General Manager

Head of Operations / General Manager

Location: London

Salary: £70,000–£85,000 depending on experience

Start date: Ideally during November 2026, with flexibility for the right candidate.

The opportunity

Sanderson King is recruiting a Head of Operations / General Manager for an entrepreneurial business operating at the intersection of retail, hospitality and experiences.

The concept brings together products, people and partnerships to create an engaging destination for customers. We are looking for a practical, commercially focused leader who can translate that vision into a well-run, consistently excellent operation.

You will take ownership of day-to-day performance, develop the team and introduce the structure needed to support the business as it evolves.

This role will suit someone who enjoys variety, takes initiative and is equally comfortable reviewing commercial performance, resolving an operational issue or supporting the team during a busy service.

The role

Your remit will combine operational leadership, commercial performance, people management and customer experience.

Operational leadership

• Lead daily operations across the venue, coordinating retail, hospitality and event activity.
• Maintain consistently high standards of presentation, service and operational readiness.
• Establish clear procedures, responsibilities and communication routines.
• Oversee staffing, rotas, stock processes, maintenance and supplier coordination.
• Resolve operational issues promptly and address their underlying causes.

Commercial performance

• Manage performance against agreed sales, margin, labour and operating cost targets.
• Review trading results and turn insights into practical actions.
• Identify opportunities to improve conversion, customer spend, repeat visits and operational efficiency.
• Work with the leadership team on budgets, forecasts and trading priorities.
• Balance careful cost management with investment in service and customer experience.

People and culture

• Recruit, coach and develop a capable, customer-focused team.
• Set clear expectations and build accountability through regular feedback.
• Create a positive working environment with strong communication across the operation.
• Ensure colleagues have the training and support to perform confidently.
• Lead visibly, including during busy trading periods and key events.

Customer experience and partnerships

• Deliver a welcoming, engaging and consistent customer experience.
• Build productive relationships with participating brands, partners and suppliers.
• Coordinate the operational delivery of events, launches and activations.
• Work closely with marketing colleagues to ensure campaigns are supported effectively on site.
• Use customer and partner feedback to improve the offer and its delivery.

Standards and business development

• Maintain appropriate health and safety, food safety and licensing standards across relevant activities.
• Ensure operational records, training and compliance processes are kept up to date.
• Introduce scalable systems and ways of working.
• Support future projects and growth initiatives with practical operational planning.

About you

You will bring experience leading a customer-facing operation, with evidence of improving both commercial results and service standards.

Your background could include hospitality, experiential retail, food halls, leisure, lifestyle venues or another environment combining several revenue streams.

We are particularly interested in people who offer:

• Experience as a General Manager, Head of Operations, Operations Manager or comparable operational leader.
• Strong commercial judgement, including budget management and an understanding of profit and loss.
• A track record of building and developing effective teams.
• Confidence managing suppliers, external partners and competing priorities.
• The ability to introduce structure while remaining flexible and responsive.
• A practical approach to problem-solving and a willingness to get involved.
• High standards, sound judgement and clear communication.
• Comfort working in an entrepreneurial business where priorities can evolve.

Experience spanning both retail and hospitality would be valuable, although we welcome applicants with strong transferable experience from either sector.

Why join?

This is an opportunity to take meaningful ownership of a distinctive consumer business, influence how it operates and see the direct impact of your decisions.

You will have scope to strengthen the team, improve performance and help shape the next stage of the business.

Timing and application

The preferred start date is during November 2026 . Candidates available immediately or on a short notice period are particularly encouraged to apply, although there is flexibility for the right person.

To express your interest or arrange a confidential conversation, please send your CV to [email protected] , quoting Head of Operations / General Manager , and include your salary requirement & notice period or earliest available start date.

Further information about the client will be shared during the confidential recruitment process.

Sanderson King welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds.