General Manager

Lead a Critical Service Within One of the UK’s Largest Prisons

Lead with Purpose. Deliver Excellence. Make a Difference.

Are you an experienced operational leader with a background in contract catering, facilities management or large-scale service delivery?

Aramark UK is seeking an exceptional General Manager to lead our catering operation at HMP Birmingham, one of the UK’s largest Category B prisons. This is a highly visible leadership role with overall responsibility for the safe, compliant, and effective delivery of prisoner feeding, staff catering, retail and visitor catering services across a complex custodial environment.

Reporting to the Regional Manager, you will act as the senior Aramark representative on site, leading a team of approximately 16 colleagues and working in close partnership with HMPPS, Ministry of Justice stakeholders and prison leadership teams.

This is a unique opportunity for a commercially minded leader who is passionate about operational excellence, people development, client engagement and creating meaningful social impact through rehabilitation and vocational training opportunities.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary of £45,000 – £50,000 DOE
• Generous annual leave allowance increasing with service
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
• Company pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Blue Light Card membership
• Employee Benefits Platform including:
• Health cash plans
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Online GP service
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Financial wellbeing support
• Career development opportunities within Aramark UK’s Justice & Immigration sector

The Opportunity

As General Manager, you will have full accountability for the day-to-day and strategic management of the HMP Birmingham catering contract. You will lead a high-performing team responsible for delivering services to a large prisoner population alongside staff, contractors, and visitors within a challenging and rewarding operational environment.

You will be responsible for:

• Overall contract performance and service delivery.
• Financial management, budget control, and P&L accountability.
• Food safety, health & safety, and statutory compliance.
• Client relationship management and stakeholder engagement.
• People management, succession planning, and team development.
• Delivery of contractual KPIs and service standards.
• Continuous improvement initiatives and operational efficiencies.
• Supporting rehabilitation through prisoner training and employment opportunities within the catering operation.

What you will be doing

• Leading the overall catering operation across HMP Birmingham.
• Ensuring all prisoner feeding, staff catering and retail services operate safely, efficiently and in accordance with contractual requirements.
• Working closely with the Kitchen Manager and Head Chef to manage production planning, stock control, waste reduction, and menu compliance.
• Driving service improvements and innovation across all catering operations.Maintaining operational resilience and contingency planning within a live custodial environment.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Acting as the primary point of contact for HMP Birmingham and Ministry of Justice stakeholders.
• Building strong partnerships with prison management teams and key decision-makers.
• Leading quarterly business reviews and client engagement meetings.
• Managing customer expectations whilst ensuring contractual compliance and service excellence.
• Managing site budgets and financial performance.
• Monitoring labour costs, food costs, and operational expenditure.
• Producing forecasts, financial reports, and business plans.
• Identifying opportunities to improve efficiencies whilst maintaining service quality.
• Leading, coaching and developing a team of managers, supervisors, and catering colleagues.
• Creating a positive, inclusive, and high-performance culture.
• Managing recruitment, succession planning, and employee development.
• Supporting investigations, grievance processes and performance management when required.
• Ensuring all colleagues receive appropriate training and development opportunities.

Compliance & Governance

Ensuring full compliance with:

• HACCP and Food Safety legislation
• Health & Safety legislation
• HMPPS and Ministry of Justice requirements
• Aramark policies and procedures
• Contract specifications and service level agreements
• Leading audits and compliance reviews.
• Maintaining exceptional standards of governance and record keeping.

What we are looking for:

We are looking for an experienced operational leader who can confidently manage a large, complex contract and build trusted relationships at all levels.

• Significant experience managing large catering, hospitality, facilities management, or service contracts.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen with budget management experience.
• Proven leadership experience managing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience working within a highly regulated environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and client relationship skills.
• Strong organisational, planning, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to analyse performance data and translate insights into action.
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable working within a fast-paced operational environment.
• Experience working within custodial, justice, healthcare, education, defence, or other public sector environments.
• Level 4 Food Safety qualification.
• City & Guilds 706/1 & 706/2, NVQ Level 2 Professional Cookery or equivalent catering qualification.
• Knowledge of contract catering and public sector procurement environments.

Additional Requirements

• Be eligible to work in the UK.
• Successfully complete enhanced prison security clearance and Ministry of Justice vetting.
• Comply with all information security, safeguarding, and operational security requirements.
• Always maintain the highest standards of professional conduct and integrity.

Join Aramark UK

At Aramark UK, we believe that everyone deserves a workplace where they feel valued, respected and empowered to achieve their full potential.

As a Disability Confident and Forces Friendly employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

This is more than just a management role—it’s an opportunity to lead a critical public service, influence positive outcomes, develop exceptional teams, and make a genuine difference every day.

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