Senior Operations Manager

Job SummaryThe Senior Operations Manager leads the day-to-day operation of TGP International's food and beverage venues across a multi-site, multi-location portfolio, covering venues that TGP owns and operates and venues that TGP operates or manages on behalf of clients. Every site is run to the same operating principles, standards and disciplines regardless of ownership.The role works through the venue management teams. Site teams prepare the schedules, orders, forecasts, reports and plans; the Senior Operations Manager reviews, challenges and approves them, and is accountable for the result. Alongside this, the role is expected to grow revenue: to find, trial and roll out new income streams and improve trading performance across the portfolio.The role reports to the Operations Director, who owns portfolio strategy, commercial terms, client agreements and the overall P&L. The Senior Operations Manager delivers against the agreed plan, escalates commercial, contractual and client matters, and works within delegated authority. Regular travel between venue and project locations is required, with regional and international travel as needed.Duties/Responsibilities: Revenue Generation and Commercial CreativityDeliver the revenue targets for the assigned sites, covering sales, covers, average spend and revenue mixGenerate and bring forward commercial ideas: new formats, menus, dayparts, offers, events, partnerships and activations that create measurable incremental revenueIdentify new income streams beyond core trade, such as events and private hire, catering, delivery and off-premise and retail, and build the case for themReview and challenge site proposals on menu engineering and pricing, and recommend changes to the Operations Director for approvalRun a test-and-learn approach: pilot ideas at one site, measure them against a baseline, and roll out what works once approvedImprove capacity utilisation and yield across trading periods, targeting the weak dayparts and days as well as the strong onesTrack competitor activity and market trends, and translate them into practical commercial action Operations ManagementLead the day-to-day operation of every site in the portfolio, holding General Managers and Ops Managers accountable for performance, standards and compliance at their venue. The same operating principles apply to owned and client sites alikeEnsure each site operates to its approved budget, labour model, menu and pricing structure and marketing plan, and that the trading calendar is followedReview and approve the operating plans, labour schedules, ordering and stock counts prepared by the venue teams, and challenge anything that does not stand upRun the performance rhythm across the portfolio: weekly trading review by site, monthly business review, and input to the quarterly portfolio reviewIdentify underperforming sites early, agree a written recovery plan with named owners and deadlines, and follow it through to closureVerify consistent execution of recipes, portioning, cooking and service standards through scheduled and unannounced site checksOversee goods receiving, storage and stock control at every site, including expiry, spoilage and wastage controlsDeploy people and equipment across locations, and escalate resource conflicts that cannot be resolved at site level Financial ControlDeliver the agreed budget and P&L targets for the assigned sites, and know actual performance against budget for sales and costs at all timesReview the site budgets and forecasts prepared by venue teams, challenge the assumptions, and submit them to the Operations Director and FinanceControl food, beverage and labour cost against agreed targets, including stock, wastage, recipe costing and yieldReview labour schedules against forecast business levels to confirm that positions are covered and labour cost objectives are metEnsure cash and other receipts are handled and reconciled in line with company procedure at every siteApprove operating expenditure within delegated authority, and refer anything above that threshold to the Operations Director with a recommendationAct on variances promptly and report the corrective action taken Review and ReportingReview F&B operator and pod performance on a weekly and monthly basisReview the monthly P&L, audit and performance packs prepared by each site, and present the consolidated position to the Operations DirectorCommission monthly mystery shopper audits, quality audits and service period reports, and act on the findingsAgree a monthly action plan with each site covering corrective actions, revenue initiatives and areas of improvement, and track it to completionHold weekly operational meetings with site teams and stakeholders, and ensure decisions and actions are recorded Client and Site Stakeholder SupportAct as the day-to-day operational point of contact for venue owners, clients, landlords, partners and third-party F&B operatorsUnderstand the operational obligations set out in the agreement governing each site, including reporting requirements, standards and approval thresholds, and work within themReview and sign off the client operational reporting prepared by the venue teams before it is issued, to the required standard and timetableEscalate to the Operations Director, promptly and in writing, any client decision, approval or funding delay that puts the operating plan, a revenue target or a contractual obligation at riskIdentify additional services and scope changes on site, and refer them to the Operations Director for pricing and approval before any work is deliveredMonitor the performance of third-party F&B operators against their agreements and report shortfalls F&B Ops Consultancy SupportSupport the delivery of F&B consultancy projects in line with the client scope of work, project plan and timelineProvide operational input to feasibility work, including CAPEX and OPEX assumptions, and flag anything that is not operationally deliverableReview and contribute to the project outputs prepared by the team, which typically include gap analysis against brand standards and sequence of service, site visit and interview findings, mystery dining results, KPI assessment, SWOT and initial operational and revenue recommendationsSupport a structured handover between the consultancy team and the operating team wherever a project transitions into TGP management Standards, Brand and Guest ExperienceEnsure the TGP Operations Manual, policies and procedures are applied consistently at every site, and that manuals, checklists and audit records are kept currentDo not change any policy, standard or specification of operation without prior approval from the Operations Director. Where a change is approved, take full responsibility for its implementation and outcomePropose improvements and commercial innovations through the agreed approval route, so that new ideas are trialled without compromising brand or safety standardsEnsure guests receive responsive, friendly and courteous service to the standards set for all indoor and outdoor areas, and that food and beverage quality meets the SOP standardsOversee the guest feedback framework covering review platforms, social media and complaint resolution, and ensure responses are timely and consistentUse the guest database commercially to drive repeat visits, loyalty and direct bookings, and achieve the guest feedback score targets set annually for each siteReview KPIs, guest feedback and market trends on a rolling basis, recommend changes to the brand and cuisine mix, and keep a live pipeline of brands for future sitesMaintain crowd management and circulation standards across all pods and food hall areas Health & Safety, Compliance and MaintenanceEnsure the H&S manual and SOPs are followed by all F&B operators across every siteReview the monthly H&S audit reports produced with the Hygiene Manager, coordinate third-party audits, and close out the findingsEnsure every site holds and maintains the licences, registrations and approvals required to trade, and that internal audits are completed ahead of external inspectionEnsure compliance with food safety requirements, local labour law, workforce nationalisation requirements and working hours obligations at site levelMaintain the F&B operational risk register on behalf of the Operations Director, and ensure incidents are reported, investigated and closed out with lessons applied across all sitesEnsure deep cleaning schedules and preventive maintenance programmes are completed to the calendar, and that equipment is repaired within an acceptable budgetProtect asset condition and value across the portfolio, particularly kitchen equipment, and report deterioration promptly People LeadershipLead, coach and develop the venue management teams, and set clear objectives and performance expectationsMonitor and evaluate performance, provide guidance and support, and address underperformance promptlySupport the recruitment, selection, onboarding, training and development of team members with People and CultureProvide workforce and resourcing input for the portfolio, including nationalisation commitments and the mobilisation of new sitesCreate an environment in which the teams bring commercial ideas forward, and recognise those that deliver results Openings and Site PresenceProvide operational and commercial input to concept, design, kitchen and back of house planning before decisions are finalisedReview and sign off operational readiness for new openings and for sites transferring into TGP management, covering recruitment, training, licensing, systems, supply chain, opening stock and the soft opening planTake handover from the project team at the agreed readiness gate, with a documented snag and risk positionLead post-opening stabilisation, drive the venue to its trading targets, and complete a lessons learned review that informs the next openingTravel regularly between venue and project locations, maintain a published site visit schedule, and report against a consistent site visit formatExercise portfolio oversight in person on site, and not through reporting aloneRequirementsRequired Skills/Knowledge/Abilities:Commercial creativity: a track record of generating ideas that turned into revenueStrong revenue and margin instincts, including menu engineering, pricing, promotions and yield managementAbility to read, interrogate and challenge financial reports, including P&L, cost control and labour reportsStrong leadership ability, with the capacity to motivate and develop teams across multiple locationsExcellent communication and interpersonal skills with colleagues, employees, clients and external stakeholdersSound business acumen, problem solving and decision making under pressureUnderstanding of client agreements and operating obligations, and the judgement to know what must be escalatedMulti-site planning, prioritisation and time managementKnowledge of food and beverage products, brand cuisine and service standards, and restaurant marketing and promotionsEPOS and hospitality systems, together with productivity and financial softwareRecruitment, training, coaching, development and disciplinary ability, and working knowledge of labour law in the markets of operationAttention to detail, high standards, and the ability to work under pressure and travel frequentlyQualifications And Education RequirementsA Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification in hospitality management, culinary arts, business or a related field, or equivalent practical experienceFluent written and spoken English. A second language relevant to the market of operation is an advantageEligible to work in the market of appointment and able to travel regularly to venue and project locationsWork ExperienceA minimum of 7 years in the food services industry, including at least 3 years in a multi-site role such as Area Manager, Cluster Manager, Operations Manager or Senior Operations ManagerExperience overseeing several venues at once and delivering budgeted sales, cost and profit targets through site management teamsEvidence of delivering revenue growth: like-for-like sales improvement, spend per head growth, or new income streams trialled and rolled outExperience working with third-party owners, landlords or clients alongside directly operated venuesExperience of new openings and mobilisation, from pre-opening through to post-opening stabilisationExperience in a multi-unit food service company, food hall, or high-end casual dining environment is preferredCandidates at Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer or Chief Commercial Officer level are unlikely to be a fit for this role, which is a multi-site management position reporting to the Operations Director.