Regional Director - South East of UK

Operations Director – Education Catering

Salary: £90,000 - £100,000 + Benefits

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Operations Director to join a well-established contract catering company with a strong reputation for delivering fresh food-led services in the education sector.

We are seeking a dynamic leader to drive operational excellence, lead a team of Operations Managers, and maintain outstanding client retention across a large portfolio of state schools.

The Role

As Operations Director, you will work closely with the Managing Director.  You will lead a team of 8-10 Operations Managers, ensuring high standards, team development, and strategic growth across 120+ schools in, South East London, Sussex and Kent.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a team of Operations Managers, ensuring a high-performing, motivated team.
• Foster strong relationships with clients to maintain long-term retention and satisfaction.
• Take a strategic approach to operations, focusing on business growth and innovation.
• Drive financial performance with a strong commercial focus.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Experienced at the Operations Director level (or a highly established Senior Operator) within the catering sector.
• A strategic thinker with a track record of delivering operational excellence.
• Client-focused, with the ability to develop and maintain strong relationships.
• A motivational leader with experience managing and developing multi-site teams.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to drive financial performance.

You will play a key role in shaping the future of education catering while leading a high-performing team.

 Location: Ideally based in South East London, Sussex or Kent to ensure effective regional coverage.

Kellan Group (including all of our brands, Berkeley Scott, RK and Quantica) are committed to promoting equal opportunities to people regardless of age, gender, religion, belief, race, sexuality or disability. We operate as an employment agency and employment business. You'll find a wide selection of vacancies on our websites