+ guests).
High-volume hospitality background-conferencing, banqueting, restaurants, hotels or stadium events.
Strong leadership, communication and client management skills.
Experience managing large teams and delivering multi‑site or multi‑faceted events.
Proven ability to manage labour costs and deliver to budget.
Highly organised, process-driven, calm under pressure.
Commercially astute with strong IT and business systems skills.
Excellent decision-maker and people developer.
Full UK driving licence.

Desirable:

Personal licence holder
Business/Event Management Degree
IOSH Managing Safely
GCSEs in Maths & English (C or above)

Hours

Flexible to meet the needs of events, including evenings and weekends. Time off in lieu is provided.

Blue Arrow is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to helping find great work opportunities for great people