Catering Account Manager

Vertas Group's Catering Team is recruiting an account manager to handle commercial relationships with customer organisations for its catering contracts. The work centres on keeping contracts on track across several sites while helping to win and grow business through tendering. The post combines budget responsibility with leading and developing front-line catering teams, and includes deputising for the Senior Account Manager. Successful applicants must pass an Enhanced DBS check and right-to-work checks.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision makers in customer organisations
• Manage contracts and support tendering to retain and grow business
• Monitor delivery of catering services across multiple sites against agreed targets
• Manage operational budgets and ensure financial performance is achieved
• Lead, develop and support catering teams across your areas of responsibility
• Support recruitment, retention, training and development of colleagues
• Work with customers to develop service improvements and new opportunities
• Carry out regular site visits, audits and service reviews
• Monitor service quality, compliance and performance standards
• Manage relationships with third-party contractors and suppliers
• Support implementation of customer-specific service strategies
• Deputise for the Senior Account Manager when required

• Relevant catering or service-related qualification

• Experience in catering operations, contract management or account management
• Experience managing service delivery across multiple sites
• Experience managing budgets and financial performance
• Experience managing front-line operational teams

• Strong leadership and people management
• Excellent communication, relationship building and customer service, with a proactive, customer-focused approach
• Good understanding of contract management principles and best practice
• Sound knowledge of health and safety legislation and compliance
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills
• Strong IT skills and experience of performance management systems

• Enhanced DBS check, right to work checks and satisfactory references

• Strong organisation, time management and ability to prioritise and work independently
• Ability to analyse performance and identify improvement opportunities
• Knowledge of marketing and promotional activities
• Ability to adapt to change in a growing organisation