Operational Support Manager, Food Services

Location: Nationwide

Reporting to: Head of Food ServicesIreland

Contract: Permanent

Hours per week: 40

Company Overview

At ISS, we’re committed to creating spaces where everyone can thrive. We bring people and places together, offering a welcoming and inclusive workplace where every identity, skill, and passion has a place to grow. Whether you’re on the frontline or behind the scenes in strategy and sales, you’re part of something that truly impacts our clients, our people, and our world. People make places – and at ISS, we’re proud of the impact our people have in industries like healthcare, education, and professional services.

Your potential is our purpose. Our dedicated team supports employee growth through continuous learning, upskilling, and unique opportunities for advancement. ISS also champions inclusion: we’re proud members of The Valuable 500, advancing initiatives for diverse abilities, gender balance, and age inclusion.

Safety and wellbeing are our foundation. Through rigorous health and safety standards, regular training, and wellness programs, we’re committed to being a safe space for all our staff. Recognising our people’s achievements is a key part of our culture – from our Apple Awards to our Global Leadership conference, we celebrate your impact.

Join ISS and discover a career with purpose, growth, and recognition. Come be part of the journey to becoming the World’s Greatest Service Organisation

Exciting New Role

We currently have an exciting opportunity for an Operational Support Manager to join the Food Services team.

You will play a key role in supporting our food service business throughout the Republic of Ireland in accordance to the standards required by ISS, contributing to enhanced workplace dining experiences for our clients and customers. This will include making the optimal use of all available resources, including those from supporting functions (e.g. Marketing, HSEQ), other team members, company systems and assets, and our supply chain partners.

There are two broad elements to this role.

1. OPERATIONAL: On specifically assigned client sites, you will have a direct input on / responsibility for all elements of the service delivery. This will include HSEQ, financial management, client communication, reporting and general contract development and support. To note, each of these locations has a site lead who will report into the Operational Support Manager.

2. CULINARY: Across our nationwide business, you will play an integral role in the design and implementation of new Food Concepts, Food Innovation, Menu Design and Food Safety.

You will assist in improving and maintaining good financial achievements against budget and support with projects as they arise. This will include, and not be limited to, supporting with the management of our current tools and systems (such as Saffron, Klimato, Winnow), exploring continuous improvement by assessing the potential benefits of new practices, liaising with our supply chain partners to identify the best quality produce.

In summary, the successful candidate will have responsibility to ensure our Catering Teams across multiple sites are supported in all aspects of company operational systems and procedures. Additionally, they will play an integral role in supporting food innovation, culinary development, training and standardisation. The focus on the culinary aspect of the role will potentially increase overtime, ultimately taking lead responsibility within the Food Support Team for this element.

Job Dimensions

This multi-faceted role will require operational management ability blended with excellent culinary skills within contemporary workplace dining environments. The successful candidate will:

Provide strategy and innovation in line with commercial food and menu planning that improves the Company’s reputation for food quality and enhances client and customer experience.

• Play a leading role for Health & Safety within the catering team, leading the Food Management Safety program and the HACCP process.
• Deploy excellent coaching and leadership skills, delivering culinary development across our business.
• Forge strong working relationships through informal and formal channels of communication, developing effective working relationships with clients, customers, ISS Placemakers, peers and senior leadership.
• Take responsibility for the overall efficient and effective management of the catering contracts under their direct control, ensuring a quality service aligned to contractual obligations is delivered.
• Implement succession planning to ensure our People are given every opportunity to develop and grow. This will also include the recruitment of new team members as required.
• Evaluate current standards and develop Improvement Plans for catering services across numerous locations. A key function of this role will be to plan, evaluate, trial and implement new food concepts delivering a uniform standard across all food service outlets.
• Ensure the agreed supply chain is being adhered to by all unit managers and evaluating this on a periodic basis with the Head of Food services and the wider Food Support team.
• Support our growth ambitions by participating in new tender processes undertaken by the company by showcasing all aspects of our food service offer, attending client presentations and effectively planning new contract mobilisations.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will have proven Operational Management experience within a busy multi-site catering environment, combined with food transformation and culinary expertise. In particular, this should include:

• Being adaptable to change and leading food innovation.
• A proven ability to train and develop teams.
• A strong knowledge of food safety regulations and HACCP, including the implementation of same.
• A BA culinary art and /or working experience in a similar role.
• Strong financial understanding within the food services sector.
• Excellent Computer Literacy.

Other Features of the Job

The hours of work for this role are predominantly office hours, Monday to Friday.

However, on rare occasions, it may be necessary to work alternative hours, shift patterns or unsociable hours, including weekends, and sometimes more than contracted hours in a given week. As the business is nationwide, the role will involve travel to locations throughout the country. On rarer occasions, travel may involve attending meetings, site visits and seminars outside of Ireland.

Salary & Benefits Package

This role comes with a very competitive salary package and includes company car.

ISS truly values it’s People, who are our most important resource, and there will be ample opportunity for professional development and growth.
To oversee the financial commitments for the business to include revenue & margin. Plan and monitor Food and Beverage projects as they relate to the curated food experiences.

To ensure all company and statutory regulations pertaining to health & safety, food safety, hygiene & fire are always adhered to.

To have a good understanding of menu mix, costing and revenue generation. Work closely with local teams in the field of F&B showing continuous personal development and adopting industry leading practices.

Deliver F&B projects to improve the overall experience to our client's colleagues. Connect F&B seamlessly to support the curated experiences, make recommendations to the Head of Food Services to support the decision-making process.

Attend, devise and deliver training on specific F&B and programmes. Support the local teams with SOPs, KPIs, JDs and new openings. Attend business review meetings and report to the Head of Food Services on the performance of units.

Qualification Required:

• An approved qualification level 6 degree and or a proven track record with multi-site operation experience, operations manager, area manager, or regional manager with an excess of 8 years' experience within the Hospitality industry
• Level 3 food hygiene
• Full driving licence and flexibility regarding travel as required

Skills & Attributes:

· Enthusiastic, energetic, passionate about food and beverage.

· Interpersonal ability, to maintain effective communication with multiple stakeholders.

· Strong verbal and written communication skills.

· The ability to galvanise a team around the food vision.

· Able to work autonomously and in a team equally.

· Self-starter & proactive in identifying users’ needs & opportunities for service improvement.

· Multitasker (able to work on multiple workstreams & customers in parallel)

· Strong business insight & able to translate business requirements into solutions.

· Able to design, implement & managing business initiatives.

· Organised, structured, analytic, detail oriented.

· Excellent knowledge of Health & Saftety, Environment, QA procedures, and experience of developing operational teams.

Salary & Benefits Package:

Competitive salary package which includes company car.

• It may be necessary to work alternative hours, shift patterns or unsociable hours, including weekends and sometimes more than contracted hours. As part of your job, you will be expected to attend training events and/or meetings and travel to other locations may be required. Local requirements will govern your patterns and locations of work.

HSEQ:

• Ensure safe work practices and procedures are followed on site
• Use of Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment (w/a)
• Understand how ISO fits into daily business operations
• Read, understand and work in accordance with the company’s HSEQ Policies
• Complete tasks in accordance with company HSEQ procedures and work instructions

Other features of the job

It may be necessary to work alternative hours, shift patterns or unsociable hours, including weekends and sometimes more than contracted hours. As part of your job, you will be expected to attend training events and/or meetings and travel to other locations may be required. Local requirements will govern your patterns and locations of work.

Closing date for applications is Friday, 28th February 2025

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Bike to work scheme
• Company events
• Employee assistance program
• Wellness program

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Advanced/Higher Certificate (preferred)

Experience:

• Hospitality: 8 years (preferred)
• Operations Manager / Area Manager (or similar): 4 years (preferred)

Language:

• English (required)

Licence/Certification:

• full, clean driving licence (required)
• Level 3 Food Hygiene Training (preferred)

Willingness to travel:

• 75% (preferred)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 28/02/2025
Reference ID: INDHP