Central Food Assistant

Salary: Competitive Plus Benefits
Location: Holborn Store Support Centre, London, EC1N 2HT
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Food Commercial
Closing date: 10 April 2025
Requisition ID: 296477

We'd all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That's waiting for you at Sainsbury's. Here, everything in our stores starts out in Food Commercial. Whether it's the product, proposition, packaging or price, or the fact that something tastes great, our team is responsible for all food items available in store, digitally and on demand. You'll discover it's incredibly fast-paced. People here are in it together and not afraid to take risks. They're enthusiastic too, and their amazing leadership team is right behind them. The knowledge and experience you gain here could set you up for career moves, anywhere else in the business. So, if you're passionate about food and just as hungry to learn, you'll fit in perfectly.

Division/Department

Location

Holborn Store Support Centre

Reporting to

In a nutshell

In this role you will play a key part in supporting the Development Chef and wider Product Development Team through carrying out benchmarking, placing and managing product orders, cooking products for development meetings, helping out with events and more.

Working in the Central Innovation team you will need to be flexible, collaborative and organised, with some basic food handling experience and an ability to work cross functionally.

What I am accountable for

• Monitor customer complaints on new lines and report on a bi-weekly basis
• Place online orders for some kitchen sessions, events, benchmarking and Product Development meetings
• Ensure that on delivery these orders are then properly organised, with product clearly labelled and stored, or set up ready for use in the relevant session as required
• Cook up products for straightforward Product Development gate meetings to support the Product Development function (following pack instructions)
• Help cook up simple products for showcases, cross category benchmarking sessions and other events (following pack instructions)
• Support with management of kitchen bookings and Food Centre activity in the absence of the Food Centre Lead
• Support with managing supplier orders and payment admin for large scale events
• Keep the development chef food store tidy, stocked and ensure all products are in date
• Plan and order for standard benchmarking, then facilitate the sessions independently and report back on the findings
• Perform ad-hoc admin tasks to support the development chef function
• Liaise with event organisers to agree on numbers, dietaries and timings

What I need to know

• Some hands-on food experience (doesn't need to be chef level or have a culinary qualification)
• Proficient in using PowerPoint, Teams, Word & Excel for day-to-day tasks
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organisation and planning skills
• Be familiar with standard recipe writing practices and be able to translate ingredient lists into the correct quantities for ordering

What I need to show

• Flexible approach to working, with the ability to work occasional evenings for events
• A passion for food and willingness to learn
• An ability to complete both practical and administrative tasks
• Team player, proactive and willing to get involved and support

Support we will provide

• Weekly 1:1s with Senior Innovation Chef
• Training and upskilling where required
• Performance development reviews and a personal development plan
• My Sainsbury's Learning - Sainsbury's Brand Technical Training Courses and Store Support Centre behavioural personal development courses

Please note: This role profile is aimed at describing the core output that should be achieved in this role. It is not intended to include specific tasks, temporary activities or projects to recognise flexibility in a changing context.

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you'll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there's always the chance to try something new - whether that's as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working.

When you join our team, we'll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:

Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and in-store at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 5% of salary, depending on how we perform.

Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme.

Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks' pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks' pay for paternity leave.

Please see for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).