Global Head of Food & Beverage
11 hours ago
Staines-upon-Thames
At Nteractive, we design and deliver world-class experiential, event, and conference solutions that connect brands with people in powerful, meaningful ways. We partner with some of the world’s most influential organizations to create large-scale, high-impact global programs — from flagship conferences and destination events to complex, multi-market activations. Our work blends strategy, creativity, technology, and flawless delivery to produce experiences that truly move audiences. Our success is built on our people. We are a collaborative, ambitious, and values-driven agency that invests in talent, encourages innovation, and empowers our teams to take ownership and make a real difference. We believe in long‑term partnerships, exceptional client service, and continuously raising the bar in everything we do. As we continue to evolve our approach to experience architecture, we’re looking for an experienced Global F&B Strategy Lead to shape and lead our global Food & Beverage strategy. This is a senior strategic role responsible for shaping how F&B is conceived, designed and delivered across Nteractive’s global programmes. You’ll act as a trusted strategic advisor to Client Services, project teams and clients, translating event objectives, audience insight, cultural considerations and budget parameters into distinctive, high‑performing F&B experiences. The ambition is to move F&B beyond an operational necessity and establish it as a strategic platform for engagement, behaviour change, brand storytelling and measurable client value. You’ll combine hospitality expertise, creativity, commercial thinking, supplier partnerships, data and operational excellence to create F&B experiences that help people connect, collaborate, thrive and remember. • Own and evolve Nteractive’s global F&B strategy and framework, setting the principles, quality standards, supplier expectations, planning tools and governance processes that define our approach across regions., • Develop strategic F&B approaches for key accounts and major programmes, considering audience, client objectives, brand positioning, cultural context, sustainability, budget and operational feasibility., • Position F&B as an integral part of the wider guest and event experience from the earliest stages of planning., • Lead F&B innovation across the business, identifying emerging trends, supplier developments, service models and creative approaches that differentiate Nteractive’s offer., • Use audience feedback, consumption patterns, data and post-event insight to inform future programme design and continuous improvement., • Act as the senior F&B partner to Client Services, Account Directors and project teams, providing consultancy during brief development, proposals and client planning conversations., • Advise senior clients and stakeholders on F&B strategy, experience design, commercial trade-offs and programme improvement., • Define the commercial approach to F&B across key programmes, balancing guest experience, client ambition, budget, supplier value, margin and long-term account development., • Build strong relationships with clients, venue culinary teams and suppliers across regions., • Ensure F&B recommendations are both creatively ambitious and commercially viable., • Provide senior direction to the global F&B team, ensuring delivery aligns with programme objectives, client expectations, budgets, operational requirements and Nteractive standards., • Lead, coach and develop the global F&B team, empowering individuals to take ownership and grow their capability., • Ensure F&B Directors and the wider team have the tools, templates, processes and operational documentation required to deliver consistently against the global framework., • Ensure the global F&B team translates strategic direction into memorable, high-quality experiences across complex programmes., • Maintain a high-quality global freelance F&B network, ensuring the right skills, training, tools and local knowledge are available across regions., • Oversee supplier and venue partner strategy, ensuring relationships and contracts deliver value for money, quality and reliable delivery., • Work with the team to negotiate and scrutinise supplier agreements and commercial terms., • Shape Nteractive’s approach to sustainable and responsible F&B, including local sourcing, waste reduction, dietary inclusivity and carbon-conscious choices., • Identify new suppliers, service models and culinary partnerships that enhance the client and audience experience., • Work closely with Client Services, Production, Creative, Registration, Technical and Data teams to ensure F&B is fully integrated into the wider event experience., • Create strong feedback loops between strategy, delivery and post-event insight., • Identify opportunities to improve processes, standards, tools and ways of working across the global F&B function. We’re looking for an experienced hospitality and F&B leader who combines strategic thinking, creative ambition, commercial acumen and operational expertise. • Significant experience in F&B, hospitality or catering, with a background such as chef, catering manager or equivalent senior hospitality experience., • A catering/hospitality degree or equivalent professional experience., • Proven experience developing F&B, hospitality or guest experience strategies for large-scale, complex or multi-region events., • Significant leadership and project management experience within an events or hospitality environment., • Experience advising senior clients and stakeholders on F&B strategy, experience design and commercial decisions., • A strong understanding of how F&B contributes to brand experience, audience engagement, sustainability, operational efficiency and commercial value., • Strong financial and business acumen, including budgeting, forecasting and contract management., • Excellent supplier and venue relationship management skills., • Experience using data and analytics to identify trends, understand behaviours, support forecasting and drive continuous improvement., • Advanced Excel skills and strong general ICT capability., • Excellent logistical and operational management skills., • A proven track record of delivering high-quality, customer-focused services., • Strong communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to influence and challenge constructively., • The ability to work at pace, manage competing priorities and remain calm under pressure., • A collaborative, motivated and solutions-focused approach to leadership and client service., • Shape the global F&B strategy for an ambitious international events and brand experience agency., • Help redefine F&B as a strategic part of the overall event experience., • Work with leading global brands and complex, high-profile programmes., • Influence clients and senior stakeholders through strategic hospitality expertise., • Lead and develop a talented global F&B team., • Build relationships with leading culinary, venue and hospitality partners around the world., • Work collaboratively across Creative, Production, Client Services, Technology and Event Services., • Bring new ideas, innovation and insight into a growing global business., • Travel internationally and work across diverse markets and cultures. If you’re passionate about hospitality and believe F&B can be so much more than a service — if you see it as a powerful tool for experience, engagement, storytelling and commercial value — we’d love to hear from you. Join Nteractive and help us shape the future of F&B experiences globally. • 33 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), • Hybrid working with flexibility, • Pension Scheme (5% employee / 3% employer contribution), • Private Medical Insurance & Cash Plan, • Life Insurance, • Enhanced Maternity Pay, • Wellbeing & Inclusion initiatives (including EAP), • Birthday Day Off, • Summer Hours, • Volunteering Day, • Rewards & Recognition incentives, • Generous Employee Referral Scheme, • Ability to work from the Staines office with hybrid flexibility, • Quiet home working environment with reliable broadband (minimum 25MB download / 5MB upload), • Willingness and ability to undertake international travel throughout the year., • Expected travel requirement of approximately 25–30% of working time. For further details contact careers@nteractive.com. #J-18808-Ljbffr