Hospitality | FMCG Project Lead (Start-Up & New Concepts)

Good Food Studio - Food & Restaurant Consultancy; Greater London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A food consultancy firm in London is seeking an experienced Project Lead to manage complex hospitality projects from inception to implementation. The ideal candidate will serve as the primary client contact, ensuring effective communication while balancing project budgets and timelines. Responsibilities include leading project delivery, maintaining quality checks, and fostering client relationships. This position requires strong organizational and project management skills, along with a passion for food and hospitality.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in project management within hospitality, food, FMCG, or F&B consultancy.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Confident client-facing communicator with excellent stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary client contact across all project stages.
• Lead end-to-end project delivery from strategy to implementation.
• Create and maintain detailed project plans, timelines, and milestones.

Skills

Project management

Client communication

Organizational skills

Commercial awareness

Stakeholder management

Culinary arts knowledge

Job description

PLEASE ONLY APPLY IF YOU MEET THE CRITERIA BELOW AND CAN TRAVEL DAILY TO SOUTH LONDON WHERE THE STUDIO IS BASED

This role is not suitable for candidates without hands‑on hospitality, food, or F&B start‑up experience. We are specifically looking for people who have worked in hospitality, food brands, or food‑led start‑ups.

Role : Project Lead / Project Manager

Areas : Project & Client Services, Food & Hospitality, FMCG

Salary : Full‑time up to £45,000 per annum (DOE)

Location : Camberwell, SE5 0BH, London (office‑based)

About Good Food Studio

Good Food Studio is a London‑based food consultancy working with brands across hospitality, QSR, FMCG, and subscription meals. We support businesses from early‑stage ideas through to launch and beyond, delivering concept strategy, commercial modelling, recipe development, procurement, contractor coordination, and post‑launch support.

The Role

We’re looking for an experienced Project Lead to join our growing team. This is a senior, client‑facing role responsible for leading complex food and hospitality projects from idea through to implementation.

You’ll be the main point of contact for clients, managing timelines, budgets, and quality while coordinating internal teams and external partners. Working closely with the founders, this role combines strong project management, commercial awareness, and confident client leadership.

This position is ideal for someone highly organised, commercially minded, and comfortable juggling multiple workstreams in a fast‑paced consultancy environment.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Delivery

• Act as the primary client contact across all project stages, ensuring clear communication and smooth delivery.
• Lead end‑to‑end project delivery from strategy and concept through to launch and implementation.
• Create and maintain detailed project plans, timelines, milestones, and dependencies.
• Assign and manage tasks across internal teams (development chefs, researchers, technologists), balancing studio workload and resources.
• Ensure all outputs are quality‑checked and delivered on time and within scope.
• Monitor project budgets, identifying risks, overruns, or scope changes early.

Client Management & Communication

• Lead regular client check‑ins, updates, and milestone meetings.
• Translate client vision and commercial objectives into clear internal briefs.
• Manage expectations and scope changes professionally and proactively.
• Coordinate and deliver final presentations and key project reviews.

Business Development

• Manage incoming enquiries and support outbound prospecting to grow the studio’s pipeline.
• Write, present, and deliver compelling proposals and pitch decks.
• Build and maintain long‑term client relationships, identifying opportunities for repeat work and new project phases.
• Support pricing decisions and commercial scoping for additional work.

Commercial & Strategic Input

• Contribute to commercial modelling discussions, including high‑level P&L assumptions and growth scenarios.
• Support founders with strategic insight across projects and service development.
• Flag risks and opportunities that impact delivery, profitability, or client outcomes.

Contractor, Site & Partner Coordination

• Manage third‑party contractors and consultants (brand, design, interiors, kitchen specialists).
• Run tender processes where required and review contractor outputs for alignment with the brief.
• Coordinate site identification, viewings, and key site visits with clients and agents.
• Liaise with landlords and legal teams where necessary.

Operational Readiness & Launch Support

• Coordinate operational planning, including manuals, training programmes, staffing structures, and launch toolkits.
• Support recruitment planning by defining recruitment priorities and hiring needs.
• Oversee mobilisation and launch preparation, ensuring all pre‑opening deliverables are aligned.
• Support post‑launch reporting, budgeting and ongoing operational coordination.

Requirements & Skills

• Proven experience in project management within hospitality, food, FMCG, or F&B consultancy.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Confident client‑facing communicator with excellent stakeholder management skills.
• Commercially aware, with experience contributing to budgets or business models.
• Advanced computer skills and confidence learning new systems quickly.
• A car, or access to a car on an ad‑hoc basis, due to some national travel.
• Passion for food, hospitality, and delivering high‑quality client outcomes.
• Background in culinary arts, food science, or hospitality operations is beneficial but not essential.

Additional Information

This is an office‑based role in Camberwell, SE5 0BH.

Occasional travel to client sites and other locations will be required.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.