Food Portfolio Specialist
| Posting date: | 12 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 11 February 2026 |
| Location: | West Sussex, South East England |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | ISS Facilities Services |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 151190 |
Summary
Food Portfolio Specialist
Contract: Education
Location: West Sussex
Hours of work: 40
Contract Type: Permanent
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Food Portfolio Specialist to play a key role in the mobilisation and delivery of our prestigious new contract with West Sussex County Council.
This is the largest catering contract in the UK within the Education sector, with a turnover of £14m, covering 160 sites across West Sussex. This is a high-profile opportunity and a stepping stone into a growing Education portfolio.
Job Description
Your primary focus will be to ensure that all food and services across our schools meet our brand standards and deliver exceptional experiences for pupils, parents, and stakeholders.
You will audit operations, support improvements, and drive engagement through events and workshops. This role requires strong culinary expertise, excellent communication skills, and a proactive approach to delivering added value through parent evenings, tastings, and interactive sessions with students.
Key Responsibilities
Ensure all food and services within Education meet brand standards across 160 sites.
Audit the business regularly, identifying and supporting areas for improvement.
Drive events and initiatives that uphold our client offer and support retention and growth.
Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, parents, pupils, and stakeholders.
Plan and deliver Food Education Event Days (minimum one per term across the region).
Provide support for parent and pupil events such as evenings, tastings, assemblies, and councils.
Collaborate with the Key Account Director (KAD) to implement new ideas that enhance satisfaction.
Support menu feedback processes to help shape and improve offerings.
Ensure compliance with all food development processes and procedures.
Professional and Personal Competencies/Qualifications
Previous chef experience; ideal for a Chef Manager seeking a new challenge.
Relevant chef/food qualifications and strong culinary background.
Excellent people skills and communication abilities.
Positive, proactive attitude with high energy and drive.
Ability to work closely with internal teams and external partners (e.g., Apetito).
Strong focus on achieving targeted results and delivering beyond expectations.
The Company
ISS is a world-leading workplace and facility management company, connecting people and places to make the world work better. Working with customers day by day, side by side, we understand every aspect of the user experience.
Through a unique combination of intelligent solutions, high standards and people who care, to help our customers achieve their purpose, whether it’s hospitals healing patients, businesses producing the next great innovation, or airports bringing passengers home to their families. ISS is committed to doing business the right way, taking its corporate responsibility very seriously. Our passion is people.
We offer you a challenging and exciting career in an organisation with people at its heart. In ISS, everyone has the opportunity to develop, grow and make a difference. #ISSGreatPeople #ISSTalent #PeopleMakePlace
ISS is proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer.
ISS welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity or gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race (which includes race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and caste), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.
We are a Disability Confident Committed (Level 2) employer, proudly supporting and promoting inclusive hiring practices in line with the UK government’s Disability Confident scheme.
Our passion for inclusivity and diversity makes ISS a more creative, productive and happy place to work.
If you have any further queries regarding this role, please contact the Resourcing Team by emailing resourcing.team@uk.issworld.com
Contract: Education
Location: West Sussex
Hours of work: 40
Contract Type: Permanent
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Food Portfolio Specialist to play a key role in the mobilisation and delivery of our prestigious new contract with West Sussex County Council.
This is the largest catering contract in the UK within the Education sector, with a turnover of £14m, covering 160 sites across West Sussex. This is a high-profile opportunity and a stepping stone into a growing Education portfolio.
Job Description
Your primary focus will be to ensure that all food and services across our schools meet our brand standards and deliver exceptional experiences for pupils, parents, and stakeholders.
You will audit operations, support improvements, and drive engagement through events and workshops. This role requires strong culinary expertise, excellent communication skills, and a proactive approach to delivering added value through parent evenings, tastings, and interactive sessions with students.
Key Responsibilities
Ensure all food and services within Education meet brand standards across 160 sites.
Audit the business regularly, identifying and supporting areas for improvement.
Drive events and initiatives that uphold our client offer and support retention and growth.
Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, parents, pupils, and stakeholders.
Plan and deliver Food Education Event Days (minimum one per term across the region).
Provide support for parent and pupil events such as evenings, tastings, assemblies, and councils.
Collaborate with the Key Account Director (KAD) to implement new ideas that enhance satisfaction.
Support menu feedback processes to help shape and improve offerings.
Ensure compliance with all food development processes and procedures.
Professional and Personal Competencies/Qualifications
Previous chef experience; ideal for a Chef Manager seeking a new challenge.
Relevant chef/food qualifications and strong culinary background.
Excellent people skills and communication abilities.
Positive, proactive attitude with high energy and drive.
Ability to work closely with internal teams and external partners (e.g., Apetito).
Strong focus on achieving targeted results and delivering beyond expectations.
The Company
ISS is a world-leading workplace and facility management company, connecting people and places to make the world work better. Working with customers day by day, side by side, we understand every aspect of the user experience.
Through a unique combination of intelligent solutions, high standards and people who care, to help our customers achieve their purpose, whether it’s hospitals healing patients, businesses producing the next great innovation, or airports bringing passengers home to their families. ISS is committed to doing business the right way, taking its corporate responsibility very seriously. Our passion is people.
We offer you a challenging and exciting career in an organisation with people at its heart. In ISS, everyone has the opportunity to develop, grow and make a difference. #ISSGreatPeople #ISSTalent #PeopleMakePlace
ISS is proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer.
ISS welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity or gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race (which includes race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and caste), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.
We are a Disability Confident Committed (Level 2) employer, proudly supporting and promoting inclusive hiring practices in line with the UK government’s Disability Confident scheme.
Our passion for inclusivity and diversity makes ISS a more creative, productive and happy place to work.
If you have any further queries regarding this role, please contact the Resourcing Team by emailing resourcing.team@uk.issworld.com
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.