Head Of Operations

WHAT: Head of Operations

WHEN: Asap

REPORTS TO: COO

SALARY: £60k

Overview

KERB is a business that powers other businesses. We focus on the incubation and growth of innovative, independent food businesses, and operate Seven Dials Market - our busy central London food hall that sees 4,000 visitors eat and drink at our 18 food traders or two bars each day.

We are a food-obsessed and people-first company who believes that everyone with a bit of spark should have the opportunity to ignite it. Be it food entrepreneurs or team members, our mission is to create opportunity and joy through great food, from the KERB up.

Job Description

Building on the success of Seven Dials Market, we are now entering an exciting period of growth as we develop a pipeline of global food halls with our next projects in San Francisco (2023) and Berlin (2024), amongst others.

The role of Head of Operations is to work closely with the COO to deliver excellence in our current and future food halls. Taking a lead in our core pillar of Exceptional Hospitality, you’ll be supporting our on site teams with recruitment, service standards, H&S, building operations and ensuring KERB markets are great for the guest and great for the team too; whilst juggling the pre-opening planning of multiple food halls around the world.  

This is a job that has multiple global responsibilities so the ability to travel frequently (sometimes at short notice), and a current passport is necessary.

Person Specification

• Someone who has extensive experience in hospitality: restaurants, cocktail bars or food markets  

• An excellent communicator, who treats the janitor and the CEO just the same

• A curious mind who seeks to solve problems through understanding and learning

• An adaptable approach - this is a fast paced business so embrace change and expect there to be lane changes and switches to the route

• A positive and flexible attitude, with the ability to think laterally and a focus on problem solving

• A hands-on leadership style who can hit the ground running

• An openness to rolling up your sleeves and pitching in 

Roles & Responsibilities

Operations

To assume responsibility for the day to day operations of KERB food halls, including:

• Team management, clear resource planning processes and career progression

• Review of all current operational procedures, with a view to amend and create new processes where appropriate with site GMs

• Building & equipment maintenance - we have +25,000 people visiting Seven Dials Market each week and things break that need to be promptly fixed

• Experience in Planned Preventative Maintenance programs to keep the markets running  

• Ensure high quality of delivery across all KERB food halls, events and activations

• Working across departments to make sure that overarching operational procedures are being met

Future Projects

• Experience in delivering the operational aspect of new builds in the hospitality sector

• A detail oriented approach to budget and resource planning

• The ability to manage relationships with external stakeholders including architects, project managers, project partners, landlords, designers etc.

• Understanding of RIBA Plan of Work phases and development pipelines

Financial Management

• Reviewing current financial systems and implementing cost control strategies across the business to maximise departmental profit

• Identifying areas for turnover growth, and putting together coherent strategies to deliver them 

• Responsible for all financial admin for the ops department

• Managing annual financial targets and KPI’s 

• Attending regular finance focused meetings and contributing to profit and loss forecasts on a monthly / quarterly basis

Health & Safety/Compliance

• Review all H&S policies and delegate responsibilities 

• Ensure H&S systems are role appropriate, maintained and implemented to the highest standard 

• Review Ops teams H&S qualifications and training

• Knowledge of licensing laws to ensure compliance with the four licensing objectives.

Management of the site teams

• Provide supportive and effective leadership and management of staff within areas of responsibility

• 1-1 meetings - Ensuring these happen regularly (ideally weekly) with those directly managing 

• Appraisals - held annually to ensure everyone is working productively and healthily

• Ensuring each member of staff working in the team has a relevant job spec and at least annual objectives 

• Identifying and organising / delivering training with staff where required

• Setting target / KPI related bonus initiatives, distributing effectively amongst the team and monitoring/reporting on a weekly/monthly basis

• Tackling issues such as missed targets, behaviour and / or work within the team deemed unsatisfactory, informally and formally where appropriate

WHAT: Head of Operations

WHEN: Asap

REPORTS TO: COO

SALARY: £60k

Overview

KERB is a business that powers other businesses. We focus on the incubation and growth of innovative, independent food businesses, and operate Seven Dials Market - our busy central London food hall that sees 4,000 visitors eat and drink at our 18 food traders or two bars each day.

We are a food-obsessed and people-first company who believes that everyone with a bit of spark should have the opportunity to ignite it. Be it food entrepreneurs or team members, our mission is to create opportunity and joy through great food, from the KERB up.

Job Description

Building on the success of Seven Dials Market, we are now entering an exciting period of growth as we develop a pipeline of global food halls with our next projects in San Francisco (2023) and Berlin (2024), amongst others.

The role of Head of Operations is to work closely with the COO to deliver excellence in our current and future food halls. Taking a lead in our core pillar of Exceptional Hospitality, you’ll be supporting our on site teams with recruitment, service standards, H&S, building operations and ensuring KERB markets are great for the guest and great for the team too; whilst juggling the pre-opening planning of multiple food halls around the world.  

This is a job that has multiple global responsibilities so the ability to travel frequently (sometimes at short notice), and a current passport is necessary.

Person Specification

• Someone who has extensive experience in hospitality: restaurants, cocktail bars or food markets  

• An excellent communicator, who treats the janitor and the CEO just the same

• A curious mind who seeks to solve problems through understanding and learning

• An adaptable approach - this is a fast paced business so embrace change and expect there to be lane changes and switches to the route

• A positive and flexible attitude, with the ability to think laterally and a focus on problem solving

• A hands-on leadership style who can hit the ground running

• An openness to rolling up your sleeves and pitching in 

Roles & Responsibilities

Operations

To assume responsibility for the day to day operations of KERB food halls, including:

• Team management, clear resource planning processes and career progression

• Review of all current operational procedures, with a view to amend and create new processes where appropriate with site GMs

• Building & equipment maintenance - we have +25,000 people visiting Seven Dials Market each week and things break that need to be promptly fixed

• Experience in Planned Preventative Maintenance programs to keep the markets running  

• Ensure high quality of delivery across all KERB food halls, events and activations

• Working across departments to make sure that overarching operational procedures are being met

Future Projects

• Experience in delivering the operational aspect of new builds in the hospitality sector

• A detail oriented approach to budget and resource planning

• The ability to manage relationships with external stakeholders including architects, project managers, project partners, landlords, designers etc.

• Understanding of RIBA Plan of Work phases and development pipelines

Financial Management

• Reviewing current financial systems and implementing cost control strategies across the business to maximise departmental profit

• Identifying areas for turnover growth, and putting together coherent strategies to deliver them 

• Responsible for all financial admin for the ops department

• Managing annual financial targets and KPI’s 

• Attending regular finance focused meetings and contributing to profit and loss forecasts on a monthly / quarterly basis

Health & Safety/Compliance

• Review all H&S policies and delegate responsibilities 

• Ensure H&S systems are role appropriate, maintained and implemented to the highest standard 

• Review Ops teams H&S qualifications and training

• Knowledge of licensing laws to ensure compliance with the four licensing objectives.

Management of the site teams

• Provide supportive and effective leadership and management of staff within areas of responsibility

• 1-1 meetings - Ensuring these happen regularly (ideally weekly) with those directly managing 

• Appraisals - held annually to ensure everyone is working productively and healthily

• Ensuring each member of staff working in the team has a relevant job spec and at least annual objectives 

• Identifying and organising / delivering training with staff where required

• Setting target / KPI related bonus initiatives, distributing effectively amongst the team and monitoring/reporting on a weekly/monthly basis

• Tackling issues such as missed targets, behaviour and / or work within the team deemed unsatisfactory, informally and formally where appropriate