Catering Operations Manager

Help shape the future of catering at Dinton Activity Centre

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and commercially minded Catering Operations Manager to lead and develop our catering operation at Dinton Activity Centre.

This is much more than managing a café. Our catering offer spans two permanent cafés, mobile catering, events and corporate hospitality, and school residential catering, creating a varied operation with real potential for growth.

Reporting to the General Manager, you will help shape how the service develops, bringing together great food, excellent customer experiences, strong commercial performance and consistently high operational standards.

You will lead and develop the catering team while taking ownership of the day-to-day operation. From menus, pricing and service standards to staffing, stock and suppliers, you will have substantial day-to-day autonomy to improve performance and turn ideas into action.

We are looking for someone who can see the commercial opportunity as well as deliver an excellent operation. You will use customer insight and performance data to develop the offer, increase visitor spend, grow income and identify new opportunities across our visitor, schools, events and corporate markets.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced catering or hospitality professional who wants to take ownership of a diverse operation and play a key role in shaping what comes next.

Benefits

Not only is this an excellent opportunity, but it’s a fantastic time to join our team. You will receive an extensive range of employee benefits including: 

⭐ Generous Annual Leave - 31-36 days per annum (rising by 5 days with 5 years continued local government serviced), plus Bank Holidays

⭐Local Government Pension Scheme 

⭐GP Helpline - Available 7 days a week

⭐Employee Assistance Programme - Including a 24/7 Your Care Helpline

⭐Free Eye Tests and Flu Vaccines

⭐Free Onsite Gym - Located at Shute End Offices, Wokingham

⭐Salary Sacrifice Schemes - Including Car and Cycle to Work schemes

⭐Local & Lifestyle Discounts - Save on shopping, entertainment, dining out & more

⭐Move through Menopause Course

⭐Sports & Social Group Activities – Including running, football, cricket & more

⭐Learning & Development Opportunities

⭐Employee Networks

⭐And more!

Key Responsibilities

As Catering Operations Manager, you will:

• Lead the day-to-day delivery of catering across our cafés, mobile catering, events, corporate hospitality and residential provision
• Lead, motivate and develop a diverse catering team
• Contribute to budgets and forecasts, monitor commercial performance and deliver agreed income, gross profit, staffing and expenditure targets
• Develop menus, pricing, products and seasonal offers that respond to our customers and maximise commercial opportunities
• Maintain excellent standards of food safety, hygiene and allergen management
• Manage suppliers, procurement, stock and catering resources effectively
• Identify opportunities to grow income, increase visitor spend and improve the customer experience
• Work collaboratively across Dinton Activity Centre, Dinton Pastures Country Park and wider Council services
• Use financial, operational and customer data to drive continuous improvement

Candidate Requirements

We are looking for an experienced catering or hospitality leader who can combine strong operational leadership with commercial thinking.

You will have:

• Substantial management experience within catering, hospitality or food service
• Experience of leading and developing teams within a busy, customer-focused operation
• Strong commercial and financial awareness, with experience of forecasting and delivering income, margin and cost targets
• A good understanding of food safety, HACCP and allergen management
• Experience of developing menus, products or services to improve customer experience and commercial performance
• Strong people leadership, communication and organisational skills
• The ability to identify opportunities and turn ideas into practical improvements

A Level 3 Food Safety qualification, or the ability to obtain this before taking operational responsibility, is required.

Experience gained within visitor attractions, leisure, hospitality, events, contract catering or multi-outlet operations would be particularly relevant. Experience of mobilising a new service or bringing an outsourced catering operation in-house would also be advantageous.

Full details of the role and person specification can be found in the attached job description.

Our Area:

Wokingham Borough is set in the heart of Berkshire with excellent transport links to Reading and central London. Our area comprises of a vibrant and historical market town, attractive villages, and miles of beautiful countryside. 

We’re home to a range of high performing schools, a host of international businesses and an incredible community. The borough has a strong local economy with accelerated growth, a range of excellent public facilities and low levels of crime, offering an exceptional quality of life. 

Ready to take the next step?

If you are an experienced catering or hospitality professional looking for the opportunity to take ownership of a varied operation, develop the team and customer offer, and help shape the future of catering at Dinton Activity Centre, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Emma Nolan, General Manager, Dinton Activity Centre, at Emma.Nolan@wokingham.gov.uk. (Strictly no agencies).

Closing date: Friday 13 November 2026 at 11pm

Interview date: TBC

AI in Applications:

We recognise that candidates may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the preparation of their job applications. When used appropriately, AI can be a helpful aid in structuring responses, checking clarity, and improving presentation.

However, applications must reflect your own skills, experience and understanding. If an application appears to rely excessively on AI-generated content, it may not meet the required standard and could be rejected.

We encourage all applicants to ensure their submissions are authentic, tailored to the role, and clearly demonstrate their own knowledge, experience and suitability.

If your application is shortlisted for an interview, you will be required to provide proof of your right to work in the UK at that stage. Additionally, successful candidates must present proof upon receiving a job offer.

Please note that all offers are conditional and subject to the satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Please be aware that we will be reviewing the applications we receive on a daily basis, and we reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified.

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regret that we are unable to respond to every applicant individually.

If you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the application closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

We appreciate your interest in joining Wokingham Borough Council and thank you for taking the time to apply.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.