Senior Director, Program & Change Management (Food and Supply Transformation)

Sodexo North America is embarking on a bold, company-wide transformation of its operating model—a strategic initiative to simplify food and supply processes, optimize economies of scale, and deliver superior outcomes for clients and operators. This transformation touches every corner of the business—Sales, Marketing, Operations (Entegra, segment sites, and Sodexo Live!), Platforms, TDD, and Supply.  We are looking for an experienced enterprise program manager with change management experience. 

Location:

Must be on East Coast timezone - Bethesda MD, DC or New York City areas preferred.  

Ability to collaborate with the team twice a month (minimum) in our Bethesda MD office.  

As the Senior Director, Program & Change Management (Food and Supply Transformation), you will be at the center of synchronizing diverse workstreams, creating unified and actionable plans, and driving change across the organization.  Your mission: ensure that every change is executed seamlessly and scaled successfully—starting with pilot sites and expanding to the entire region.

This is a unique opportunity to join a small, agile execution team committed to "speed over perfection" and relentless focus on delivering real results for our operators and clients.

Program and Project Planning 

• Formulate an adapted program plan and corresponding project plan(s) for each program stream to reach the program objectives and benefits within the defined frame: 
• Understand interdependencies between project streams and other competing efforts. 
• Refine the business case if required 
• Refine the program and project(s) scope, schedule, activities, milestones, and main expected deliverables 
• Identify detailed project(s) team, resources, and allocation 
• Engage stakeholders and clarify roles and responsibilities 
• Define a communication strategy between program stakeholders / project streams and set up project governance and instances 
• Define and indicate applicable quality procedures (issue management, risk management, escalation management, deliverables acceptance…) 
• Highlight and proactively manage project interdependencies with other projects  
• Work within the defined program and project management methodologies/frameworks.  

Program and Project Execution Management

• Organize and hold program level and project workstream level execution meeting(s),  
• Ensure commitment to the program and project workstreams from team members, customers, or stakeholders 
• Execute the program and corresponding project plan(s) from planning to closing 
• Organize, coordinate, and lead the program/project team(s) and activities 
• Manage resources, develop schedules and individual responsibilities to perform program and project activities 
• Manage program and project related costs and budget 
• Supervise suppliers in charge of program/project activities, manage relationships with the suppliers (from signature of the contract to final validation of the program/project or activity deliverable)  
• Supervise and monitor program and project workstream progress against approved plan 
• Coordinate, summarize and ensure the quality of issued approvals and deliverables 
• Advise on possible modifications of objectives, completion constraints or environment changes 
• Analyze and manage program and project workstream risks and issues, implement risk management plan 

Coordination and Reporting

• Coordinate the activities of all program and project workstream team members 
• Ensure the circulation and distribution of information regarding program and project management 
• Mediate in the event of any differences between the team and other stakeholders 
• Use program and project management tool to track performance and schedule adherence 
• Keep the stakeholders notified of program and project workstream milestones and evolution through regular project status report 
• Work with  Portfolio Management Officer, other project managers and area managers to manage project workstream and other project interdependencies 
• Provide regular updates on the program and project workstream status, risks, progress and KPIs to the leadership team

Lead Change Management Execution 

• Develop and own a robust change management strategy, focused on on-site implementation and adoption. 
• Ensure operators are fully supported and engaged—from pilot through full-scale rollout. 
• Bring clarity and ease to every stage of change.

Drive Unified Communications 

• Lead the design and rollout of a cohesive communication plan across segments and functions. 
• Craft timely, compelling, and brand-aligned communications that foster transparency, buy-in, and engagement. 

Orchestrate Integrated Planning 

• Align transformation workstreams to a single, unified roadmap that ensures a seamless operator experience. 
• Build rhythm and cadence into the planning process to ensure ongoing momentum and synchronization. 

Pilot, Scale, and Sustain Change 

• Take a hands-on role in guiding pilot site success and ensure lessons learned translate into scalable approaches. 
• Synchronize support teams and stakeholders to remove roadblocks and drive smooth execution at scale. 

Compensation is fair and equitable, partially determined by a candidate's education level or years of relevant experience. Salary offers are based on a candidate's specific criteria, like experience, skills, education, and training. Sodexo offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Care and Wellness Programs
• 401(k) Plan with Matching Contributions
• Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
• Career Growth Opportunities and Tuition Reimbursement

More extensive information is provided to new employees upon hire.

Experience & Expertise

• 5+ years driving and leading transformation.  Proven ability to lead, influence cross-functional teams, and drive results in high-stakes environments.
• Strong grasp of operator challenges, pain-points, and good understanding of how to improve their work environment.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to thrive and guide decision making in complex and unclear scenarios.

Core Skills

• Communication Excellence: Skilled in crafting and delivering high-impact communication that drives engagement.
• Strategic Planning: Experienced in integrating disparate plans into one aligned execution roadmap.
• Leadership & Influence: Natural collaborator who thrives in cross-functional environments and can align diverse stakeholders.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple moving parts while keeping focus on outcomes, timelines, and impact.
• Analytical Thinking & Financial Acumen: Understands how operational decisions drive business value.

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone and build a better life for all. We believe in improving the quality of life for those we serve and contributing to the economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Sodexo partners with clients to provide a truly memorable experience for both customers and employees alike. We do this by providing food service, catering, facilities management, and other integrated solutions worldwide.

Our company values you for you; you will be treated fairly and with respect, and you can be yourself. You will have your ideas count and your opinions heard because we can be a stronger team when you’re happy at work. This is why we embrace diversity and inclusion as core values, fostering an environment where all employees are valued and respected. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need assistance with the application process, please complete this form.

Minimum  Education Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
Minimum  Management Experience: 10 years
Minimum  Functional Experience: 7-10 years