Food Program & Innovation Director

The Food Program & Innovation Director shapes the future of food and workplace experience for one of Sodexo’s most strategic global clients. This role sits at the intersection of program design, innovation, sustainability, storytelling, and user engagement, ensuring great ideas are clearly designed, well understood, and adopted at scale. You’ll play a key role in shaping how thousands of people experience food every day. That means exploring emerging trends, translating insights into scalable programs, and partnering closely with chefs, operators, and client teams to bring bold ideas to life. You’ll look at the full ecosystem — cafés, micro‑kitchens, specialty concepts, sustainability initiatives, and guest experience touchpoints — and identify opportunities to elevate, streamline, and innovate.

As part of our team, you’ll champion new ideas, elevate the guest experience, and introduce fresh thinking that reimagines how people connect with food at work. Your work will influence everything from menu strategy to service models to the way our culinary identity shows up across the client’s operations. It’s a chance to make a meaningful impact in an environment that values creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

This is a strategic, creative leadership role — not an operational one. You’ll bring design thinking, visual storytelling, and program clarity to a complex, multi‑region environment.

• Lead global program design and evolution aligned to client priorities
• Develop user‑led innovation pilots that are practical and scalable
• Shape sustainability initiatives into clear, experience‑led programs
• Storyboard strategies and programs to communicate intent and impact
• Translate complex ideas into compelling narratives that drive adoption
• Partner with marketing and UX teams to enhance engagement and user experience
• Create toolkits and playbooks that help teams bring programs to life
• Enable regional teams with clear frameworks that support consistent rollout
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across Sodexo and with the client

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.

• A design‑minded creative leader who can visualize strategy, storyboard ideas, and turn concepts into clear, compelling programs
• Proven experience shaping innovation or experience‑led programs across complex, multi‑site or multi‑country environments
• Exceptional storytelling ability — visual, written, and conceptual — with a talent for making the complex simple and the strategic tangible
• A global mindset that connects high‑level vision to regional realities with clarity and empathy
• Confidence and presence in senior‑level conversations, with the ability to influence, align, and inspire high‑expectation stakeholders
• A user‑centric approach that ensures programs resonate with the people who experience them every day
• A practical, delivery‑oriented perspective that ensures ideas are not only imaginative but adoptable, scalable, and grounded in operational reality
• A collaborative spirit that thrives in cross‑functional environments — culinary, operations, sustainability, marketing, and clients

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 - 5 years   

Minimum Functional Experience - 3 years of experience in program management or a related field