Location: Midlands-based
Travel: Nationwide travel, including regular overnight stays
Salary: £35,000 per annum
Contract: 6-month fixed-term contract
Benefits: Company car provided

Kick-start, accelerate or refocus your career with Compass Group this summer

This is an exciting opportunity for a Midlands-based candidate to join Compass Group, the UK’s leading food and support services company, supporting the nationwide rollout of brand-new Sainsbury’s Cafés.

InStore, part of Compass Group, partners with major UK retailers to deliver high-quality food and café experiences at scale. As part of a defined six-month summer mobilisation programme, you’ll play a hands-on role in launching new café sites across the UK—gaining exposure to live operations, structured project delivery and senior stakeholders.

This role is well suited to graduates and early-career professionals seeking a full-time summer opportunity that delivers genuinely valuable experience. It would also appeal to established managers or operators looking for a defined, high-impact mobilisation role within a major organisation.

About the role

As a Mobilisation Support Lead, you’ll work closely with experienced project managers and operational leaders to support the end-to-end opening of multiple café sites nationwide.

Depending on your background, you may bring:

• A developing skillset and a strong desire to learn quickly in a mobilisation environment; or
• Previous experience in multi-site operations, site openings, retail or hospitality management, allowing you to add immediate operational value.

No two weeks will look the same. You’ll travel nationwide, work on live openings, support site teams and help ensure each café is set up for long-term success.

The role forms part of Compass Group’s wider growth and mobilisation activity. Following the mobilisation phase, successful candidates may be well placed to move into an InStore Retail Management role or another operational opportunity, subject to business needs and location availability.

What you’ll be doingMobilisation and site support

• Supporting the end-to-end mobilisation of new Sainsbury’s Café openings across the UK
• Working as part of a wider mobilisation project team and supporting multiple openings simultaneously
• Coordinating activities, actions and timelines to ensure sites are ready to open
• Supporting site teams throughout the opening period and into operational handover
• Being present on site during key mobilisation and launch phases

Stakeholder and team engagement

• Working alongside Compass Group teams including Operations, HR, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain and Health and Safety
• Liaising with suppliers, contractors and site teams to resolve issues and maintain momentum
• Communicating confidently with stakeholders at different levels across the business

Quality, safety and standards

• Supporting the implementation of food safety, health and safety, and brand standards from day one
• Identifying risks early and escalating issues appropriately
• Ensuring mobilisation activity aligns with One Retail standards

Learning, delivery and improvement

• Capturing lessons from each opening to support future mobilisations
• Sharing insights and best practice with operational teams
• Developing your understanding of large-scale retail and hospitality operations

Who this role suits

This role will suit someone who:

• Is based in the Midlands
• May be a graduate, student completing their studies or early-career professional
• May be an experienced manager seeking a time-bound mobilisation opportunity
• Is organised, proactive and comfortable managing multiple workstreams
• Enjoys fast-paced, hands-on environments
• Communicates clearly and works effectively with different teams
• Is flexible, adaptable and happy to travel nationwide
• Wants exposure to a major employer with clear operational standards and future opportunities

Key requirements

• Must be based in the Midlands
• Full UK driving licence
• Willingness to travel nationwide, including regular overnight stays
• Experience or a strong interest in hospitality, retail, food, operations or project-based work
• A practical, professional and accountable approach

What’s in it for you?

• £35,000 salary plus company car
• A defined six-month mobilisation programme
• A high-value early-career experience or a focused mobilisation assignment for experienced operators
• Exposure to Compass Group, a FTSE-listed global organisation
• Hands-on involvement in high-profile Sainsbury’s Café launches
• Potential progression into InStore Retail Management or wider Compass roles, subject to business needs
• Experience that delivers clear, long-term career value

If you’re looking for a summer role that goes far beyond a typical temporary position—offering real responsibility, nationwide exposure and the backing of a major organisation—this is an opportunity worth exploring.

We ensure you’re rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Career development through our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and more
• Supermarket discounts, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets
• Cash rewards to spend across a wide range of brands
• Free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes

Please note: This role is contracted to weeks per year

About Us

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/3107/44293001/52815859/R/SU #One Retail

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!