Catering Lead

Job Introduction

Sodexo are currently recruiting for a number of brand new opportunities due to growth in our Corporate Services segment. Sodexo is the 19^th 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 center of its mission. Join our teams and experience their passion and the unique Sodexo spirit!

Are you interested in providing a fantastic service and do you have experience in catering management? Sodexo are recruiting for a Catering Lead to be responsible for managing the delivery of Catering Services for multiple outlets at our client site in York that operates 24/7. The Catering Lead will ensure outstanding service delivery at all times and exceed all Sodexo targets whilst maintaining compliance.

This is a fantastic role for someone with great leadership behaviours, strength in building client relationships, influencing skills as well as development of commercially viable solutions based on rigorous techniques. 

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

Role Responsibility

• To organise and assist in the preparation and presentation of all meals service (participating as necessary) at the required time, being provided to the standard laid down in the Service Level Agreement and to the Client's, Customer's and Sodexo’s satisfaction.
• To devise and implement a strategy of food offer innovation & growth which is in tune with requirements for new trends and drive out additional revenue both in the staff restaurants and hospitality.
• Carry out customer survey’s and profiling to ensure that our food offer remains applicable to the customer base, and where not, offer ideas for menu enhancement, development and change where necessary.
• To ensure that all food is prepared with due care and attention, particularly in regard to customers’ special dietary requirements: Allergen awareness
• To organise any special function as required, some of which may occur outside of normal working hours.
• To establish and maintain satisfactory relationships with individuals at all levels within the Company and the Client organisation.
• To ensure that the Company's accountancy, documentation and administration procedures are carried out to the laid down standard and that the necessary weekly returns are completed accurately and sent to the on time. This may be electronically, paper-based, or both, as instructed.
• To control and monitor the financial performance of the catering service and to maintain costs within pre-budgeted targets.
• To maintain the standards and integrity of the service offer and Service Level Agreement at all times. To carry out a daily service audit and perform activities detailed in the service offer manual under Key Performance Indicators to the frequency and level required.
• To implement and maintain the Statutory and Company standards of hygiene, health and safety and take any action as is necessary.
• To ensure all required risk assessments and due diligence documentation are implemented in regard to food hygiene and safe systems of work, as are required in order to pass a Safegard audit.
• To take all necessary steps to ensure maximum security of the kitchens, stores, offices, safes and monies and any other areas under the Sodexo’s control.
• To recruit, interview, control and discipline staff according to the needs of the unit and within the procedure laid down by the Company. 
• To ensure all new staff are given a thorough induction into their job, the unit and the Company.  To monitor the performance of staff, carry out performance reviews and provide training and coaching as necessary, and record on the appropriate documents.
• To have special regard to the welfare of the establishment staff and to organise regular and effective staff meetings.
• Engage, motivate and reward our employees to ensure they are satisfied with their working relationships at all levels.
• To ensure the correct compilation of the UDC payroll to the latest regulations.  To ensure that all Statutory Regulations and Company Policy concerning the staff are adhered to.
• To have regular contact with the GSM & Account Manager and to produce any reports as necessary
• To relieve and assist in other establishments in certain circumstances.
• To attend to and take all necessary action, statutory and otherwise in the event of accident, fire, loss, theft, lost property, damage, unfit food or other irregularities and complete the necessary return and/or reports.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential

• Exceptional client relationship management skills
• Development of commercially viable solutions based on rigorous techniques to understand client needs and price products/services accordingly
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to devise and manage P&L account
• Achieve set standards and operate to performance criteria; for example, Health & Safety, Hygiene
• An appropriate level of experience in sector contracting and sector technical service delivery 
• Proven financial acumen essential with commercial experience and business acumen
• Proven track record of initiating and leading demanding business transformation programmes
• Proven experience of developing profitable relationships with clients
• Excellent communication, influencing and facilitation skills
• People management experience within a diverse geographic and business environment
• Ability to analyse use of labour to ensure it is used in an efficient way
• Ability to assess talent and development needs and manage performance
• Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative within a team environment
• Evidence of managing a team to provide high quality service
• Broad knowledge of catering and retail and their benefit to an organisation along with legislative requirements
• IOSH Managing Safely qualification

Desirable

• Knowledgeable of risk and legislation across all service lines, does not need to be the expert, however needs to be able to mitigate these with the help of Sodexo experts and Governance and Policy

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs some 35,000 employees to deliver integrated facilities management services to clients at over 2,000 locations in the corporate, healthcare, education, leisure, defence and justice sectors. With an annual turnover of over £1bn, we provide everything from catering, cleaning and reception to security, laboratory and grounds maintenance services, enabling our clients to focus on their core business.

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process