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- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to create exceptional shopping experiences in our supermarket.
- Company: Join Sainsbury's, a leading retailer committed to inclusivity and growth.
- Benefits: Enjoy discounts, bonuses, generous holidays, and wellbeing support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while developing your leadership skills in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing teams and delivering outstanding customer service.
- Other info: Opportunities for career progression and personal development await you.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 49000 £ per year.
Salary: From £35,000
Location: Leicester North Store, Leicester, LE4 7PD
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Retail
Closing date: 09 February 2026
Leading in our stores: Our management teams don’t just run stores - they’re the driving force behind our business. With bold leadership, a passion for service and an eye for opportunity, they empower teams to raise the bar every single day for our customers. Whether it’s product availability, safety standards, or delivering seamless daily operations, they’re hands‑on, sleeves‑rolled‑up changemakers. And the impact? Work becomes more rewarding for our colleagues, and shopping becomes a next-level experience for every customer who walks through our doors. This is how we bring our purpose to life, one powerful action at a time.
What you’ll be doing:
- Lead a small team of food managers to manage the grocery shop floor in one of our supermarkets.
- Execute exciting trading events by working closely with the rest of the store leadership team.
- Regularly take full accountability for the store in the absence of a store manager, role modelling and coaching for high standards and efficiency across the food hall.
- Manage compliance to processes and safety whilst bringing the passion and flare for great shop keeping and creating fantastic shopping experiences.
- Be responsible for a large team of colleagues, ensuring they’re performing at their best and that all people matters are conducted properly.
What makes a great Lead Food Manager:
- A passionate leader who is consistently ambitious for their customers and colleagues.
- Experience of managing managers in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.
- An operator who is comfortable managing alone in the absence of more senior management.
- Driven to deliver high performance with a focus on efficiency and engagement.
- Confident in the use of data and understanding/interpreting KPIs or other performance indicators.
- A champion of inclusivity, building an inclusive team and working environment.
- Comfortable in managing complex people matters such as disciplinaries and performance issues.
- Experience leading large teams in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.
- A track record of delivering exceptional customer experiences across complex operations.
- Proven success in delivering and improving KPIs.
- Experience managing sensitive and complex people matters with confidence and fairness.
- Leadership experience in an operational environment.
- Can evidence leading change effectively.
Working for us has great rewards:
- 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.
- Annual bonus scheme based on performance.
- 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.
- Cycle to Work scheme.
- Special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers and more.
An inclusive place to work and shop: We are dedicated to being a truly inclusive retailer, where every colleague can achieve their full potential and every customer feels welcome when they shop with us. We provide our colleagues resources to help them understand and support their role and their team effectively. Our internal colleague networks seek to ensure true representation for everyone, helping us identify and remove barriers that our colleagues may face. We are proud to offer a range of development opportunities, including mentorship, training, and career progression pathways, to help our colleagues grow and succeed. We also celebrate diversity through various initiatives and events, fostering a culture of inclusion and respect.
If you would like to learn more about our commitment to inclusivity, please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview stages.
Lead Food Manager in Leicester employer: Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd
Contact Detail:
Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Food Manager in Leicester
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture before your interview. Check out their social media and website to see what they value. This will help you tailor your answers and show that you're a great fit for their team.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your leadership stories! Think of specific examples where you've led a team or managed a project successfully. Be ready to share how you tackled challenges and drove results, especially in a fast-paced environment.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to ask questions during your interview! Show your interest by asking about team dynamics, upcoming projects, or how they measure success. It’s a great way to demonstrate your enthusiasm and get a feel for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and ready to take on the challenge of being a Lead Food Manager.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Food Manager in Leicester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your passion for food and leadership shine through. We want to see how excited you are about creating fantastic shopping experiences and leading a team to success!
Be Specific About Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your experience managing teams in fast-paced environments. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to drive performance and deliver exceptional customer service.
Emphasise Inclusivity: Since we value inclusivity, share how you've built diverse teams and fostered an inclusive environment. This shows us that you align with our commitment to making every colleague feel valued.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity as a Lead Food Manager.
How to prepare for a job interview at Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Lead Food Manager, you'll need to be confident in using data and interpreting KPIs. Before the interview, brush up on relevant metrics like sales figures, stock availability, and customer satisfaction scores. Be ready to discuss how you've used these numbers to drive performance in your previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This role requires a passionate leader who can manage a large team effectively. Prepare examples of how you've developed leaders and built high-performing teams. Think about specific situations where you’ve had to manage complex people matters and how you approached them with fairness and sound judgement.
✨Emphasise Inclusivity
Inclusivity is at the heart of this role. Be prepared to talk about how you've championed inclusivity in your previous positions. Share examples of how you've built diverse teams and created an environment where everyone feels valued and included.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your ability to handle challenges in a fast-paced retail environment. Think about times when you've had to lead change or manage difficult situations. Practise articulating your thought process and the actions you took to achieve positive outcomes.
