kitchen staff jobs

Job Advert: Chef Manager

Location: Manchester, M17 1NX

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £33,000 per annum

Hours: Monday to Friday 7am-3pm (Flexibility for weekends, aligning to business needs)

About the Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Chef Manager to lead our catering operation and deliver an exceptional food service experience. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate and self-motivated culinary professional who thrives in a dynamic environment and can inspire a team to consistently achieve excellence.

As Chef Manager, you will oversee all aspects of food production, financial performance, hygiene and safety compliance, service delivery, and team leadership—ensuring that all services meet agreed client standards and align with Sodexo’s policies and procedures. You will also play an active role in identifying opportunities for business growth, improving customer satisfaction, and enhancing operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Service Excellence

• Deliver all meals and catering services to agreed standards and KPIs.
• Ensure consistently high standards of food preparation, presentation, and hygiene across the operation.
• Conduct daily pre-service briefings and implement themed events in line with Sodexo marketing campaigns.

Compliance & Safety

• Enforce statutory, company, and site OH&S requirements and ensure all equipment is safe, maintained, and compliant.
• Adhere to all cleaning and hygiene standards, including routine audits in line with the Quality Management System.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, COSHH, fire regulations, and site-specific procedures.

Financial & Operational Control

• Ensure accurate financial documentation and reporting, meeting all weekly and monthly deadlines.
• Manage budgets effectively, controlling expenditure, labour, stock levels, and cash.
• Ensure correct pricing, costing, and charging of services in line with contractual terms.
• Maintain accurate stock, credit, and cash control in line with company targets.

People Leadership

• Lead, train, motivate and develop catering employees to achieve high operational standards.
• Recruit, induct, appraise, and support staff, maintaining accurate training records and promoting positive employee relations.
• Ensure all team members project a professional, friendly, and customer-focused image.

Business Development & Client Relationship

• Work closely with on-site clients and the Sodexo Food Services Lead to maintain excellent relationships.
• Identify and drive opportunities for service improvement and business growth.
• Ensure consistently positive feedback and client satisfaction.

About You – Person Specification

We are looking for someone who brings:

• Proven experience managing and leading a kitchen and front-of-house team.
• Strong financial acumen with solid budgeting and cost-management skills.
• Experience working in a compliance-driven environment.
• Excellent communication, customer service, and negotiation skills.
• Creativity, innovation, and a passion for food and service excellence.
• A track record of driving company initiatives and operational improvements.
• Relevant culinary qualifications and Health & Safety training.

Why Sodexo?

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater.

Belong in a company and team that values you for you.

Act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions.

Thrive in your own way.

We also offer a range of perks, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering wellbeing support
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or life's larger problems, including legal and financial advice, support with work or personal issues impacting your wellbeing
• Access to a 24hr virtual GP Service
• Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 across popular big-brand retailers
• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Pension Plan
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools
• Bike to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit
• Sodexo UK and Irelands enhanced benefits and leave policies

A little more 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 100million 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 forces 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.

Click here to read more about what we do to promote an inclusive culture.

Ready to be part of something greater?

For careers that mean business.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we are in receipt of a high number of applications.