At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead food operations, ensuring customer-focused initiatives and exceptional store experiences.
- Company: Join M&S, a forward-thinking retailer committed to quality and service.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, bonuses, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of food retail while making a real impact in stores.
- Qualifications: Strong communication, problem-solving skills, and experience across multiple sites.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a Food Operations Manager to act as the trusted retail voice for our Food Group, ensuring that every decision we make is grounded in what matters most to customers and colleagues. This role turns strategy into action, simplifying complexity, shaping brilliant commercial ideas, and ensuring they land seamlessly in our stores.
You’ll champion store insight at the heart of Food, challenge plans to ensure they’re bold and achievable, and create joined‑up ways of working that drive exceptional customer experiences. If you’re commercially sharp, operationally strong and passionate about elevating food retail, this is a chance to shape how M&S Food comes to life in hundreds of stores nationwide.
To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.
Due to high interest, this role may close earlier than advertised. We recommend applying as soon as possible.
Your key accountabilities will include:
- Being the trusted retail voice for your cluster, ensuring initiatives are practical, simple and customer‑focused
- Leading cluster trials, generating sharp insight and clear recommendations that shape wider Food Group plans
- Driving rollout of M&S Way, embedding simple and effective processes that support brilliant store execution
- Turning customer, store and commercial insight into clear, actionable improvements that enhance performance
- Building strong relationships across Food Trading, Operations, Supply Chain and store leadership to enable fast, aligned decision making
Your skills and experience will include:
- Strong ability to simplify complexity and produce clear, high‑quality communications for stores and stakeholders
- Excellent influencing, collaboration and problem‑solving skills, with resilience in fast‑changing environments
- Proven experience operating across multiple sites/regions with strong planning, prioritisation and execution skills
- Commercially minded, data‑informed and confident using insight, AI and benchmarking to spot opportunities early
- A confident communicator who can translate store reality into compelling insight that influences senior stakeholders and shapes decision‑making
Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We’re inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.
Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:
- 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third‑party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation
- Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
- Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
- Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
- Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
- Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
- Market‑leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave
- 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services
- One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.
We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.
If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Food Operations Manager employer: Marks & Spencer
At Marks & Spencer, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive and dynamic employer that values collaboration and creativity. As a Food Operations Manager, you'll enjoy a supportive work culture that fosters personal and professional growth, alongside competitive benefits such as a generous colleague discount, flexible holiday options, and comprehensive wellbeing support. Join us in shaping the future of food retail while making a meaningful impact in a role that champions exceptional customer experiences across our nationwide stores.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Food Operations Manager
✨Join Food Science Communities
Get involved in food science forums and communities, both online and offline. Platforms like LinkedIn Groups or Reddit can be goldmines for job leads and valuable insights. Plus, you’ll connect with other food enthusiasts who might even point you towards openings at companies like Marks & Spencer.
✨Attend Industry Conferences and Workshops
Check out exhibitions and workshops in the food science sector. Events like the International Congress on Food Technology are not just knowledge hubs, but also great networking opportunities. You never know who you might bump into – perhaps a hiring manager from Marks & Spencer!
✨Show Off Your Passion for Food Tech
Start a blog or social media channel showcasing innovative food science projects or trends. This not only showcases your expertise but also raises your visibility in the field. When you apply for a role at companies like Marks & Spencer, they’ll see you’re proactive and truly passionate about food technology.
✨Leverage University Career Services
If you're fresh out of uni, make use of your career services! They often have exclusive job boards and connections with companies looking for graduates. Don't forget to mention your interest in roles like those at Marks & Spencer, and they might have insider tips or referrals just for you!
We think you need these skills to ace Food Operations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Projects:When applying for a role in food science and technology at Marks & Spencer, make sure to highlight any relevant projects or research you've worked on. Whether it’s a dissertation, a lab experiment, or a product development idea, detail these experiences to demonstrate your hands-on skills in the field—employers love to see practical applications of your knowledge!
Highlight Technical Skills:In the food science and technology industry, technical skills are key. Be sure to list any specific skills you have related to food safety, quality control, or food processing technologies on your CV. Also, mention any software or analytical tools you’re proficient in, as this shows you're ready to hit the ground running at Marks & Spencer.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:As this is a full-time position, your cover letter should convey not just why you want the job, but also how you fit into the company's vision. Talk about your passion for food science and how your background uniquely positions you to contribute to Marks & Spencer. Make it personal and compelling!
Include Certifications:If you have any certifications related to food science, safety, or technology, be sure to mention them. These can really set you apart from other candidates! List them prominently on your CV and discuss how they relate to the role at Marks & Spencer. It shows you're committed to your professional development.
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer
✨Know Your Lab Tech!
Given that you’re diving into food science and technology, brush up on the specific technologies and lab equipment mentioned in the job description. Familiarising yourself with tools like gas chromatography or texture analyzers will show that you’re serious about the technical side of things.
✨Show Off Your Project Experience
Prepare to discuss any relevant projects or research you've undertaken in food science. Whether it’s developing a new recipe, conducting taste tests, or analysing nutritional content, having tangible examples can really show off your expertise and passion for the field.
✨Emphasise Your Soft Skills
Don't underestimate the importance of teamwork and communication in food science roles. Be ready to highlight instances where you’ve effectively collaborated with others or communicated complex scientific ideas clearly. This can make a huge difference in landing that full-time gig!
✨Stay Up-to-Date with Industry Trends
Make sure you’re clued up about the latest trends in food science and technology — think sustainability, food safety, and innovative processing techniques. Discussing these topics during your interview can demonstrate your enthusiasm for the field and how you can contribute to Marks & Spencer’s mission.
