At a Glance
- Tasks: Support operational excellence in catering across multiple independent schools in Scotland.
- Company: Join Sodexo, a global leader in improving quality of life.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, hybrid working, free lunch, and 28 days holiday.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on food service and client experience in schools.
- Qualifications: Experience in catering and strong team leadership skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with travel, training opportunities, and a supportive team culture.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
Salary: Competitive
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. 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)
Why join us?
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 everyday for everyone. 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 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.
Register your Interest for Regional Catering Operations Manager role in Sevenoaks employer: Sodexo Group
Contact Detail:
Sodexo Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Register your Interest for Regional Catering Operations Manager role in Sevenoaks
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the catering and food services industry, especially those connected to Sodexo. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insider info about the role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching Sodexo's values and their Fresh Food From Scratch philosophy. Show us how your experience aligns with our mission and how you can contribute to our team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your problem-solving skills! Be ready to discuss how you've tackled challenges in previous roles, especially in fast-paced environments. We love candidates who can think on their feet!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team at Sodexo.
We think you need these skills to ace Register your Interest for Regional Catering Operations Manager role in Sevenoaks
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Regional Catering Operations Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in catering and food services, and show us how you can bring value to our team.
Showcase Your Skills: We want to see your strong client relationship skills and your ability to lead teams across multiple sites. Use specific examples from your past experiences to demonstrate how you've successfully managed similar challenges.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured documents that are easy to read, so make sure your key points stand out and are easy to find.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details 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 Catering Operations Manager. Familiarise yourself with Sodexo's values, especially their Fresh Food From Scratch philosophy, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their mission.
✨Showcase Your People Skills
This role is all about building relationships. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams or built client relationships in the past. Highlight your ability to motivate and support others, as well as your calm, solutions-focused approach.
✨Be Ready for Variety
Expect questions about how you handle diverse tasks and challenges. Think of specific instances where you've had to troubleshoot on-site or adapt quickly to changing circumstances. This will show that you're flexible and ready for the dynamic nature of the job.
✨Demonstrate Your Organisational Skills
With multiple sites to manage, organisation is key. Be prepared to discuss your methods for prioritising tasks and ensuring compliance with health and safety standards. Bring up any tools or systems you've used to keep everything running smoothly.