Lead Mechanical Operator

Mars; Ascot; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A global hospitality leader is seeking a Service Excellence Manager to enhance guest experiences at their prestigious events. This pivotal role involves shaping service culture, developing training programs, and ensuring excellence across all operations. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in hospitality, solid leadership skills, and a strong guest-centric mindset. The position comes with competitive compensation and numerous employee benefits including wellness support, rewards programs, and career development opportunities.

Benefits

Wellbeing support platform

Employee Assistance Programme

Health and wellbeing app

Sodexo Discounts Scheme

Retirement Plan

Volunteering Opportunities

Cycle to Work Scheme

Comprehensive uniform provision

Qualifications

• Experience in large venues or event catering environments.
• Ability to deliver impactful training sessions.
• Proven coaching and management experience.

Responsibilities

• Champion a culture of excellence across all service interactions.
• Build engaging online and in-person training programs.
• Continuously assess service standards and implement improvements.

Skills

Proven experience in hospitality operations

Engaging training content design

Strong leadership skills

Guest-centric mindset

Data-driven improvement

Excellent communication skills

Job description

experiences, we deliver bespoke occasions that embody quality, sophistication and style. Excellence is at the heart of everything we do. Those who join us share our ambition to create moments that inspire, connect and live long in the memory.

Job Introduction We're seeking a Service Excellence Manager who will elevate our guest experience from exceptional to unforgettable. In this pivotal role, you'll shape the service culture across all Food & Beverage operations from Royal Ascot to private Events and Conferences, ensuring our teams deliver excellence with every interaction. This is your opportunity to make a lasting impact at a globally recognised venue, leading the design and delivery of innovative service training, developing our people and championing best‑class hospitality. You'll have the creative autonomy to reimagine how service looks and feels at Ascot, with the full backing of our senior leadership team.

In return, you'll gain the opportunity to influence service standards at a venue that sets the benchmark for premium Event Hospitality, access to Sodexo Live!'s global expertise and the pride of shaping guest experiences that define a legacy.

Job Responsibilities

• Champion a culture of excellence, set and regularly review standards, so every interaction is positive and consistent.
• Build engaging online and in‑person training programmes, create training plans and steer clear development pathways for casual workers.
• Work closely with the Operations teams to coach, motivate and mentor teams, embedding best practice during live events.
• Continuously assess service standards, cleanliness, compliance and overall guest journey, driving corrective actions.
• Capture and analyse feedback from all channels related to guest feedback, respond to issues, and improve mechanisms to gather consistent insights.
• Develop and refine SOPs and best practices, to boost service quality and efficiency, leveraging modern training techniques and technology, where appropriate.
• Report on metrics, trends and initiatives; partner with HR, Operations, Marketing, Culinary and Finance to align with business goals.

What You Will Bring

• Proven experience in hospitality operations, guest experience, service training, or hospitality management, ideally within large venues, hotels, or event catering environments.
• Training Excellence: Proven ability to design engaging training content (online and in‑person), deliver impactful sessions, and embed behavioural change across diverse teams.
• Leadership & Influence: Strong leadership skills with experience coaching, managing, and motivating teams; confident influencing at all levels and challenging constructively when needed.
• Guest‑Centric Mindset: Creative, observant, and in tune with what great service looks and feels like – able to turn insights into practical improvements.
• Data‑Driven Improvement: Comfortable analysing guest feedback and operational data to spot trends and implement effective solutions.
• Hands‑On & Proactive: A problem‑solver with a can‑do attitude who's happy to be visible on the floor and lead from the front, across multiple accounts.
• Communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of building rapport with guests and colleagues alike.
• Flexibility: Willingness to work some evenings and weekends around major events.
• Passion for Hospitality: A genuine commitment to outstanding customer service and continuous improvement.

What we offer

Working with Sodexo Live! is more than a job; it's a chance to be part of something greater. You'll belong in a company and team that values you for you; you'll act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions; and you'll be able to thrive in your own way. In addition, we also offer a range of resources, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering mental health and wellbeing support.
• Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or larger problems where you may need additional support, including legal and financial advice, support with work related issues or personal issues such as bereavement.
• Access to a free health and wellbeing app that provides rewards for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and includes access to a 24hr virtual GP and various other services.
• The Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 (also open to friends and family) and/or the prepayment cashback card.
• Money Insights and financial benefits via the Salary Finance Platform.
• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Sodexo Retirement Plan.
• A Death‑in‑Service benefit for colleagues who pass away whilst employed by Sodexo.
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools.
• Cycle to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit.
• Volunteering Opportunities to enable all colleagues to help support worthwhile causes in our communities.
• Flexible and dynamic work environment.
• Competitive compensation.
• Full training and full protective uniform supplied.

Ready to be part of something greater? Apply today! Career progression for the caring profession.

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