Food Manager

Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd; Whitstable; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Discount card 10% off on shopping

Annual bonus scheme

Free food and hot drinks

Pension match 4-7.5%

Sainsbury's share scheme

Wellbeing support

Cycle to Work

Job summary

Sainsbury's Whitstable Store is seeking a Part Time Food Manager to lead and coach a busy team in a fast-paced food hall environment. You will drive high standards, customer service, and efficient operations while ensuring policy compliance and accurate scheduling.

With responsibility for people management and day-to-day store leadership, you will ensure customers receive the products they want and that the store runs smoothly. This role emphasizes customer experience and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Previous line management responsibilities in a fast-paced, operational environment.
• Brilliant customer service and coaching a team to do the same.
• Deliver KPI's or other performance indicators.
• Experience managing disciplinary and performance issues.

Responsibilities

• Role modelling and coaching for high standards and efficiency across the whole food hall.
• Managing compliance to processes whilst bringing the passion and flair for great shop keeping and customer service.
• Ensure every customer gets the food they want when they shop with us to help ensure we are the first choice for food.
• People management including performance, capability, disciplinaries and ensuring scheduling and pay are accurate.
• At times you will assume overall responsibility for running the store and directing colleagues.

Skills

Leadership

Customer service

People management

KPI delivery

Disciplinary handling

Operations management

Job description

Salary: From £32,700 pro rata
Location: Whitstable Store, Whitstable, CT5 3QS
Hours: Part time
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Retail
Closing date: 30 September 2026
Requisition ID: 400082010

Availability Window

This vacancy is being advertised as Part Time - 32 hours a week

Leading in our stores

Our management teams don't just run stores - they're the driving force behind our business. With bold leadership, a passion for service and an eye for opportunity, they empower teams to raise the bar every single day for our customers. Whether it's product availability, safety standards, or delivering seamless daily operations, they're hand-on, sleeves-rolled-up changemakers. And the impact? Work becomes more rewarding for our colleagues, and shopping becomes a next-level experience for every customer who walks through our doors. This is how we bring our purpose to life, one powerful action at a time.

*Please be aware this is a Part Time role. Hours will be discussed at interview.

What you'll be doing:

• Role modelling and coaching for high standards and efficiency across the whole food hall.
• Managing compliance to processes whilst bringing the passion and flare for great shop keeping and customer service.
• Ensure every single one of our customers gets the food they want when they shop with us to help ensure we are the first choice for food.
• People management is a big part of the role, managing performance and capability, conducting disciplinaries and ensuring scheduling and pay are accurate.
• At times you will assume overall responsibility for running the store, making sure that all colleagues are given direction and support to deliver for the customer.

What makes a great food manager

• Previous line management responsibilities in a fast-paced, operational environment.
• Provides brilliant customer service and coaches a team to do the same.
• Delivers KPI's or other performance indicators.
• Can manage disciplinaries, performance issues or other similar employee relations issues.
• Leads operations and comfortable doing this alone in the absence of more senior management.
• A track record of delivering exceptional customer experiences, with evidence of coaching others to consistently raise the bar.
• Experience leading teams in a dynamic, customer-facing environment - you've inspired others, driven high performance, and created a culture where colleagues thrive.
• Leadership experience in a high-volume, fast-paced operational setting - whether in retail, food service, or hospitality - where you've overseen daily operations, solved business problems, and kept teams focused on what matters most: delivering for customers.
• Proven success in delivering against a wide range of KPIs - from sales and stock availability to customer satisfaction and colleague engagement, you've made a measurable difference.
• Experience managing complex people matters, including performance, absence, and formal employee relations cases, with confidence and fairness.

Working for us has great rewards

Salary will be dependent upon your experience as well as the store size, complexity and location. Alongside this, we also offer a great range of benefits for our managers, including:

• Discount card - 10% discount off on your shopping at Sainsbury's, Argos, Tu and Habitat after four weeks. This increases to 15% discount off at Sainsbury's every Friday and Saturday.
• An annual bonus scheme based on our, and your, performance.
• Free food and hot drinks provided for Colleagues in all our stores.
• Generous holiday entitlement, maternity and paternity leave.
• Pension - we'll match 4-7.5% of your pension contributions.
• Sainsbury's share scheme - build up an investment at discounted rates.
• Wellbeing support - access to emotional support, counselling, legal and financial advice.
• Colleague networks - link with like-minded people to help fulfil your potential.
• Our Cycle to Work scheme gives you the opportunity to hire a new bike and cycling equipment, whilst saving on tax and NI.
• Special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers and more.

An inclusive place to work and shop

We are dedicated to being a truly inclusive retailer, where every colleague can achieve their full potential and every customer feels welcome when they shop with us.

To support this commitment, our colleagues may be entitled to a range of enhanced discretionary leave for families, as well as support for carers. We provide our colleagues resources to help them understand and support their role and their team effectively. Our internal colleague networks seek to ensure true representation for everyone, helping us identify and remove barriers that our colleagues may face. We are proud to offer a range of development opportunities, including mentorship, training, and career progression pathways, to help our colleagues grow and succeed. We also celebrate diversity through various initiatives and events, fostering a culture of inclusion and respect. If you would like to learn more about our commitment to inclusivity, please take a look here .

Should you require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview stages, please let us know, and we will endeavour to support you.