At a Glance
- Tasks: Support operational excellence across independent schools while building strong client relationships.
- Company: Join Sodexo, a global leader in improving quality of life.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, 28 days holiday, hybrid working, and free lunches.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in education by delivering high-quality food and service.
- Qualifications: Experience in catering/food services and strong team leadership skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with travel opportunities and excellent career development.
The predicted salary is between 29000 - 43000 ÂŁ per year.
Salary: Circa ÂŁ36,500 per annum
Location: Multi-site role across central Scotland (regular travel). Ideally based around Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Midlothian, West Lothian
Benefits:
- Highly competitive salary
- 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
- Site closures on Christmas day & New Year day
- Hybrid working
- Day shifts with very occasional evenings/weekends as required
- Mileage paid for business travel
- Company pension scheme
- Free lunch on site
- Company laptop & mobile
- Free on-site parking and/or good public transport links
- Wellbeing support (Employee Assistance Programme + Occupational Health)
- Training & development (including apprenticeships for all levels)
- Access to Sodexo’s internal career pathways
- Paid PVG/DBS check
- Retail, leisure and lifestyle discounts (high street, holidays, cinema + cashback)
- Discounted gym/health club memberships
- Recognition programmes to celebrate great work
- 3 paid volunteering days
- Refer a Friend bonus up to ÂŁ500 (for Sodexo employees)
- Cycle to Work scheme
About the role:
This is a brand-new opportunity to join Independents by Sodexo – Scotland in a key support role that helps our school sites consistently deliver outstanding food, service and client experience. You’ll work closely with the Senior Account Manager, providing hands-on operational support across a portfolio of independent schools and stepping in to cover and keep things running smoothly when needed. You’ll be the kind of person who loves variety: relationship-building one minute, troubleshooting the next, then rolling your sleeves up on site to support teams, service standards, workforce planning and reporting.
Where you’ll be based:
This is a multi-site Scotland role with regular travel, primarily supporting sites in and around Edinburgh, Perth, St Andrews and Ayrshire (with occasional additional locations and limited UK travel around once per year). You’ll typically spend one day per week at Strathallan School, Perth. The rest of the week will flex depending on business needs and site priorities. Hybrid working is possible (typically 1 day per week from home, with more flexibility during the summer months).
What you’ll be doing:
- Supporting the Senior Account Manager to deliver operational excellence and strong, long-term client relationships
- Driving continuous improvement across people, systems, processes and service standards
- Building trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders, representing Sodexo professionally at all times
- Supporting managers with HR processes including recruitment, performance, absence and engagement, in line with Sodexo policy
- Coordinating and communicating best practice and initiatives across the district (e.g. marketing activity, projects, WFM)
- Championing Health & Safety, compliance and safeguarding requirements in schools (including PVG and food safety/allergen standards)
- Supporting service delivery with strong admin and reporting—accurate, on time, and to a high standard
- Providing on-site operational cover when required (e.g. absence cover)
- Supporting stock/equipment controls and ensuring services are delivered within budget
- Deputising for the Senior Account Manager when needed
What you’ll bring:
- Catering/food services experience is essential
- Confident leading, supporting and motivating teams across multiple sites
- Strong client relationship skills—credible, calm and solutions-focused
- Organised and able to prioritise in a fast-paced, changing environment
- Excellent attention to detail (especially with admin, compliance and reporting)
- Comfortable presenting, training and engaging teams
- IT confident and happy working across multiple systems (e.g. Teams, eProfit, Power BI, workforce management tools)
- Happy to travel regularly and provide on-site support when required (full driving licence preferred; mileage paid)
You’ll be joining a supportive, high-performing team in a role with real variety, visibility and impact—helping shape consistent standards across some fantastic independent school environments. If you enjoy developing people, improving operations, and delivering a fresh-food, high-quality service, you’ll feel right at home.
Our food ethos: You’ll help champion our Fresh Food From Scratch philosophy across the region.
About Sodexo:
At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better every day for everyone to build a better life for all. As the global leader in services that improve the Quality of Life, we operate in 55 countries, serving over 100 million consumers each day through our unique combination of On-Site Food and FM Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services. We are committed to being an inclusive employer. We are a force friendly employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities. We encourage our employees to get involved with our Employee Networks such as Pride, Sodexo Parents & Carers, Sodexo Disability, Ability network, SoTogether, Generations and Origins. We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. We run a Disability Confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.
Ready to be part of something greater? Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we are in receipt of a high number of applications.
Regional Business Operations Manager employer: Sodexo Group
Contact Detail:
Sodexo Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Regional Business Operations Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend local events, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and role thoroughly. Understand Sodexo’s values and how they align with your own. This will help you answer questions confidently and show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of the team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or family to get comfortable with common questions. This will help you articulate your experience and skills effectively when it counts.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it keeps you on their radar as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Regional Business Operations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Regional Business Operations Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in catering and food services, and show how your skills align with what we’re looking for at Sodexo.
Showcase Your Relationship-Building Skills: We value strong client relationships, so don’t forget to mention any past experiences where you’ve successfully built rapport with clients or stakeholders. This will help us see how you can represent Sodexo professionally.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read through your qualifications and experiences quickly.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with Sodexo!
How to prepare for a job interview at Sodexo Group
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, make sure you understand the role of a Regional Business Operations Manager. Familiarise yourself with Sodexo's values and their Fresh Food From Scratch philosophy. This will help you demonstrate your alignment with their mission and show that you're genuinely interested in the position.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare specific examples from your past work that highlight your catering/food services experience and your ability to lead teams across multiple sites. Think about times when you've successfully built client relationships or improved operational processes, as these are key aspects of the role.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle various situations, such as troubleshooting on-site issues or managing HR processes. Practise your responses to these scenarios, focusing on your problem-solving skills and ability to stay calm under pressure.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
At the end of the interview, have a few insightful questions ready to ask. This could be about the team dynamics, opportunities for training and development, or how Sodexo measures success in this role. It shows your enthusiasm and helps you gauge if the company is the right fit for you.