Job Description
Head of Food – Ireland & Northern Ireland
Elite Talent Hub is a specialist in permanent staffing solutions for clients both nationally and internationally.
Our client is a leading international food and facilities services provider.
They are recruiting a Head of Food to lead their food and coffee programme across Ireland and Northern Ireland.
This is a senior, highly visible leadership role for a genuine food lover.
You will set the food and coffee vision for a diverse portfolio of client sites.
You will inspire culinary teams, shape winning client propositions and turn great ideas into standards that work at scale.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own and deliver the food and beverage strategy for Ireland, with a clear roadmap, standards and measurable outcomes.
- Explore the market, from restaurants and cafés to retail, hospitality and suppliers, and turn the best ideas into practical solutions.
- Lead the development, trial and roll-out of menus, concepts, brands and service formats.
- Champion seasonal, nutritious, inclusive and responsible food choices with nutrition, sustainability and procurement colleagues.
- Own and evolve the coffee programme: quality, blends, equipment, recipes, presentation, speed of service and value.
- Build barista capability through training, accreditation, coaching, quality checks and recognition.
- Use customer insight and sales data to improve participation, average spend, sales, gross profit and labour productivity.
- Set up food and coffee performance dashboards and work with operations to turn insight into action.
- Lead, coach and develop a high-performing culinary and food development community.
- Be highly visible on site: taste the food and coffee, observe service and give clear, constructive feedback.
- Run culinary and coffee forums, and support teams to enter culinary, sustainability and barista competitions.
- Build development pathways for chefs, food leaders and baristas, and support succession planning.
- Ensure exemplary food safety, allergen, hygiene and health and safety standards across every site.
- Work with procurement and suppliers to improve quality, availability, sustainability and value while keeping purchasing compliant.
- Act as the senior food ambassador with existing and prospective clients.
- Shape food and coffee solutions for tenders, presentations, client reviews and innovation sessions.
- Lead the food workstream for new contract mobilisations.
Requirements:
- Substantial senior culinary leadership experience, for example as Executive Chef, Head Chef, Culinary Director or senior food development lead.
- Experience in a complex, multi-site environment such as contract catering, hospitality, retail food or a restaurant group.
- A proven track record of developing and rolling out food strategy, menus, concepts or service offers at scale.
- Strong commercial acumen, with evidence of improving participation, sales, gross profit or productivity through food-led initiatives.
- A strong understanding of coffee and café culture, including barista standards, equipment, product range and commercial performance.
- Experience supporting client retention, bids, presentations and mobilisations.
- Food Safety Level 3 and IOSH, or a commitment to obtain them.
- A recognised culinary qualification, such as City & Guilds or equivalent.
- A clear, confident communicator with excellent presentation, storytelling and coaching skills.
- Comfortable using data, digital tools and customer insight to shape decisions and show impact.
- A full driving licence valid in the UK and Ireland, and flexibility to travel regularly between sites.
- Desirable: formal coffee expertise or barista accreditation.
What's on Offer:
- Senior leadership role with a leading international food and facilities services provider
- Salary of c. £104,000 per annum (sterling equivalent of €125,000)
- Substantial benefits package, including pension, bonus and a company vehicle
- Full-time, permanent position
- A national remit across Ireland and Northern Ireland
- Real scope to shape the food and coffee offer for a large and diverse client portfolio
If interested, apply here online or feel free to email your CV to paul.mccarthy@elitetalenthub.ie and I shall follow up thereafter.
#INDETH-BE
Head of Food Island of Ireland in Belfast employer: Elite Talent Hub
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