Business Catering Manager

Sodexo Group; Limerick; Hybrid; EUR 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing platform access

Employee Assistance Programme

24/7 virtual GP

Discounts scheme

Pension plan

Learning & development

Bike to Work

Enhanced benefits & leave

Job summary

Sodexo is seeking a Catering Business Manager in Limerick, Ireland. This hands-on leadership role oversees kitchen operations, onsite restaurants, hospitality events and vending services, driving customer experience and commercial performance.

You will lead your team, manage budgets and deliver against targets, while collaborating with the client and Sodexo teams to maximise sales opportunities and ensure regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience in business management or related role.
• Strong commercial awareness and budgeting experience.
• Excellent customer service and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leading, motivating and developing teams.
• Strong communication and organisational skills with attention to detail.
• Proficiency with systems and data to monitor performance.
• Experience in health & safety and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day delivery of kitchen, restaurant, hospitality and vending services.
• Drive sales growth and customer loyalty; identify opportunities to improve experience.
• Manage staffing levels and rotas in line with trading patterns and budget.
• Monitor financial performance; support monthly P&L reporting and forecasting.
• Manage client billing; prepare for monthly financial reviews.
• Control stock, cash, costs and wastage to protect profitability.
• Collaborate with the client and Sodexo teams to deliver excellent service.
• Lead, develop and train team through effective reviews and communication.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and regulatory compliance.
• Use data and systems to monitor performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Support a strong sales culture and address any performance gaps.
• Work with wider teams to align strategy and enhance the food offer.

Skills

Business management

Commercial leadership

People leadership

Customer service

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Financial reporting

Job description

Catering Business Manager

Location: Limerick, Ireland
Salary: €50,000 plus Sodexo benefits
Contract: Full-time, Permanent

About the Role

We’re looking for an experienced and commercially focused Catering Business Manager to lead a busy and varied catering operation.

This is a hands‑on leadership role with responsibility for kitchen operations, onsite restaurants, hospitality events and vending services. You’ll drive exceptional customer experiences while managing commercial performance, financial reporting and business growth.

Working closely with the client and wider Sodexo teams, you’ll lead your team to deliver high‑quality services, maximise sales opportunities and ensure the operation performs against budget and agreed targets.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and manage the day‑to‑day delivery of kitchen, restaurant, hospitality and vending services.
• Drive sales growth, customer loyalty and opportunities to improve the customer experience.
• Manage staffing levels and rotas in line with trading patterns, business needs and budget requirements.
• Monitor financial performance, produce trading returns and support monthly P&L reporting and forecasting.
• Manage client billing and prepare for monthly financial reviews.
• Control stock, cash, costs and wastage to protect profitability.
• Work closely with the onsite client and key stakeholders to deliver an excellent service.
• Lead, support and develop your team through training, communication and performance reviews.
• Ensure high standards of food safety, hygiene, health & safety and regulatory compliance.
• Maintain accurate records and use systems and data to monitor performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support a strong sales culture and put plans in place to address any gaps in performance.
• Work closely with wider business teams to align strategy and continuously improve the food offer and customer journey.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone with strong business management, commercial and people leadership experience, ideally gained within catering, hospitality, food service or a similar customer‑focused environment.

You’ll have:

• Previous experience in business management or a related role.
• Strong commercial awareness and experience managing budgets, costs and financial performance.
• Excellent customer service and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leading, motivating and developing teams.
• Strong communication and organisational skills with a keen eye for detail.
• Good IT skills and confidence using systems and data to monitor performance.
• Experience working within a strong health & safety and compliance culture.
• A proactive, hands‑on and solutions‑focused approach.
• The ability to identify opportunities, drive improvements and deliver results.

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 foryou.

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 tobeingan 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.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we are in receipt of a high number of applications