Senior Manager, Area Support (Food)

As a Senior Manager, Area Support - Food Services at Sodexo, your primary responsibilities include coordinating operations across various healthcare accounts, ensuring high-quality food and nutrition services, managing relationships with clients and internal staff, and achieving financial objectives. Additionally, you'll focus on compliance with safety regulations and maintaining stellar customer service.

To qualify for the Senior Manager, Area Support - Food Services position at Sodexo, you should have a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience, along with a minimum of 5 years of management experience and at least 3 years in operational roles within food service, particularly in the healthcare sector.

Beneficial experience for the Senior Manager, Area Support - Food Services role includes a strong background in healthcare food service management, culinary production experience, and a history of customer service excellence. Additionally, leadership skills in managing teams and ensuring safety and sanitation compliance are essential.

The work environment at Sodexo as a Senior Manager, Area Support - Food Services is collaborative and inclusive, with a strong focus on employee engagement and support. You'll work alongside dedicated teams, fostering a culture of respect and valuing diverse perspectives, all while making a significant impact on patient experiences and satisfaction.

Yes, Sodexo prides itself on providing numerous career growth opportunities for employees. In the role of Senior Manager, Area Support - Food Services, you will be encouraged to advance your career through professional development programs, training, and mentorship.

A good approach is to describe your management style as collaborative and supportive. Highlight your commitment to empowering your team through open communication and shared goals, ensuring every team member feels valued and engaged in the operations.

Discuss your method for prioritizing tasks, which might include assessing urgency, understanding the impact on client satisfaction, and evaluating team needs. Mention any tools or strategies, such as project management software, that you utilize to maintain organization.

Share specific examples of your experience in managing budgets, monitoring financial performance, and achieving financial targets within food services. Use quantitative results if possible to demonstrate your accomplishments.

Explain your approach to ensuring compliance, such as implementing regular training for staff, conducting audits, and staying updated on regulations. Provide examples of how you've maintained high food safety standards in previous roles.

Detail your conflict resolution strategies, including active listening, mediation techniques, and fostering a positive team environment where individuals feel comfortable discussing issues openly. Provide an example where you successfully resolved a conflict.

Discuss specific strategies you would implement, such as soliciting feedback from clients and patients, ensuring high standards of food quality, and regularly reviewing service levels. Mention how you'd involve your team in achieving these goals.

Share a project where you successfully implemented changes or improvements in food service operations. Be specific about your role, the strategies you used, and the positive outcomes achieved.

Discuss the critical importance of nutrition in healthcare food services, emphasizing how it affects patient recovery, satisfaction, and overall well-being. Tie this into your experience ensuring compliance with dietary guidelines.

Highlight your methods of clear and effective communication, including regular team meetings, having an open-door policy, and utilizing written communication for clarity. Stress the importance of keeping everyone informed and engaged.

Describe the challenges of managing multi-site operations, such as maintaining quality consistency and operational efficiency. Share your strategies for addressing these challenges, such as regular visits to sites and utilizing standard operating procedures.