Job Description

The role

You will oversee the day-to-day operations of all four sites, working closely with the founder, site managers, and front-of-house and back-of-house teams.

Your top priority will be ensuring each site delivers against its EBITDA targets. You will take ownership of the operational factors that drive profitability, including sales, labour, food costs, waste and controllable expenditure, while maintaining excellent food quality and customer service.

This is a practical, site-based role requiring regular visits, detailed inspections and active support on the floor. You should be as comfortable reviewing financial performance as you are helping a team through a busy service.

Key responsibilities

Financial performance and profitability

Drive each site’s performance against agreed sales, cost and EBITDA targets.
Review weekly performance with the founder, identify variances and implement clear actions to improve results.
Manage labour costs through effective rotas, staffing levels and deployment.
Monitor food costs, portion control, stock levels, ordering and waste.
Control operating expenditure and identify opportunities to improve margins.
Support sales growth through strong service, product availability, upselling and efficient operations.

Day-to-day site operations

Oversee the smooth running of all four cafés, ensuring consistent standards across the business.
Conduct regular site inspections covering service, food quality, cleanliness, stock, equipment and team performance.
Turn inspection findings into clear actions, assign responsibility and follow through to completion.
Resolve operational issues promptly, including staffing gaps, supplier problems, maintenance and customer complaints.
Ensure opening, closing, cash-handling and reporting procedures are followed consistently.
Maintain food safety, allergen awareness, hygiene and health and safety standards.

Team management

Support and hold site managers accountable for their teams, standards and financial performance.
Work directly with FOH and BOH teams to improve service, productivity and communication.
Identify training needs and deliver practical coaching.
Support recruitment, onboarding, rota planning and performance management.
Build a positive culture with clear expectations, strong teamwork and accountability.

Working with the founder

Work closely with the founder on site visits, operational priorities and business performance.
Provide concise updates on results, risks and actions, escalating issues when needed.
Take ownership of follow-ups and ensure agreed improvements are implemented across all sites.
Strengthen processes that support consistent performance as the business grows.

About you

Proven experience managing multiple cafés, restaurants or hospitality sites.
Strong commercial understanding, including P&Ls, EBITDA, labour costs and food margins.
A track record of improving profitability while maintaining customer experience and product quality.
Confident leading both FOH and BOH teams.
Organised, proactive and comfortable making decisions in a fast-moving business.
Detail-focused, with the ability to spot problems and follow them through to resolution.
Comfortable working regularly across four London sites and being present during key trading periods.
Available to start in mid-November 2026 and remain through 31 March 2027.

What success looks like

Sites deliver against agreed EBITDA and cost targets.
Labour, stock and waste are tightly managed.
Service, food quality and cleanliness are consistently strong across all four cafés.
Managers and teams understand their responsibilities and meet agreed standards.
Operational issues are resolved quickly, with improvements sustained over time.

Contract and future opportunity

This is an initial maternity-cover contract running from mid-November 2026 until 31 March 2027. There is a strong likelihood of the role being extended, subject to business needs and performance.

Job Requirements

At least three years’ experience managing multiple hospitality sites, ideally cafés or fast-casual restaurants.
Proven commercial results: evidence of improving profitability, controlling labour and food costs, and delivering against EBITDA targets.
Confident managing P&Ls: able to interpret weekly figures, identify underperformance and turn findings into practical actions.
Hands-on operational leadership: comfortable supporting busy services, conducting site inspections and resolving day-to-day issues.
Experience leading FOH and BOH teams, including coaching managers, recruitment, onboarding and performance management.
Strong rota and workforce planning skills, matching staffing to sales forecasts and trading patterns.
Experience managing stock, suppliers and waste, with a clear understanding of portion control and gross margins.
Sound food safety and allergen knowledge, ideally with Level 3 Food Safety training or equivalent.
Strong organisation and follow-through: able to prioritise across four sites and ensure agreed actions are completed.
Availability for the full contract, from mid-November to 31 March, with flexibility to work across all four London sites during key trading periods.

Operations Manager - Maternity Cover

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Operations Manager - Maternity Cover

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