Senior Account Manager FTC (Catering/Soft Services)

Job Introduction

This is an excellent interim opportunity into a senior operations role. As Senior Account Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of school catering services, with a focus on optimising existing contracts and supporting the growth of new business.

Overseeing 29 sites with the support of your management team, you will ensure outstanding service delivery that exceeds our client and customer expectations. With self-motivation and strong leadership skills, this opportunity will allow the right person to utilise their skills/strengths and develop within a quality focussed business.

The role has no fixed place of work, with travel across the North of England.

Role Responsibility

• Retain and optimizse existing business and effectively manage client and customer relationships. Support growth,  whether that be through extensions to existing contracts or via new business.
• Oversee approx. 29 school contracts in the region (£6.3M) – including both Primary and secondary Schools – Delivering food services to children and staff.
• Motivate and lead a high performing team to achieve their objectives and the broader Sodexo strategyic goals
• Inspire direct reports (an Account Manager, Assistant Account Manager and Business Support Manager) so that they can effectively manage and engage site- based teams and managers.
• Provide direction and expertise to the operating area by promoting Sodexo strategies and best business practices in order to uphold the Company mission and values.
• Operational management of Sodexo’s accounts ensuring that the Client receives services of the highest quality.
• Management, reporting and monitoring of performance and accounts to ensure control of spending and budgets.
• Forecasting and budgeting and preparing month end reports for clients and Sodexo.
• Manage compliance including standard operating procedures, purchasing, statutory requirements (health and safety) and DBS.
• Ensure that H&S procedures and standards and central H&S directives are being complied to, including ensuring that contractors comply with necessary standards.
   

The Ideal Candidate

• Previous experience in a similar senior operations role, ideally within a regional capacity or across multi sites. Experience in a schools environment an advantage.
• Proven experienced of developing profitable relationships for multi-site contracts.
• Demonstrable track record of developing successful operational strategies and relationships across a portfolio of contracts - An entrepreneurial flair is desirable.
• Experience of managing outsourced catering services.
• Experience in identifying and selling new business.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Excellent client relationship management skills.
• Experience of working in a standards/compliance environment.
• A strong interest in food trends, innovation and the food services industry.

Desirable

• Ability & desire to support sales presentations
• Knowledge & experience relating to hard and soft FM (in addition to catering)
• Broad commercial experience and business acumen and knowledge of external industry developments
• Experience of managing outsourced catering services

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.

Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults within a regulated activity. Certain roles will require applicants to undergo screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and/ or Disclosure Scotland.