Group Catering Manager

Job Introduction

Sodexo's Schools segment have a fantastic opportunity for a Catering Group Manager to cover the day to day operations of any unit within the London and South East area.

This will be a 52 week per year working pattern. 

Sodexo has been working in the UK & Ireland education sector for over 50 years. Through Schools by Sodexo we bring together an integrated suite of facilities services including an updated, modern school food catering offer, premises management (caretaking and security), buildings and grounds maintenance, cleaning, helpdesk and asset management.

This role is subject to Safer Recruitment checks and the successful applicant will be required to complete a DBS.

Role Responsibility

• In a relief management capacity, cover the day to day operations of any unit within London & the South East Area.  
• Work with the Account Manager South to ensure that all sites are complying with company standards in relation to food standards and offer implementation (ie, ROL, Marketing, Purchasing compliance) 
• Support the Account Manager and wider team as the day to day representatives of Sodexo 
• Provide direction and expertise to the assigned business areas by promoting Sodexo strategies, values and behaviours
• Completion of the monthly billing process for your assigned area
• Organise holiday and sickness cover, and where necessary to cover in a relief management capacity
• Work with the Unit Catering/Cook Manager to ensure that all sites are complying with company standards in relation to food standards and offer implementation (ie, ROL/DRIVE, Marketing, Purchasing compliance)
• Support the Unit Catering/Cook Manager and wider team as the day to day representatives of Sodexo
• Provide direction and expertise to the assigned business areas by promoting Sodexo strategies, values and behaviours
• To visit the sites to ensure that high standards of health, hygiene, cleaning & food are being achieved and to deal with any breaches through action plan and support to the Account Manager
• Ensure that all Unit Catering/Cook Manager training is up to date as well as their teams
• Support the Unit Catering/Cook Managers in ensuring that all sites receive a Green Safegard audit result – and to support with any action plan implementation where an amber or red score is received
• To recruit, induct and develop new employees into the business area in line with Sodexo policy
• To carry out performance management activities such as disciplinary or counselling as required
• Assist in the weekly completion of the daily sales meal numbers.
• Assist in the completion of the monthly billing process for your assigned area
• Assist the Unit Catering/Cook Manager in the completion of reporting documents
• Attend client meetings as required and support the Unit Catering/Cook Managers as the day to day representative of Sodexo
• Manage a team to increase the Client and Sodexo’s revenue opportunities i.e., cash sales, labour efficiency and generate the GOP expected at each site across the portfolio of business
• Provide direction and expertise to the assigned business areas by promoting Sodexo strategies, values and behaviours
• To assist with the administration of payroll of all personnel in the area and identify, challenge and seek to rectify high spend in overtime, agency or relief cover.
• To carry out performance management activities such as disciplinary or counselling as required
• To support with the mobilisation of new contracts and closures as they occur
• To help organise and participate in District meetings

The Ideal Candidate

• Experience in managing multi-site business
• Experience of recruiting, inducting and developing teams and managing within a set framework
• High standards of food production and service delivery
• Ability to communicate at all levels in an appropriate manner
• Experience of working in a standards/compliance environment
• Relevant qualifications

Package Description

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 of up to 6%
• Company car allowance
• Life assurance
• Performance-related annual bonus
• Volunteering days via our charity partner STOP HUNGER
• Numerous voluntary benefits, including dental care, gym discounts, retail / hospitality, and many more

We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities, and we celebrate diversity. We’re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be natural, and be the best versions of themselves. We recognise that we’re on a journey with regards to diversity and inclusion and would therefore welcome applications for candidates from underrepresented backgrounds.

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