Director of Operations

Job content

Robert Walters is excited to be partnered with Chester Zoo in their search for a Director of Operations to join their team. As the Director of Operations, your primary responsibility is to lead and oversee the efficient and effective delivery of Commercial Operations in support of all zoo visitor activity. In this pivotal role, you will directly manage and guide two crucial Heads of Departments in Operations and Commercial Operations (Food & Beverage/Retail). By providing expert leadership to these departments, you will enable the Commercial Director to focus on driving commercial growth at a strategic level for both core existing and new income opportunities. Visitor Operations: Cleaning and waste management, security, car parking, traffic management, visitor programme event delivery, visitor activities, ride operations and visitor feedback. Food & Beverage: Day visitor dining - restaurant, coffee shop, kiosk, and pop-up operations, venue sales, venue event delivery, procurement, and product development, food safety. Retail: Day visitor retailing shops, activity retailing, online retailing, procurement, and product development. Through your leadership and commercial acumen, you will work as part of the Senior Leadership Team to steer the zoo towards a thriving and successful future. Working alongside the Operational board and under the direction of the Commercial Director, you will help develop and implement the operational strategy that will help achieve the targets set out in the 10-year business plan, growing the zoos income in order to support the delivery of the zoos conservation master plan and strategic development plan and ultimately the zoos mission. Principal Accountabilities Lead, manage, and develop the Commercial Operations to deliver an efficient, safe, secure, effective, quality and profitable visitor operation to the zoo. This includes overseeing various areas such as visitor operations, food and beverage services, and retail operations. Collaborate with senior leadership to establish and achieve strategic objectives, drive operational excellence, and continuously improve processes and standards. Fulfil senior-level leadership responsibilities, including strategic planning, resource allocation, performance management, and effective communication across all levels. Develop and manage budgets, drive revenue growth, implement cost-saving measures, and ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, policies, and legal requirements, such as Health and Safety, food safety management and premises licensing. Collaborate closely with the Commercial Director and the Director of Marketing to serve as the visitor operations lead for the organisation, responsible for delivering targeted visitor numbers and achieving operating surplus. Proactively manage commercial ventures, align them with the Strategic Development Plan, Conservation Master Plan, and the 10-year Business Plan, and drive revenue generation and business growth. Provide leadership in the development and delivery of departmental strategies focused on income growth, enhancing visitor experience, optimising visitor services (such as F&B, retail, and activities), ensuring capable security and incident management, leading accessibility and sustainability initiatives, and implementing effective procurement processes. Ensure alignment of these strategies with the overall business plan, conservation master plan, and strategic development plan. Contribute to the organisation’s general operations by providing strategic insights, expertise, and guidance. Collaborate with the Executive Team and Trustees on commercial and operational matters, actively participating in budget setting, impact assessment, and decision-making processes. Support the organisation’s commitment to continuous improvement and innovation. Establish and execute robust people development and succession planning strategies to foster a culture of continuous learning, talent development, and effective leadership. Identify high-potential employees, create comprehensive succession plans for key positions, design and implement learning and development programs, drive employee engagement and retention initiatives, and champion the organization’s core values and leadership principles. Assume responsibility for duty director/duty management and crisis management, serving as an effective leader during operational issues and emergencies. Coordinate resources, make critical decisions, and ensure the safety, well-being, and security of employees, customers, animals, and the organization’s assets. Develop and implement crisis management plans, conduct risk assessments, and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to mitigate and respond to crises effectively. Stay informed about industry best practices and emerging trends in crisis management to continually enhance preparedness and response capabilities. Undertake any additional duties as determined by the Commercial Director, leveraging senior-level expertise and experience to contribute to the organisation’s overall success and growth. Knowledge, Skills & Experience The ideal candidate for the Director of Operations role should possess the following qualifications and skills: Extensive experience of working at senior level Director level and above, with significant experience of creating and delivering strategy Advanced leadership skills with substantial experience of managing large departments, team development, people management, able to influence boards and senior members of staff Strong commercial acumen with substantial experience of setting and overseeing budgets, meeting KPIs and targets, successfully managing and delivering projects and experience of analysing data Ability to undertake a strategic approach to resolving situations and making pragmatic business decisions Highly developed knowledge of health, safety and compliance within a large visitor operation environment Highly developed knowledge of security legislation and protocols with developed ability to manage crisis and work under pressure Highly developed ability to represent and be ambassador for the organisation with substantial experience of managing internal and external communications If this exciting opportunity is of interest to you, please contact Charlotte Clooney. All third-party applications are managed by Robert Walters. Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates.