Food Manager

Sainsbury's; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic Food Manager to lead a team in delivering exceptional customer service and operational excellence. This role offers the chance to develop your leadership skills while managing a medium to large team in a fast-paced environment. You'll be responsible for ensuring that grocery and fresh produce are always available and well-presented, driving training, and fostering a supportive workplace culture. With opportunities for career progression and a range of attractive benefits, this position is perfect for those eager to grow and make a difference in their community.

Benefits

10% discount at Sainsbury’s, Argos, Tu, and Habitat

Free food and hot drinks for colleagues

Generous holiday entitlement

Matching pension contributions

Sainsbury’s share scheme

Wellbeing support

Colleague networks

Cycle to Work scheme

Special offers on gym memberships

Special offers on retail vouchers

Qualifications

• Experience in managing or supervising teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to handle daily challenges and provide feedback effectively.

Responsibilities

• Support the Lead Food Manager in improving customer outcomes.
• Manage a medium to large in-store team and assign tasks.
• Foster a welcoming environment for team development.

Skills

People Development

Leadership

Customer Service

Operational Management

Team Management

Tools

Digital Solutions

Stock Management Systems

Job description

You’re ambitious for more leadership responsibility. Maybe one day, you’d like to run your own store or take on a bigger role in the future. First, you want to focus on your people development skills – crafting a team that delivers what you need, when you need it.

This is a well-balanced management role with clear accountability – you’ll understand exactly what’s expected of you and who to turn to for support. Whether you already have some supervisory experience or you’re looking to make the step up, it’s the perfect chance to get close to your team and grow your skills.

What you’ll be doing

Our purpose is driven by our passion for food: together, we serve and help every customer.

Food sets the standard for the rest of the store – getting it right means our customers choose to return again and again. It’s critical that grocery, fresh, and produce are always available and looking their best. Your leadership will deliver throughout the day, every day. Reporting to our Lead Food Manager, your role focuses on operational in-store management, ensuring that your area runs smoothly, day in, day out.

There’s an emphasis on managing a medium to large in-store team – assigning tasks, planning breaks, creating rotas, addressing performance issues sensitively and effectively, and assisting with recruitment. You’ll be a visible leader on the shop floor, a role model who drives training and fosters a welcoming environment where everyone feels safe to challenge the way things are done.

What success looks like

There’s a lot to achieve. Here’s how you’ll know you’re developing:

• Supporting the Lead Food Manager to improve customer and retail outcomes in your area.

• Collaborating closely with another Food Manager, sharing ideas and identifying improvements, and ensuring a smooth handover between shifts.

• Being confident in giving honest, early, and frequent feedback to your team.

• Helping your team see things from the customers’ perspective and taking pride in delivering better service.

• Making decisions confidently and at pace, even when not all the answers are known.

About you

We’re open-minded about your career path. You’re probably already managing or supervising people in a fast-paced setting and confident handling various daily challenges – your team depends on you!

You’ll need to share Sainsbury’s love of technology. We embrace digital solutions – from stock management to rotas.

What matters most is you – motivated to develop, dedicated to bringing out the best in others, and passionate about customer service. That’s what our stores are all about.

Where next?

The Sainsbury’s in-store management structure is designed to support your progression, providing support and opportunities to deliver excellence. Upon joining, you’ll receive a comprehensive induction, orientation, and a tailored training plan developed with your manager. They will support and coach you to perform well while allowing time for your development.

As a Food Manager, you could advance into roles such as Lead Manager in Food, In-store Customer Experience, Clothing, or General Merchandise. Looking further ahead, this experience prepares you for Store Management or leadership roles across Sainsbury’s family brands, including Habitat, Tu, Argos, Sainsbury’s Bank, and Nectar 360. We’re committed to helping you reach your potential.

Added benefits

Salary depends on your experience, store size, complexity, and location. We also offer a range of benefits, including:

• 10% discount at Sainsbury’s, Argos, Tu, and Habitat after four weeks, increasing to 15% on Fridays and Saturdays at Sainsbury’s, and 15% at Argos every payday.
• Free food and hot drinks for colleagues in all stores.
• Generous holiday entitlement, maternity, and paternity leave.
• Matching 4-7.5% of your pension contributions.
• Sainsbury’s share scheme for discounted investment opportunities.
• Wellbeing support, including emotional support, counseling, legal, and financial advice.
• Colleague networks to connect with like-minded colleagues and support your development.
• Cycle to Work scheme to hire bikes and cycling gear, saving on tax and NI.
• Special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers, and more.

Click ‘apply’ to start your Sainsbury’s journey.