Food Manager

Food Manager

Newbury Full-Time 31450 - 44030 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a team to ensure food quality and customer satisfaction in-store.
  • Company: Join Sainsbury’s, a leading retailer passionate about food and customer service.
  • Benefits: Enjoy discounts, free food, generous holidays, and wellbeing support.
  • Why this job: Develop your leadership skills while making a real impact on customer experience.
  • Qualifications: Previous supervisory experience in a fast-paced environment is preferred.
  • Other info: Great opportunities for career progression within Sainsbury’s.

The predicted salary is between 31450 - 44030 £ per year.

Salary: From £31,450

Location: Newbury Store, Newbury, RG14 5DD

Contract type: Permanent

Business area: Retail

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.
  • 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 4-7.5% 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.

Food Manager employer: Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd

At Sainsbury's, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, particularly for the Food Manager role in our Newbury store. With a strong focus on employee development, we offer clear pathways for career progression, comprehensive training, and a supportive work culture that values teamwork and innovation. Our generous benefits package, including discounts, wellbeing support, and a vibrant community of colleagues, ensures that you not only thrive professionally but also enjoy a fulfilling personal life.
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Contact Detail:

Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd 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 passion for food and customer service will help you align your answers during interviews, showcasing that you're a great fit for the Food Manager role.

✨Tip Number 2

Network with current or former employees of Sainsbury's, especially those in management roles. They can provide valuable insights into the company culture and expectations, which can help you tailor your approach when applying.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare to discuss your leadership style and experiences in managing teams. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've developed team members and handled performance issues, as this is crucial for the Food Manager position.

✨Tip Number 4

Showcase your familiarity with technology and digital tools used in retail. Since Sainsbury's emphasises tech-savvy management, highlighting your experience with stock management systems or scheduling software can set you apart from other candidates.

We think you need these skills to ace Food Manager

Leadership Skills
Team Management
Customer Service Excellence
Operational Management
Performance Management
Effective Communication
Task Delegation
Conflict Resolution
Recruitment and Training
Time Management
Adaptability in Fast-Paced Environments
Problem-Solving Skills
Technological Proficiency
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, ability to manage a team, and any experience with customer service, as these are key for the Food Manager position.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for food and customer service. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully led a team or improved customer experiences in previous roles. This is your chance to show your personality and enthusiasm for the role.

Highlight Relevant Skills: In your application, focus on skills that align with the job description, such as team management, operational efficiency, and problem-solving. Use keywords from the job listing to demonstrate that you understand what the company is looking for.

Prepare for Potential Questions: Think about common interview questions related to team management and customer service. Prepare answers that reflect your experience and how you would handle various scenarios in the store. This will help you feel more confident during the interview process.

How to prepare for a job interview at Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd

✨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 experience for customers, as this is crucial for the role.

✨Familiarise Yourself with Technology

Since Sainsbury’s values technology in their operations, make sure you’re comfortable discussing any relevant tech experience you have. This could include stock management systems or digital scheduling tools.

✨Prepare for Situational Questions

Expect questions that assess how you handle challenges in a fast-paced environment. Think about specific situations where you've had to make quick decisions or resolve conflicts within your team.

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