Account Manager

Job Introduction

Sodexo Schools and Universities are keen to talk to experienced General Managers about an opportunity within our Sodexo School’s and Universities team in the East Sussex area. 

This opportunity would see you responsible for the delivery of student dining as well as commercial events, the site has up to thirty thousand visitors each year, attending events which includes weddings, conferences and a lounge bar.

With this in mind it’s really important that you understand both the education and  hospitality & events industry thoroughly to ensure you are able to hit the ground running in this key role.

We want you to develop and deliver a marketing strategy for catering services in an education and commercial environment, if this sounds like it could be you, we would love to hear from you.

Role Responsibility

• Oversee a customer dining and commercial catering operation, ensuring that we deliver high quality services to our client and customer base
• Lead and develop teams to ensure they are engaged, efficient and providing the best service offer
• Develop best practice and best value solutions that will benefit the student and customer experience, and ensure continual innovation
• Control and monitor the financial performance of the unit and to maintain costs within pre-budgeted targets
• Establish and maintain satisfactory relationships with individuals at all levels within the Company and the Client organisation
• Effectively manage complex client and customer relationships and seek to evolve new business opportunities
• 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 operational role, ideally within the food services sector
• Previous experience of the hospitality and events industry
• Demonstrable track record of developing successful operational strategies and relationships across a portfolio of contracts
• A collaborative working style and proactive approach to challenges
• Proven financial acumen essential with demonstrable commercial experience and business acumen
• Proven track record of leading and managing experienced operators and large numbers of employees
• Excellent communication, influencing and facilitation skills
• Self-motivated;  able to define and articulate a vision for their business and recruit, lead, and motivate a talented team to deliver this vision

Package Description

As part of our commitment to improving the quality of life for our employees, Sodexo offers a Flexible Benefits Scheme, allowing you to tailor a reward package to suit your needs but includes a technology scheme, private dental insurance, travel insurance, gym membership, Gourmet card, private medical insurance and the ability to purchase or sell annual leave. We also have a Sodexo Discount scheme, which offers employees and their friends and family the opportunity to benefit from over 1,200 discounts from top retailers both online and in-store. Plus bonus incentive.

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs some 36,000 employees to deliver integrated facilities management services to clients at over 2,000 locations in the energy, 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.

At Sodexo we are committed to a leading role in promoting equality opportunities and valuing diversity and inclusion. We seek to create a work environment based on mutual respect for all individuals, building a culture that appreciates and values the experiences and skills brought by each person to benefit our organisation and work hard to ensure that all people, whatever their race, colour, sex, gender identity  disability, nationality, national or ethnic origin, religion or belief, marital/partnership or family status, sexual orientation, age, social class, educational background, employment status, working pattern, are welcome to and included within our organisation. 

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations.

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.

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.