Chief Steward & Food Safety Manager in Sydney

Discover Sofitel Sydney Wentworth – Where Heritage Meets Modern Luxury. Sofitel Sydney Wentworth is an icon of Australian hospitality and Sydney’s first international five-star hotel, bringing together rich heritage, French zest and contemporary luxury in the heart of the city. Featuring 436 redesigned rooms and suites, 14 versatile event spaces including one of Sydney’s largest ballrooms, and a collection of acclaimed dining venues, the hotel is a destination for exceptional dining, events and guest experiences.

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Chief Steward & Food Safety Manager to lead our stewarding operation and play a pivotal role in maintaining food safety standards across the hotel. This is an exciting newly created opportunity to help establish and shape our in-house stewarding function, build a high-performing team and strengthen food safety practices across our kitchens, restaurants, bars, banquets and wider hotel operations.

What you'll be responsible for:

• Lead and develop our stewarding operation: Build and develop a high‑performing team, establishing the procedures, cleaning schedules and service standards needed to build a successful in‑house function.
• Champion food safety and compliance: Work closely with the Hotel HACCP champion, Food Safety Supervisors and operational leaders to maintain standards across kitchens, restaurants, bars, banquets, in‑room dining, storage and other relevant areas.
• Monitor standards and drive compliance: Oversee food safety documentation, inspections, audits and corrective actions, following up on issues and escalating risks to ensure standards are consistently maintained.
• Plan for operational excellence: Coordinate staffing, cleaning priorities and equipment readiness to support daily hotel operations, events and changing business demands.
• Manage resources and costs: Oversee stewarding equipment, inventory, chemicals and consumables, maintaining appropriate stock levels and working within budget.
• Build capability and accountability: Coach and develop your team, reinforce safe work practices and foster a culture of ownership, cleanliness and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate across the hotel: Partner with Culinary, Food & Beverage and other departments to improve operational efficiency, hygiene standards and the overall guest experience.

Qualifications:

You're a proactive, organised and hands‑on leader who takes pride in the standards others might not see but every successful hotel depends on. You will bring:

• Experience leading a stewarding operation or comparable hospitality operational team, ideally within a large hotel or complex food and beverage environment.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, cleaning and sanitation standards, and relevant food safety requirements.
• Experience coordinating audits, inspections, compliance records and corrective actions.
• Proven capability in team leadership, workforce planning, training and performance management.
• Commercial awareness, with the ability to manage labour, inventory and operating costs effectively.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to influence, coach and collaborate across departments.
• A practical, solutions‑focused approach and the ability to maintain high standards in a fast‑paced environment.
• Flexibility to work around hotel trading and events, including weekends and public holidays as required.
• NSW Food Safety Supervisor certification and experience with digital food safety systems will be advantageous.
• Relevant qualifications will be considered alongside practical experience.

Please note that full working rights in Australia are required for this role.

Why Join Sofitel Sydney Wentworth? We value our people and offer:

• Global discounts on accommodation, dining, bars and more across 100+ Accor hotels and partner venues worldwide.
• Generous leave entitlements, including birthday leave and up to 12 weeks paid parental leave.
• 30% team member dining discount across our signature venues.
• Career development opportunities within a globally recognised luxury hospitality brand.
• Ongoing learning and development, working alongside industry leaders.
• Onsite perks including laundered uniforms, a $5 staff lunch buffet, and discounted city parking.
• A complimentary hotel stay package to celebrate your work anniversary.
• Free 24/7 access to our Employee Assistance Program for confidential wellbeing support.

If you’re passionate about hospitality, service excellence, and innovation, we want to hear from you!

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: We are an inclusive company, and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent. We offer reasonable adjustments to support you. If you require an adjustment to be made during the recruitment process, you're welcome to let us know.