Operations Manager – South Coast, Thames Valley & South East Home Counties
Salary from £60,000 per annum, plus £8,500 car allowance and uncapped operations bonus
Great pubs. Strong partnerships. An area you can make your own.
Great community pubs don’t happen by chance. They take brilliant people, strong local relationships and leaders who can spot an opportunity and turn it into something that lasts.
We’re looking for an Operations Manager to help 23 partnership pubs across the South Coast, Thames Valley & South East Home Counties thrive. Someone who combines commercial confidence with a genuine passion for people, stays close to what’s happening in their pubs and understands what makes each local business different.
Reporting to the Operations Director, you’ll be part of our divisional leadership team, connecting our wider plans with the everyday decisions that make a difference for our Partners, their teams and our guests.
What you’ll make happen
You’ll take ownership of your area’s commercial and operational performance, working alongside our Self-Employed Partners to build stronger, more successful pub businesses. This is a hands-on, visible role: spending time in pubs, understanding local opportunities and turning conversations into clear actions.
Drive sustainable sales and profit growth.
Own your area’s P&L, using trading insight and a detailed understanding of sales, margin and costs to identify opportunities, tackle risks early and deliver lasting improvement.
Build strong, trusted partnerships.
Coach and support our Self-Employed Partners, balancing encouragement with constructive challenge. Through regular pub visits and business development reviews, you’ll agree priorities, follow through on commitments and help each Partner realise their pub’s potential.
Make great guest experiences an everyday habit.
Stay close to guests, teams and the trading floor. Use feedback to improve service, food and drink standards, and help Partners create the moments that keep people coming back.
Keep standards high and pubs safe.
Champion consistent operational standards and ensure pubs meet their safety, food safety, licensing and other compliance responsibilities, including the Pubs Code where applicable. You’ll address issues promptly and handle incidents with calm, sound judgement.
Build the talent pipeline for your area.
Work with Recruitment and wider support teams to attract, recruit and onboard great Partners. Support development and succession planning so your area has the talent it needs for the future.
Turn plans and investment into results.
Help commercial campaigns, new products and ways of working land effectively in every pub. Support investment projects and format changes, keeping a clear focus on successful reopenings and sustained trading growth.
Keep it local and win together.
Shape your approach around each pub’s community and trading opportunities. Work closely with fellow Operations Managers and teams across Marketing, Finance, Recruitment, HR and beyond, sharing local insight and helping the wider division succeed.
What you’ll bring to the table
You’ll bring multi-site leadership experience from pubs, hospitality, restaurants, leisure or retail, alongside a genuine enthusiasm for community pubs and the people who make them.
We’re looking for:
- Commercial credibility: direct P&L accountability and a track record of growing sales and profit across a comparable area.
- People-first leadership: the ability to coach, build confidence and develop talent, while setting clear expectations and having honest conversations when needed.
- Strong relationship skills: confidence working with independent business owners, building trust and influencing through insight, support and constructive challenge.
- Operational know-how: an eye for great standards, a guest-first approach and the discipline to follow through.
- Confidence with data: the ability to turn financial, guest and operational insight into practical action.
- Experience delivering change: a track record of helping new initiatives, investment or ways of working succeed at site level.
- Understanding of different operating models: experience of managed, partnership or franchise businesses, with knowledge of the Pubs Code framework relevant to partnership operations.
- Pace and good judgement: the ability to prioritise across a busy area, respond calmly to challenges and focus your time where it will make the greatest difference.
You’ll need to be able to travel regularly across the South Coast area. Living within easy reach of your pubs and being able to drive will help you stay connected with your Partners while supporting a sustainable work–life balance.
What you’ll get from us
Alongside a salary from £60,000, a £8,500 car allowance, 25 days’ holiday and an uncapped operations bonus aligned to individual and regional performance, you’ll have access to:
- Employer funded Private Medical Insurance
- Training and induction from our NITA award training team
- Apprenticeship programmes – offering development at any stage of your career
- Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave
- 30% off in Marston’s pubs and Marston’s Inns accommodation
- Marston’s Cheers Reward & Recognition Platform (earn points to spend for living and breathing our values and behaviours and access high street retailer discounts)
- Save as you earn scheme
- Employee assistance programme, to support your well-being including confidential 24/7 helpline
- Pension scheme with additional Life Assurance and Group Income Protection cover included
- Health Screening Discounts
- Long Service Awards
- Buy and sell additional leave (only applicable to PSC roles currently)
- Gym Discounts
- 24-hour GP helpline
- Mortgage Advice and support
- Healthcare Cash Plan
Come as you are. Personality counts for more than anything else here. No judgement on where you’ve come from, or your story to date, just a need for the right attitude and an ambition that matches ours. We’ll accept you and celebrate you for being you.
We can’t wait to see what we can make happen together. #MarstonsWherePeopleMakePubs
Find out more about our current company strategy HERE