General Manager

Catering General Manager
Contract Catering – Independent Education Sector
Dorset, South West England
Salary: £50,000 + Excellent Benefits

About the Role
We are delighted to partner with the UK’s leading contract catering provider to recruit a dynamic Catering General Manager for a prestigious independent boarding school in Dorset. Known for its academic excellence and strong focus on student wellbeing, the school places exceptional food and service at the heart of its community.

This is a high-profile leadership role, managing all aspects of the catering operation—including day-to-day school dining services, hospitality, and high-end commercial events—supported by a dedicated team of 40. With annual revenues exceeding £2 / 2.5 million, the position demands a balance of operational excellence and strategic financial oversight.

We are looking for a commercially astute and service-oriented leader, ideally someone with a background in hotels, hospitality, or contract catering. A hotel management professional would bring the perfect blend of premium service standards, event management expertise, and operational efficiency to drive both quality and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and inspire the catering team to deliver exceptional service and hospitality standards.
Manage a multi-million-pound budget with full P&L accountability, ensuring strong financial performance.
Provide strategic direction across the operations and client engagement, aligned with the school’s values & expectations.
Develop, support, and coach the team, fostering a culture of quality, ownership, and customer focus.
Build strong relationships with school stakeholders.
Drive innovation, continuous improvement, and cost control to optimise commercial performance.

About You

Proven experience in a senior catering, hospitality, or hotel leadership role—ideally within a high-volume, high-quality environment.
Experience managing large teams and seven-figure budgets with a strong commercial track record.
Confident, strategic leader with excellent operational and financial acumen.
Inspirational people manager with a collaborative and hands-on approach.
Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills with clients and internal teams.
Well-organised, proactive, and adaptable—able to thrive in a high-expectation environment.