Regional Catering Manager

Who we are

Our visitor centres are set in some of the most breath-taking locations across Wales, welcome over 1 million guests each year. From water sports and mountain biking to peaceful walks and scenic café views, our centres offer memorable experiences that connect people with nature — and great food plays a key part in that journey.

 
Our people are at the heart of everything we do — and we believe that looking after them starts with the basics: good food, comfortable spaces, and a sense of belonging.

Across our two South East Offices, we’re proud to provide well-managed staff and team café areas that offer more than just meals. These spaces are designed to be welcoming, relaxing, and energising — places where colleagues can take a break, connect with one another, and recharge during their day.

We understand that a well-fed team is a happy team. That’s why we focus on offering nutritious, tasty, and affordable food options that cater to a variety of needs. Whether it’s a quick bite between shifts or a sit-down meal with teammates, our catering provision plays a vital role in supporting wellbeing, morale, and productivity.

Providing for our workforce isn’t just about facilities — it’s about creating a culture of care. Through our catering teams and café spaces, we aim to foster a positive working environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

Summary

We’re looking for a hands-on Regional Catering Manager to lead and support our catering teams across all South East sites. This is not a desk-based role — you’ll be actively involved in kitchen operations, working alongside your teams to deliver consistently high standards of food and service. You’ll set the tone, lead by example, and ensure our cafés/restaurants are welcoming, well-run, and aligned with our values.

 
In addition to overseeing our visitor-facing catering outlets, you’ll also be responsible for our staff and team café areas, ensuring they remain comfortable, well-managed spaces that support our wider workforce.

This role is all about people — leading teams, developing talent, and creating a positive, collaborative culture. You’ll bring energy, organisation, and a passion for food and hospitality, helping us deliver memorable experiences for both visitors and colleagues alike.

We’re not looking for fine-dining chefs — we’re building a team of food lovers who care about quality, consistency, and community. If you’ve got experience managing catering operations, working in kitchens, and leading teams, we’d love to hear from you.
 
 

What you’ll be responsible for

1. Oversee all aspects of food preparation, service, and delivery in a high-volume, seasonal catering environment to ensure exceptional quality.  
2. Lead and manage a team of permanent and seasonal staff, driving performance, customer service, and achievement of KPIs.  
3. Develop and cost menus, manage food orders, and monitor theoretical vs. actual GP to stay within budget.  
4. Ensure compliance with food hygiene and safety standards, including maintaining Safer Food Better Business (SFBB) and HACCP documentation.  
5. Support staff development through 1:1s, training plans, succession planning, and food hygiene accreditation (Levels 1–3).  
6. Enhance the food and beverage offering using fresh, local produce and aligning with customer expectations and market trends.  
7. Drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by delivering high-quality service and becoming a regional leader in food and hospitality.  
8. Manage operational controls, including tills, cash reconciliation, stock management, staffing levels, and cost controls.  
9. Contribute to marketing and events planning, supporting the development of a customer-focused product and annual events programme.  
10. Act as an Operations Coordinator, ensuring the safe and efficient running of the site as part of a rota.  

Who you’ll work with

Internal

•    Head of Visitor Attraction Operations

•    Marketing and Communications

•    H&S

•    HR & finance team

•    Facilities management team

•    Any DCWW group using the VC as a meeting venue

External

•    Local community & visitors

•    Volunteers and volunteer groups

•    Welsh Government, LAs, and other regulatory bodies.

•    Visit Wales, regional tourism networks and businesses

•    Planning authorities

•    Event organisers

•    Tenants and licensees

•    Contractors

•    Media 

About you

1. Demonstrable experience in high volume Catering / Restaurant operation using fresh produce
2. Practical Health & Safety experience in a high volume; Cafe/Restaurant environment
3. Excellent customer service skills, from a customer focused background with the ability to communicate at all levels
4. Knowledge of regulatory requirements associated with food hygiene licensing law, Premises licence, FSA, , EHO, trading standards
5. Proven track record of managing developing and maintaining a team to meet customer and business needs 
6. Experience in representing an organisation at senior level
7. Proven track record of growing income across a food and beverage operation
8. Demonstrable experience of food service & food production in a high volume establishment to a set standard, exceeding expectations and customer perception
9. Ability to communicate effectively in English
10. Proficient IT skills – MS Word, Excel, Outlook

Good to know

• Site based role 
• You will be contracted to work weekends & bank holidays over a 7 day rota, working 5 days out of 7

For any further information regarding the role please contact James Griffith, Attraction Manager - james.griffith@dwrcymru.com 

Benefits

We know that if our employees are happy, our customers are happy. 

• Beautiful location and surroundings
• Supportive team and environment
• 25 Days annual leave plus public holidays (pro rata)
• Childcare voucher Scheme
• Pension
• Free car parking
• Staff discounts (restaurants, water sports and bike hire)