Programme Manager - Food

Job Introduction

To support Sodexo’s food platform projects and initiatives, we are seeking an experienced Programme Manager to join the team and help deliver numerous high profile projects. 

If you're a seasoned programme manager with a passion for food who is able to motivate and inspire a wide range of team members from Chefs, Developers, Graphic Designers then this role could be for you! 

This role reports directly into the UK&I Head of Programme Management.

Role Responsibility

• Accountable for ensuring Service Development priorities are developed on time and budget.
• Ensures we have the effective controls and process in place around Recipe Testing aligned to development and brand management.
• Ensure all recipes adhere to strict Allergen and Nutritional control and support Margin and Cost set out by the business.
• Ensuring all documentation is fit for purpose and all services obtain a rating of 5* based on independent audits completed by Global Team.
• Must motivate and support all stakeholders to deliver on time, which will require strong stakeholder management not just within SO but at a Segment level.
• Define and implement project and programme plans based on the requirements of the client and Sodexo to deliver against set objectives.
• Identify the required project resources and be “the conduit” between Sodexo SME’s, clients, operations & business development.
• Plan and design the programme of activity and proactively monitor its overall progress, escalating risks and issues and implementing corrective action as appropriate, ensuring stakeholders and business teams are prepared and ready to accept the deliverables  
• Issuing progress reports and ensuring deadlines are met in a timely and efficient manner
• Define and follow the programme’s governance framework to support successful deployment of the project or programme.
• Effectively coordinate and manage programme/project interdependencies
• Proactively manage and work with your stakeholders to mitigate risks & issues that may jeopardise successful delivery, escalating where necessary
• Maintain overall integrity and coherence of the programme, developing and supporting the programme environment to manage dependencies
• Manage third-party contributions to the programme
• Manage effective communications with stakeholders, including reporting and escalation processes
• Initiate extra activities and other management interventions wherever gaps in the programme are identified or issues arise as appropriate
• Provide regular milestone reporting of programme progress across the governance framework

The Ideal Candidate

Essential

• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with all key stakeholders
• Ability to run Scrum and Agile ways of working
• Good knowledge of techniques for planning, monitoring and controlling programmes, including risk management, budget and resource allocation procedures
• Good communication and organisational skills
• Tenacity so as to drive the delivery of outcomes in challenging client / organisational environments
• Ability to find innovative ways of solving &/or pre-empting problems
• Good experience in development of Food Service Standards
• A foodie and understands how brands and the high street works and operates
• Understanding of financial reporting, performance and tracking
• Ability to motivate and encourage others to complete tasks
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft office including MS Project ;
• Excellent interpersonal skills 

Desirable

• Experience in food marketing, service/brand development and operations with International reach
• Experience of inputting to / supporting / leading bid activity
• Good knowledge of project management disciplines i.e. PRINCE2 / MSP / APMP etc
• Experience of soft, hard or full IFM

Package Description

£50,000 to £55,000 DOE + excellent benefits package

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