Fresh Food Operations Support - Retail Operations
Fresh Food Operational Support – Retail Operations
Attractive Salary, Benefits & Bonus
36.5 Hours per week
Company Car
Newtownabbey
Who are we?
At Henderson Group, we are proud to be Northern Ireland’s leading foodservice provider. Our group encompasses Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail, Henderson Foodservice and Henderson Group Property. We employ over 5,500 staff and have been placed 3rd in Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2025.
We're a family-owned, ambitious team that cares about our people and the community in which we live.
Henderson Retail is the largest organisation to be awarded Investors in People Platinum in Northern Ireland. The IIP framework recognises people management excellence and our commitment to investment in people. Our brand includes SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVOXtra. Our dedicated store teams are award winning, including accolades such as ‘Independent Retail Chain of the Year’ at The Grocer Gold Awards 2025.
Overview of the role:
Due to continued growth, Henderson Retail Ltd are now looking for a Fresh Food Operations Support.
Reporting to the Fresh Food Manager, this role will involve being a fresh food specialist in chilled foods, fresh produce, bread and cake. It will be the point of contact for our store teams, providing support to the Fresh Food operations in store to drive sales, improve profitability, trade safely and legally, and continuously look for efficient ways of working.
Working as a Fresh Food Operational Support you will:
• Coach our store teams with hands-on in store practical support in relation to merchandising and creative solutions to drive sales.
• Deliver the fresh food proposition in new and redeveloped stores through great organisational skills and the ability to deliver to timelines.
• Formulate and deliver coaching workshops for our store teams that improve the fresh food operation in store.
• Produce weekly and monthly reports that give insights into the fresh food operation accompanied by actions to improve performance.
• Collaborate with other business functions to develop and implement business development solutions to allow sales and profit improvement.
• Feel comfortable being able to present confidently commercial insights into the fresh food performance against the key metrics to the wider Retail Leadership Team and Senior Leadership Team.
Skills for Success
Joining us as Fresh Food Operational Support the minimum criteria you’ll need is:
• Minimum of 3 years’ management experience within the Fresh Food retail sector
• Strong IT proficiency, with advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel
• Full, valid UK/EU driving licence
The Attributes you’ll need include:
• Demonstrable proven strong communication and written skills that can be tailored to the appropriate level of recipient
• Ability to influence others from a cross-team/matrix position
• Coaching skills, being able to adapt your approach to the individual
• Commercially aware of the fresh food marketplace and ability to utilise that knowledge to identify opportunities for improvement
• Strong customer focus and ability to motivate and inspire others to deliver the best possible customer service
• Strong analytical skills to interpret and action sales information.
• Previous experience in formulating Power Point presentations and presenting to groups
It is Desirable if you have:
• Third-level qualification in Business or a related discipline
• Experience working across multiple sites
• Previous experience in a business development role
Are we right for you?
As part of this role, it will be important that you feel aligned with the values that we live and work by.
Ambition – We always strive to be better. We seek new challenges and look for ways to do things better.
Customer First – We provide exceptional service. We put customers at the heart of everything and support our communities.
Teamwork – We succeed together. We help colleagues to succeed, and we share our knowledge and skills.
Integrity – We are fair, honest and ethical. We treat everyone with dignity and respect. We are inclusive and champion diversity.
The Reward
The impact you can make with Henderson Group goes far beyond your day to day. You will be part of a business supporting defibrillator installations and school sports days. In the last year Henderson group staff and retail stores raised over £1 million for charity partners.
We will help you to feel proud of what you do and achieve. And we will be here to celebrate your success.
Our business has been recognised externally for delivering excellence in employment. We value employee development and heavily invest in our people.
Benefits include market competitive salary, bonus scheme, company car, reimbursement for company mileage, contributory pension scheme, healthcare, life insurance, employee assistance programme, social club, Reward Gateway Employee Recognition & Discount Scheme throughout UK/Ireland, staff discount (grocery/fuel) at SPAR/EUROSPAR Henderson Group company-owned stores and many more.
Applicants should note that based on the response, the Company may increase the shortlisting criteria.
This is a full-time position working 36.5 hours per week working 5 days over 6, Monday-Saturday. Availability from 6am may be required in some instances for this role.
Completed applications must be submitted online by midnight on Sunday 8th March 2026.
We are an equal opportunities employer.