About Plymouth Active Leisure
Plymouth Active Leisure is committed to delivering high-quality food and beverage services that enhance the experience of everyone who visits our venues. Operating across multiple leisure sites, we pride ourselves on providing welcoming hospitality, excellent customer service and high standards of food quality. As an organisation driven by community values, we believe great food and hospitality play an important role in creating enjoyable, memorable experiences for our customers.
Job Description
Plymouth Active Leisure is seeking an experienced and passionate Food & Beverage Operations Manager to lead and develop our food and beverage offer across multiple leisure centres. This is a hands-on operational leadership role requiring a strong professional chef background, commercial awareness, and the ability to deliver consistently high standards across all aspects of food production, customer service, and compliance.
The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of all food and beverage outlets, developing innovative and commercially viable menus, maintaining the highest standards of food hygiene and health & safety, and creating an exceptional guest experience that complements our leisure facilities..
Key Accountabilities
Food & Beverage Operations:
- Lead the operational management of all food and beverage outlets across Plymouth Active Leisure sites.
- Ensure consistent delivery of high-quality food, beverages, and customer service standards across all locations.
- Develop and implement operational procedures to improve efficiency, quality, and profitability.
- Monitor sales performance, margins, labour costs, and stock control to maximise commercial performance.
- Identify opportunities to grow food and beverage income through promotions, seasonal offers, events, and new initiatives.
- Work collaboratively with Centre Managers to ensure food and beverage operations support the wider guest experience.
Menu Development & Culinary Leadership:
- Design, develop, and regularly review menus to ensure they are appealing, nutritious, commercially viable, and aligned with customer demand.
- Introduce seasonal menus and innovative products while maintaining consistency across multiple sites.
- Standardise recipes, portion control, presentation, and production methods.
- Source quality ingredients while achieving value for money and supporting sustainable procurement where possible.
- Monitor food trends and guest feedback to continuously improve the offer
Food Safety, Health & Safety & Compliance:
- Act as the lead for food hygiene and kitchen compliance across all sites.
- Ensure full compliance with Food Safety legislation, HACCP principles, allergen management, and company policies.
- Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness, food storage, and kitchen organisation.
- Lead kitchen health and safety practices, ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation, including COSHH, manual handling, fire safety, equipment safety, and risk assessments.
- Conduct regular audits and inspections, implementing corrective actions where required.
- Ensure all food safety documentation is accurately completed and maintained
Leadership & People Management:
- Recruit, train, develop, and support food and beverage teams across multiple locations.
- Coach managers and supervisors to maintain high operational standards.
- Conduct regular performance reviews and identify training and development needs.
- Promote a positive, inclusive, and guest-focused culture.
- Ensure staffing levels are appropriate to meet operational demand while controlling labour costs.
Guest Experience:
- Champion outstanding guest service across all food and beverage operations.
- Respond promptly and professionally to guest feedback and complaints.
- Develop food and beverage offers that enhance the overall leisure experience.
- Monitor guest satisfaction and implement continuous improvements
Financial & Commercial Management:
- Prepare and manage food and beverage budgets.
- Monitor financial performance, including GP%, labour costs, wastage, and stock variance.
- Manage supplier relationships and negotiate best value where appropriate.
- Produce regular reports on operational performance and recommend improvements
Essential:
Qualifications & Experience:
- Professional Chef qualification (NVQ Level 3 or equivalent).
- Level 3 Food Safety qualification.
- HACCP knowledge and implementation.
- Health & Safety qualification or relevant experience.
- Full UK driving licence.
- Commercial chef background with leadership experience.
- Managing multi-site or large-scale hospitality operations.
- Menu development, cost control and budgeting.
- Food safety, HACCP and health & safety knowledge.
- Stock management, purchasing and supplier liaison.
- Team leadership and excellent customer service.
Desirable:
Qualifications & Experience:
- IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent.
- Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety.
- Hospitality management qualification.
- Experience in leisure, sports or visitor attractions.
- First Aid qualification.
Skills and Competencies:
- Strong leadership and organisational skills.
- Commercial awareness and financial understanding.
- Excellent communication and relationship building.
- Problem-solving and decision-making.
- Attention to detail and ability to work under pressure.
- Passion for food, hospitality and customer service.
What We Offer:
- Opportunity to shape the food and beverage offer across multiple sites.
- Autonomous leadership role.
- Professional development and career progression.
- Supportive working environment.
- Competitive salary and benefits.
Key Performance Indicators:
- Food hygiene and health & safety compliance.
- Guest satisfaction and customer feedback.
Apply for the job
If this sounds like you, we would love you to get in touch. Email your CV and covering letter explaining why you would be great for this role to:
Stephanie.lewis@plymouthactive.co.uk
Closing Date:
Friday 24th July 2026