Catering Manager

Job Introduction

Sodexo is currently seeking a dedicated and dynamic Catering Manager to lead our team at a prestigious independent school in Chester. This role involves effectively managing catering and supporting the housekeeping teams, ensuring high-quality service, and driving continuous improvement.

As a Catering Manager at Sodexo in Chester, you are not only a strategic leader but also a catalyst for exceptional service and meaningful relationships.

In this role, you play a vital part in shaping our team's culture, driving continuous improvement, and fostering long-term, profitable partnerships with the school community.

Join Sodexo and be part of something greater, where you can make a genuine impact and thrive in a supportive, purpose-driven team. Your unique talents belong in an environment that values growth, collaboration, and excellence.

Role Responsibility

• Oversee catering services within a 7-day a week operation, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and events
• Support the Housekeeping team
• Manage financial performance, ensuring budget targets are met and opportunities for growth are identified
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships, promoting long-term partnerships
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and environmental legislation, as well as company policies
• Recruit, induct, and develop talented employees, while managing poor performance in line with Safer Recruitment Policy and Procedure
• Provide strategic and technical support to customers, peers, and team members

The Ideal Candidate

Essential:

• Prior experience in an educational setting
• Strong literacy and numeracy skills, including Excel proficiency
• Proven ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams and budgets
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• A team player with a hands-on approach
• Problem-solving skills and the ability to implement innovative solutions
• Strong leadership and motivational abilities
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Computer literacy
• A positive attitude and willingness to learn and develop
• Ability to work effectively in a team and act on own initiative
• Flexibility in approach to the role

Desirable:

• Independent school experience
• Relevant higher-level qualifications in functional specialties (e.g., catering, facilities management)
• Experience managing a large team
• Successful implementation of changes
• Knowledge of Safer Recruitment and working in schools
• Hold a personal licence

Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults within a regulated activity. This role 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.

Package Description

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater. You’ll belong in a company and team that values you for you; you’ll act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions; and you’ll be able to thrive in your own way. In addition, we offer:

• Flexible and dynamic work environment
• Competitive compensation
• Access to ongoing training and development programs
• Countless opportunities to grow within the company
• Full training and full protective uniform supplied

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs around 30,000 people, and partners with clients in many sectors across business and industry; schools and universities; sports and leisure; energy and resources; government and agencies; healthcare; justice and defence.

Sodexo’s connected; people-centric approach brings together a diverse range of expertise. The breadth of services it offers ranges from food and hospitality; cleaning; reception; concierge (Circles); security; property management and technical services through to data driven workplace strategy and design (Wx); employee engagement and recognition services (Sodexo Engage) and personal home services through Prestige Nursing + Care and the Good Care Group.  

Vital Spaces is Sodexo’s value proposition that puts people at the heart of everything we do, bringing together services and solutions and focusing on the productivity and wellbeing of people wherever they are.

Sodexo is committed to being an inclusive employer; we welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities.

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