Food Platform Director UK&I

Job Introduction

We believe that doing good business in a good way has a powerful and positive impact on the 100 million consumers we serve every day. From your first day at school, to your workplace, to providing comfortable and safe care facilities, we’re here to help every step of the way!

Together, we can achieve our global mission to improve the quality of life for all, and contribute to the economic, social, and environmental development of the communities, regions, and countries in which we operate.

We’re excited to be recruiting for a Food Platform Director (UK & Ireland) to design and develop the integrated food management process as the Senior Executive responsible for Regional Food Service Platform teams and as a member of the Regional Service Operations team.

Role Responsibility

• Actively contribute to the achievement of Service Operations vision and critical priorities and measure progress against key value drivers by constantly challenging the status quo and lead the market by looking for methods for reducing costs, raising quality, and driving consistency whilst improving financial performance, employee, client, and customer satisfaction
• Lead the regional Food Transformation activity to ensure the business grows market share in the changing food and retail environment
• Establish a central retail team that can develop & grow the Sodexo retail business across all segments using best practice systems, processes & operating procedures and appropriate mixes of Sodexo and high street brands.
• Ensure that Sodexo’s culinary expertise and reputation is maintained through continual development of our craft skill and relationships with suppliers
• Provide tangible value creation through Food Services expertise to our employees (simplifying processes and procedures at site level) and to our clients and consumers (enhancing their Quality-of-Life experience)
• Lead the organisation through Food Transformation, ensuring the organisation has market leading food services, embracing the changing habits of the consumer.  Focus the organisation on digital consumer solutions, advanced convenience, and off-site production / central production to drive consistency and efficiency
• Ensure the integrated food management process is understood by the Segments & Service Operations and the role of each is clear. The Segment Marketing Director role is key in establishing the brief including a Vision of the requirement, insight relevant to their market, being clear on any regulatory framework, defining the size of opportunity and customer principles to be built into the developed solution, as well as clear success criteria and measures
• Develop solutions with standard systems, processes, and operating procedures across differing segments (80:20) which are replicable and have clearly defined and measurable outcomes
• Leverage Supply Management, Information, Communication & Technology (ICT), Health, Safety & Environment (HSE), and food/ FM expertise to share best practices and breakthrough innovations across our sites globally
• Drive the implementation of margin increase to become more competitive by optimising food, labour and material costs whilst managing food cost inflation to reduce exposure and maintaining quality and attractiveness of services

The Ideal Candidate

To be successful in this role, you will possess sound knowledge of Food Services in a similar sector, including public and private entities. Demonstrable track record of developing successful strategies for Food, plus a proven track record of leading and managing complex food related change programs.

You will be an experienced leader, ideally within a similar environment, with outstanding communication, influencing and facilitation skills, coupled with strong commercial acumen. Exceptional client relationship management skills and proven experience of developing internal and external relationships with clients.

Package Description

At Sodexo, you’ll have the opportunity to build a career as unique as you are, with the global scale, support, and inclusive culture to become the best version of you. 

In return for your commitment and hard work, you will be rewarded with an attractive salary, plus access to our extensive benefits package, which includes:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Company car allowance
• Life assurance
• Performance-related annual bonus
• 27 days holiday (FTE) plus bank holidays – rising to 28 days after 3 years
• Volunteering days via our charity partner STOP HUNGER

We also offer Sodexo Discounts site promoting discounted mobile phone tariffs, savings across restaurant chains and days out, where you and your family can save money on everything from your weekly food shop to the latest cinema blockbuster and much more.

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