Food Manager

Food Manager

Sevenoaks Full-Time 28800 - 43200 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
S

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a team to ensure food quality and customer satisfaction in-store.
  • Company: Join Sainsbury's, a trusted retailer focused on great service and employee development.
  • Benefits: Enjoy discounts, free food, generous holidays, and wellbeing support.
  • Why this job: Grow your leadership skills in a supportive environment with clear career progression.
  • Qualifications: Experience in managing or supervising in a fast-paced setting is preferred.
  • Other info: Opportunities for advancement into various management roles within the Sainsbury's family.

The predicted salary is between 28800 - 43200 £ per year.

You're ambitious for more leadership responsibility. Maybe one day, you'd like to run your own store or take on a bigger role in the future. First, you want to focus on your people development skills - crafting a team that delivers what you need, when you need it.

This is a well-balanced management role with clear accountability - you'll understand exactly what's expected of you and who to turn to for support. Whether you already have some supervisory experience or you're looking to make the step up, it's the perfect chance to get close to your team and grow your skills.

What you'll be doing

Our purpose is driven by our passion for food; together we serve and help every customer. Food sets the standard for the rest of the store - getting it right means our customers choose to return again and again, so it's critical that grocery, fresh and produce are always available and looking their best. Your leadership will deliver throughout the day, every day. Reporting into our Lead Food Manager, your job is focused on operational in-store management, ensuring that your area is running smoothly, day in, day out.

There's an emphasis on managing a medium to large in-store team - assigning tasks and planning breaks, creating rotas, addressing performance issues both sensitively and effectively, and helping with recruitment. You'll be a visible leader on the shop floor, a role model who drives training and creates a team where everyone feels welcome, and colleagues feel safe to challenge the way things are done.

What success looks like

  • You're supporting the Lead Food Manager to deliver improved customer and retail outcomes in your area.
  • You'll work closely with another Food Manager, sharing ideas and identifying ways to improve things, and provide a brilliant handover from each shift to the next.
  • You're confident being direct with your team - you're giving honest feedback, early and often.
  • You've learned how to help your team to put themselves in the customers' shoes, taking genuine pride in how we deliver a better service.
  • You're increasingly making decisions at pace and comfortable not knowing all the answers.

About you

We're open-minded about your career trajectory. You're probably already managing or supervising people in a similarly fast-paced setting and confident to deal with the many different challenges each day throws up - your team are depending on you!

You'll need to share Sainsbury's love of technology. We're ahead of the curve here - we do as much as we can digitally - from stock management to rotas. What matters most is you - you're motivated to develop, dedicated to bringing out the best in others and, like all of us, passionate about customer service. After all, that's what our stores are all about.

Where next?

The Sainsbury's in-store management structure is designed precisely to help people like you to progress, and where everyone has the support and the opportunity to deliver excellence. When joining us you will receive a clear induction and orientation alongside a training plan specific to your needs that you'll build alongside your manager. They will support and coach you to deliver great performance, whilst having plenty of time to develop.

As a Food Manager, you could move into a Lead Manager role in Food, In-store Customer Experience, Clothing or General Merchandise. Looking further ahead, it's great preparation for a Store Management role or a leadership challenge across the Sainsbury's family: Habitat, Tu, Argos, Sainsbury's Bank and Nectar 360. Trust us - we know how to make the most of your potential.

Added benefits

Salary will be dependent upon your experience as well as the store size, complexity and location. Alongside this, we also offer a great range of benefits for our managers, including:

  • Discount card - 10% discount off on your shopping at Sainsbury's, Argos, Tu and Habitat after four weeks. This increases to 15% discount off at Sainsbury's every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day.
  • Free food and hot drinks provided for Colleagues in all our stores.
  • Generous holiday entitlement, maternity and paternity leave.
  • Pension - we'll match 4-7% of your pension contributions.
  • Sainsbury's share scheme - build up an investment at discounted rates.
  • Wellbeing support - access to emotional support, counselling, legal and financial advice.
  • Colleague networks - link with like-minded people to help fulfil your potential.
  • Our Cycle to Work scheme gives you the opportunity to hire a new bike and cycling equipment, whilst saving on tax and NI.
  • Special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers and more.

Click 'apply' to start your Sainsbury's journey.

About Us

Sainsbury's company vision: Our vision is to be the most trusted retailer, where people love to work and shop. That means harnessing the talent, creativity and diversity of our colleagues to ensure that customers receive great service every time they shop with us.

If you would like to hear more about our vision and values, be sure to visit our corporate page. We invest in training, development and multiple initiatives to ensure our teams feel enabled to offer the best shopping experience to our customers and that Sainsbury's is truly a 'Great Place to Work'.

Food Manager employer: Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that prioritises employee development and well-being. As a Food Manager, you'll benefit from comprehensive training, generous holiday entitlement, and a supportive environment that encourages career progression within a diverse range of roles. With added perks like a discount card, free meals, and access to wellbeing support, Sainsbury's truly values its team members, making it a rewarding place to build your career.
S

Contact Detail:

Sainsbury's Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Food Manager

✨Tip Number 1

Familiarise yourself with Sainsbury's values and mission. Understanding their commitment to customer service and team development will help you align your approach during interviews and discussions, showcasing that you're a great fit for the Food Manager role.

✨Tip Number 2

Highlight your leadership experience in fast-paced environments. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully managed teams, resolved conflicts, and improved performance, as these are key aspects of the Food Manager position.

✨Tip Number 3

Demonstrate your passion for food and customer service. Engage in conversations about food trends or customer service excellence, showing that you not only understand the industry but are also genuinely enthusiastic about it.

✨Tip Number 4

Network with current or former Sainsbury's employees if possible. They can provide valuable insights into the company culture and expectations, which can help you tailor your approach and stand out during the selection process.

We think you need these skills to ace Food Manager

Leadership Skills
Team Management
Customer Service Orientation
Operational Management
Performance Management
Task Delegation
Effective Communication
Conflict Resolution
Training and Development
Time Management
Adaptability to Change
Problem-Solving Skills
Digital Literacy
Inventory Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in food management or supervisory roles. Emphasise your leadership skills, team development abilities, and any experience with customer service.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for food and customer service. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully managed teams or improved customer experiences in previous roles.

Showcase Your People Skills: Since the role focuses on people development, include examples that demonstrate your ability to lead, motivate, and train a team. Highlight any experience you have in addressing performance issues and creating a positive work environment.

Research Sainsbury's Values: Familiarise yourself with Sainsbury's vision and values. Reflect these in your application by aligning your personal values with theirs, showing that you're a good cultural fit for the company.

How to prepare for a job interview at Sainsbury's

✨Show Your Leadership Skills

As a Food Manager, you'll be expected to lead a team effectively. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams in the past, focusing on your ability to motivate and develop others.

✨Understand the Importance of Customer Service

Demonstrate your passion for customer service during the interview. Be ready to discuss how you would ensure that your team delivers an exceptional shopping experience and how you can put yourself in the customers' shoes.

✨Familiarise Yourself with Technology

Since Sainsbury's values technology in their operations, be prepared to talk about your experience with digital tools, especially in stock management and scheduling. Highlight any relevant software or systems you've used.

✨Prepare for Situational Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills and ability to handle challenges. Think of scenarios where you've had to make quick decisions or address performance issues, and be ready to share those experiences.

Food Manager
Sainsbury's
S
  • Food Manager

    Sevenoaks
    Full-Time
    28800 - 43200 £ / year (est.)

    Application deadline: 2027-04-25

  • S

    Sainsbury's

Similar positions in other companies
UK’s top job board for Gen Z
discover-jobs-cta
Discover now
>