Catering Operations Director
ICP Search has partnered with a leading global food service, hospitality and venue operations business to appoint a Catering Operations Director for a major sports and entertainment venue in Wales.
This is a senior leadership role responsible for the full food and beverage operation across general admission, hospitality, bars, concessions and events. The successful person will lead the mobilisation and ongoing delivery of a large-scale stadium catering operation, setting new standards across service, guest experience, operational efficiency and commercial performance.
The role would suit someone with significant experience in stadium, arena, live event or high-volume hospitality environments, particularly where wet-led operations, premium hospitality and large casual workforces are central to delivery.
The role
As Catering Operations Director, you will take full operational ownership of the venue’s food and beverage proposition.
You will lead the mobilisation programme, build and develop the operational team, establish systems and standards, and ensure the venue is fully prepared for launch and ongoing event delivery.
This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role requiring strong operational control, commercial judgement and the ability to influence senior stakeholders across the catering partner, venue team, suppliers, contractors and client stakeholders.
Key responsibilities
- Lead the full food and beverage operation across bars, concessions, general admission, hospitality, suites, lounges and event spaces.
- Own and deliver the mobilisation plan, ensuring kitchens, bars, retail units and premium spaces are ready for launch.
- Build, lead and develop a high-performing operational team.
- Establish clear operating procedures, service standards, compliance frameworks and event-day processes.
- Drive speed of service, queue management, stock flow, replenishment and throughput across high-attendance events.
- Manage large casual and agency workforces, including scheduling, briefing, training and performance standards.
- Own the operational P&L, with responsibility for revenue, labour, margin, stock control and profitability.
- Work closely with culinary, finance, HR, retail, sales, procurement, logistics and facilities teams.
- Ensure all activity meets legal, company and client standards across food safety, hygiene, licensing, allergens, HACCP and health and safety.
- Use data, guest feedback and market trends to improve the food and beverage offer.
- Lead innovation across stadium catering, including new concepts, technology, premiumisation and local supplier opportunities.
- Represent the business with credibility and authority in senior stakeholder, client and partner discussions.
What we’re looking for
- Extensive senior operational leadership experience in stadiums, arenas, major events or large-scale hospitality.
- Proven experience running high-volume wet-led operations, including bars, cellar management, rapid-pour systems and speed-of-service improvements.
- Strong understanding of general admission food operations, scalable menus and fan-focused catering.
- Experience managing premium hospitality environments, including lounges, suites and dining spaces.
- Track record of leading major event-day operations, ideally across attendances of 20,000 to 80,000+.
- Experience leading mobilisation projects, operational transitions or caterer changeovers.
- Strong P&L ownership and commercial acumen.
- Experience managing large casual, agency or seasonal workforces.
- Confident stakeholder management skills, including client, venue, supplier and contractor relationships.
- Strong knowledge of food safety, licensing, allergen management, HACCP and operational compliance.
- Comfortable using operational data, EPOS, stock insight and guest feedback to make live and strategic decisions.
- Calm, visible and decisive leadership style during high-pressure event delivery.
Why this could be a good move
This is an opportunity to play a central role in shaping the food and beverage operation at one of the UK’s major sports and entertainment venues.
The successful person will have genuine influence over mobilisation, team structure, operational standards, guest experience, innovation and long-term commercial performance. It is a strong fit for someone who enjoys building operations from the ground up, leading through change and setting high standards in a major event environment.