Full time Monday-Friday UK – National Role (Regular Travel Required) Up to £60000 per annum plus our Sodexo employee benefits package Opportunities for professional development Operational Excellence Dining Lead No fixed place of work At Sodexo, we’re passionate about our people.We know that our teams are the key to delivering exceptional service and creating meaningful experiences for our clients, customers, and employees. We are looking for an experienced and passionate culinary professional to ensure operational excellence across UK-based kitchen and dining operations on a high-profile client contract. This national role works closely with Chef Managers, Head Chefs, General Managers, and senior stakeholders to deliver consistently high-quality staff dining and hospitality services. You will act as a subject-matter expert and operational support lead, driving culinary standards, food safety, efficiency, and consistency across the UK portfolio while fostering a strong culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. As a Operational Excellence Dining Lead you'll: Collaborate with Head Chefs to design, cost, and standardise staff dining and hospitality menus Deliver events and themed days in line with the Sodexo marketing calendar, including menu execution, displays, and operational support Partner with the Digital Communications Team to ensure accurate and timely operational content supports marketing activity Lead the implementation of UK-wide culinary initiatives aligned with central Sodexo and EMEA Executive Chef direction Support General Managers with chef training, development, and the embedding of operational best practice Champion a consistent, high-quality food and drink brand in partnership with the UK Account Manager and EMEA Executive Chef Lead by example in food safety, allergen management, and health & safety compliance, ensuring audit readiness Drive waste reduction through monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives Support efficient, safe, and compliant kitchen set-ups across all sites Act as the first escalation point for supplier and vendor issues, ensuring compliance, quality standards, allergen controls, and credit resolution Provide flexible UK-wide operational cover for Head Chefs to support business continuity Ensure consistent operational standards across the UK portfolio, including DRIVe system compliance and additional training for site leads Conduct six-monthly stock management and operational reviews, covering cleanliness, compliance, allergen segregation, and cost control Provide management support on HR matters, including investigations and grievances where required Work with operational teams to achieve “Green” Safeguard audits (90%) and “5 Star” local authority ratings What we're looking for: What we're looking for: Qualifications & Experience NVQ Level 4 (Senior Culinary Chef) or equivalent professional experience Level 3 Food Safety qualification Strong background in multi-site culinary or foodservice operations Skills & Competencies Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills Passionate about culinary excellence, service quality, and operational standards Strong organisational, auditing, and problem-solving capability Committed to building long-term relationships with colleagues, clients, and customers 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 high street retailers (also open to friends and family) 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? Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we are in receipt of a high number of applications