Catering Lead

Job Introduction

Sodexo is the 19th largest employer worldwide, operating in 80 countries and employing 427,000 employees worldwide, we are the leader in Quality of Life services. Sodexo is not only a growth company; it is also a people-oriented company that places quality of life of its 100 million consumers at the centre of its mission. Join our teams and experience their passion and the unique Sodexo spirit!

Based within a global corporate HQ office, you will be a positive people manager to a team of around 28, with values, inspired leadership and the commitment to delivering an exceptional level of service.

Role Responsibility

Catering Operations

• Continually monitor all food standards, to ensure that they are to the required client and Sodexo expectation using “Fresh Food from Scratch”
• Monitor all food hygiene and health and safety standards, to ensure they are maintained to the required client and Sodexo expectation as outlined by Safegard.
• To ensure that all food is prepared with due care and attention, particularly in regard to customers’ special dietary requirements: for example, nut, dairy or wheat allergies.
• To ensure that regular and effective promotions and special days occur twice termly.
• To work with the Account Manager and GSM in the preparation of the annual Catering Budget.
• Monitor financial performance (e.g. supply chain, sales, labour, expenses, internal issues) to ensure that the pre-set budget figures are maintained and, when variances do occur, to provide written explanation of these costs, and to implement action plans for correction.
• Ensure all special functions are completed to the required standard of food and service and are also undertaken within pre-budgeted costs.

People

• Select, recruit and induct the right team.
• Develop your people and ensure succession planning.
• Measure the performance of your people by giving feedback and reviewing and completing the EPA process
• Communicate regularly – monthly face to face team briefing. Adopt the ‘focus on five’ principles.

Client

• Ensure the Head Chef and Supervisors deliver the operation to the service standards agreed in the contract with the client.
• Attend meetings and assist with producing monthly and termly formal review reports for the client.
• Assist the Account Manager and GSM with the implementation of the Clients for Life processes.

Finance

• Assist the GSM with completion of the unit forecasts and monthly reporting to the client’s catering consultant
• Protect the company’s profit by delivering the Sodexo budget each month.
• Assist with generating the billing back up and maintain high quality records in line with the consultants templates
• Ensure cash, stock, debt and assets are correctly controlled

Business Improvement

• Always seek out new and innovative ways of doing things
• Be proactive in overcoming barriers to success.
• Provide feedback on how we can improve our performance.
• Networking – keep appraised of best practise within the industry by maintaining contact with professional bodies in other market sectors.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Criteria

• Strong level of literacy and numeracy as well as computer literate
• Experienced business manager with a good reputation for food production and management.
• Experience of managing an overall budget with diverse functional components (i.e. catering, retail, and hospitality.) 
• Highly effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Clear and effective leadership style
• Ability to analyse problems analytically, develop opportunities and implement innovative solutions and approaches
• Strong ability to increase individual effectiveness through leadership, motivation, communication, coaching and training
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Able to demonstrate positive attitude to self-development; willingness to learn in role and identify own training needs as appropriate
• High level of self-motivation
• Strong ability to build professional partnerships and communicate at all levels, particularly at senior client levels
• Ability to set high standards, achievable through striving for continuous improvement
• Ability to act on own initiative and also to work effectively as part of a team
• Flexible approach to role

Desirable Criteria

• Contract catering experience
• Relevant higher level qualification in functional specialities (i.e. catering, facilities management)
• Experience of managing a large team

About the Company

At Sodexo, we believe that by developing our people we can make a real difference to their individual success and the success of the business, therefore you will work in a collaborative manner with the sales and account management colleagues as well as service operations teams. It will be your responsibility to drive innovation through your team, bring fresh ideas and drive services that improve quality of life for our Clients and Consumers. 
If you would like more information to understand what it is like to work for Sodexo and a career in Corporate Services, please follow the link below;
Careers within Corporate Clients