Head Of Operations

Job Details

Job Title: Head of Operations - Catering

Reports to: General Manager

Location: QEII Centre, Westminster

Sector: Conference, Events & Catering

OVERVIEW:

QEII Taste operated by Levy is the in-house catering partner at the QEII Centre, delivering exceptional food, drink, and hospitality experiences within one of London’s premier conference and events venues. We are passionate about creating memorable guest experiences through innovative catering, high-quality ingredients, and outstanding service. Sustainability, wellbeing, and operational excellence are at the core of everything we do, ensuring we consistently deliver best-in-class catering across conferences, exhibitions, and banqueting events.

Levy is the vibrant and exciting sector of Compass Group, the world’s largest catering company. We work at some of the greatest venues in the world, delivering legendary experiences in food, drink, and hospitality. In the UK, we are proud to have a wealth of long-standing partnerships with venues across sport, entertainment, and events. Our partnerships include venues such as Wimbledon, Twickenham, Edgbaston, Tottenham Hotspur, Scottish Event Campus (SEC) and ExCel London.

We are culinary champions - it’s what we do and it’s what we are passionate about. At the core of our work is the belief that sustainably sourced great food and drink, coupled with exceptional service is key to creating legendary experiences. Focused on ‘doing the right thing’ for our people and the planet, sustainability, wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of what we do.

Role Purpose:

The Head of Operations holds a pivotal leadership role, responsible for the strategic delivery and day-to-day execution of all catering operations at the QEII Centre.

This role ensures that all catering services - from large-scale conferences to bespoke VIP events are executed to the highest standards. The position combines strategic oversight, financial accountability, and operational excellence, with a focus on delivering outstanding food experiences, driving revenue growth, and leading high-performing teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning and Leadership

• Work closely with the General Manager to deliver the catering operations strategy in line with venue vision, brand standards, and client expectations
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement across all catering services
• Communicate strategic objectives clearly to operational teams and ensure effective execution.

Catering Operations Delivery

• Manage the end-to-end delivery of all catering operations across all event styles, including but not limited to conferences, exhibitions, and banqueting, enforcing a high standard of service throughout
• Ensure seamless coordination between kitchen, back-of-house, and front-of-house teams
• Maintain consistently high standards of food quality, presentation, and service
• Monitor performance across all event formats and onsite catering operations

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with clients, event organisers, and venue stakeholders
• Collaborate with sales and events teams to translate client briefs into exceptional catering delivery
• Proactively manage client expectations and resolve issues to ensure satisfaction and repeat business
• Represent QEII Taste in client meetings and high-profile engagements

Financial Management & Commercial Performance

• Hold financial accountability for the catering operation
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and financial performance reporting
• Identify and maximise revenue opportunities through upselling and innovative catering offers in partnership with the sales team
• Maintain strict control of labour and operational expenses
• Use data and insights to drive performance improvements and profitability

Operational Excellence & Efficiency

• Continuously evaluate and improve operational processes to enhance efficiency and service delivery
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, health & safety, and hygiene regulations
• Implement best practices in stock control, waste management, and sustainability
• Leverage technology and systems to optimise planning and execution

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, inspire, and develop a diverse catering team across front-of-house and back-of-house operations
• Build a high-performance culture focused on service excellence and accountability
• Support the team with training and development programmes
• Conduct performance reviews, succession planning, and talent development
• Foster strong communication, openness and collaboration across all teams

Quality Assurance & Guest Experience

• Ensure exceptional guest experiences across all events
• Monitor client and guest feedback and implement improvements
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness, presentation, and service consistency
• Conduct regular operational reviews, i and service audits

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with all health & safety and food safety legislation
• Promote a strong safety culture across all catering operations
• Maintain audit-ready standards and ensure team compliance with procedures
• Take personal responsibility for the safety of staff and guests

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Proven experience in a senior catering or hospitality operations role with financial accountability
• Experience within a large-scale events venue or conference centre
• Strong background in high-volume conference, events, or venue catering
• Demonstrable experience leading large, multi-functional teams
• Strong understanding of premium and VIP catering environments
• Excellent commercial acumen with a track record of driving revenue and controlling costs
• Strong leadership and people development skills
• Experience delivering operational improvements and change programmes
• Excellent stakeholder and client management skills
• Strong knowledge of food safety, health & safety, and compliance requirements
• High level of IT literacy and data-driven decision-making

Desirable

• Hospitality or management qualification (e.g. NVQ Level 3 or equivalent)
• Experience working within a contract catering or venue partnership model