Aramark
General Manager
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General Manager – HMP Birmingham
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?
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Competitive salary of £45,000 - £50,000 DOE
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Generous annual leave allowance increasing with service
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Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
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Company pension scheme
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Life assurance
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Blue Light Card membership
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Employee Benefits Platform including:
- Retail discounts
- Health cash plans
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Online GP service
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Financial wellbeing support
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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.
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What you will be doing
Operational Leadership
- 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.
Financial Accountability
- 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.
People Leadership
- 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.
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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.
Essential
- 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.
Desirable
- 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
Due to the nature of this environment, successful applicants must:
- 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.
Apply now and become part of a team that delivers excellence where it matters most.
Job Reference: 665790.
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