Head of Culinary Operations

Join Our Team as Head of Culinary Operations - Government Services

Mobile worker with car and Competitive salary

Are you a hands on culinary visionary with a passion for leadership and innovation? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, high-impact environment where no two days are the same? Compass Group is seeking a Head of Culinary Operations in ESS Government Services to drive excellence, creativity, and sustainability across our food service delivery.

About Us:
At Compass Group, we don’t just serve food—we create experiences. As part of ESS and the wider Compass One team, we deliver authentic, fresh, and innovative culinary solutions to government clients, meeting the highest standards of quality, compliance, and sustainability.

What You’ll Do:
As our Head of Culinary Operations, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping and implementing our food service delivery model. You’ll lead with expertise and inspiration, ensuring our menus are aligned with market trends, operational goals, and the unique needs of our clients. Key responsibilities include:

• Driving Excellence: Optimise food service models to overcome challenges like supply chain disruptions and labour shortages.
• Leading Innovation: Develop and deliver seasonal, cost-effective, and compliant food offers, ensuring quality and consistency.
• Collaborating for Impact: Work closely with senior leadership, suppliers, and site teams to exceed expectations.
• Inspiring Teams: Support and develop chefs, promote a culture of culinary passion, and ensure a consistent standard of excellence across sites.
• Delivering on Results: Monitor financial performance, control costs, and implement sustainable food practices to deliver measurable success.
• Focusing on Safety Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of allergens, food safety and hygiene, health and safety, COSHH, HACCP, RIDDOR and relevant audits.

What We’re Looking For:

• Passion in a food operations role with a can do attitude.
• Exceptional culinary skills and a passion for innovation.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and people development abilities always leading by example.
• A commercial mindset with the ability to drive change and deliver results.
• In-depth knowledge of food safety, allergens, and industry compliance standards.
• A proactive, self-starting individual with the ability to inspire others.

Why Join Us?

At Compass Group, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact in a role that combines creativity, leadership, and strategy. We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• A dynamic and supportive team environment.
• The chance to work on exciting projects that shape the future of food service in government settings.
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities.

Ready to Lead the Way?
If you’re passionate about culinary excellence and want to take your career to the next level, we want to hear from you. Apply today to join a team where your skills and creativity will be celebrated!