F&B Fit-Out Project Manager

Independent Food Company; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Independent Food Company in Dubai seeks an experienced F&B Fit-Out Project Manager to drive end-to-end delivery of restaurant fit-out projects, from design development to final handover.

You will coordinate architects, engineers, landlords, and contractors to ensure opening timelines, budgets, and quality meet brand standards.

This role requires strong leadership in fast-paced opening programs and a track record of delivering commercial kitchens, MEP systems, and regulatory approvals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Engineering, or related discipline.
• 5–7 years of project management experience delivering restaurant or F&B fit-out projects.
• Strong understanding of restaurant construction, MEP systems, fit-out methodologies, and technical coordination.
• Experience managing projects in malls, mixed-use developments, and high-street locations (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Oversee restaurant fit-out projects from design through handover.
• Develop detailed project programs, milestones and opening timelines.
• Coordinate activities to meet scope, budget, quality, and timelines.
• Identify risks and implement mitigation and recovery plans.
• Lead design coordination with architects, MEP, and kitchen consultants.
• Manage procurement, site inspections, and contractor performance.
• Ensure food safety, landlord approvals, and authority compliance.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Scheduling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Engineering, or related discipline

Tools

MS Project

AutoCAD

Job description

Independent Food Company is home to some of the region's most recognised hospitality concepts, including SALT, Somewhere, Parker's, Shalwa, Somewhere, and Public. We are a fast-growing organisation with an expanding portfolio of concepts, an active acquisition strategy, and ambitious plans for growth across new and existing markets. As we scale, the quality of our people remains central to everything we build. That is where you come in.

Role Summary:

The F&B Fit-Out Project Manager is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of restaurant fit-out projects, from design development and pre-construction through execution, testing, commissioning, and final handover.

The role manages contractors, consultants, suppliers, landlords, and internal stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered on time, within approved budgets, and in accordance with design intent, operational requirements, authority regulations, and company quality standards.

The position requires strong experience in F&B and restaurant fit-outs, including commercial kitchens, MEP systems, authority approvals, landlord requirements, and the coordination of multiple stakeholders within fast-paced opening programs.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Project Planning & Management

• Manage restaurant fit-out projects from design development through construction, opening, and final handover.
• Develop and maintain detailed project programs, milestones, critical paths, and opening timelines.
• Coordinate all project activities to ensure delivery against approved scope, budget, quality, and timelines.
• Identify project risks, delays, and dependencies and implement appropriate mitigation and recovery plans.
• Provide regular project progress reports, highlighting key milestones, risks, decisions required, and outstanding actions.

2. Design & Technical Coordination

• Coordinate with architects, interior designers, kitchen consultants, MEP consultants, technical designers, and other specialists.
• Review architectural, interior design, MEP, kitchen, lighting, signage, and technical drawings to ensure coordination and constructability.
• Ensure design solutions meet operational requirements while maintaining the approved brand and design intent.
• Manage design changes, RFIs, technical submissions, material approvals, and shop drawings throughout the project.
• Identify technical clashes or construction challenges early and coordinate appropriate solutions.
• Coordinate commercial kitchen layouts, equipment requirements, utilities, ventilation, drainage, gas, electrical loads, and operational flows.
• Work closely with culinary, operations, and kitchen consultants to ensure kitchens meet operational and production requirements.
• Coordinate kitchen equipment suppliers and installation programs with the main contractor and MEP teams.
• Ensure all food preparation, storage, BOH, and service areas comply with applicable food safety and authority requirements.

4. Fit-Out & Construction Management

• Manage day-to-day fit-out execution across assigned projects.
• Conduct regular site inspections and progress meetings with contractors and consultants.
• Monitor workmanship, materials, finishes, and construction quality against approved drawings and specifications.
• Ensure contractors maintain appropriate manpower and resources to achieve project milestones.
• Resolve site issues, technical conflicts, and execution challenges promptly to avoid delays.
• Coordinate and manage main contractors, subcontractors, consultants, specialist contractors, and suppliers.
• Support contractor tendering, technical evaluations, scope clarification, and appointment processes.
• Monitor contractor performance against contractual obligations, project programs, and quality requirements.
• Coordinate procurement and installation of long-lead items, specialist equipment, signage, lighting, joinery, and other project requirements.
• Ensure contractor documentation, warranties, certificates, manuals, and close-out requirements are completed.
• Prepare, develop, and review detailed Bills of Quantities (BOQs) for F&B fit-out projects based on approved drawings, specifications, and project scope.
• Ensure BOQs accurately capture civil, architectural, MEP, kitchen, joinery, finishes, and other fit-out requirements.
• Use BOQs to support contractor tendering, bid comparison, scope alignment, and commercial evaluation.
• Monitor project expenditure against approved budgets and highlight potential cost overruns.
• Review contractor quotations, variations, additional works, and change requests against approved BOQs and project scope.
• Work with internal teams, consultants, and contractors to identify value‑engineering opportunities without compromising design intent, operational functionality, quality, or guest experience.
• Support commercial negotiations with contractors and suppliers and maintain visibility over committed costs, variations, and anticipated final project costs.

7. Landlord & Authority Coordination

• Coordinate with landlords, mall management teams, developers, consultants, and relevant authorities throughout the project.
• Ensure compliance with landlord fit-out guidelines, technical requirements, and submission processes.
• Manage and track required NOCs, permits, inspections, and approvals necessary for construction and opening.
• Coordinate Civil Defence, municipality, utility, food safety, and other applicable authority requirements.
• Ensure all approvals are obtained in line with the project opening schedule.

8. Quality Control & Site Inspections

• Conduct regular site inspections to ensure construction complies with approved drawings, specifications, and company standards.
• Identify defects, incomplete works, and quality concerns and ensure timely rectification.
• Coordinate mock-ups and material/finish approvals where required.
• Ensure completed projects achieve the expected design, technical, operational, and quality standards.
• Coordinate testing and commissioning of MEP systems, kitchen equipment, fire and life‑safety systems, and other technical installations.
• Manage snagging and de‑snagging activities prior to restaurant opening.
• Coordinate final inspections with consultants, operations, culinary teams, landlords, and authorities.
• Ensure complete handover documentation, including as‑built drawings, O&M manuals, warranties, asset information, and certificates.
• Manage the transition of completed projects to Operations and Maintenance teams.
• Work closely with Operations, Culinary, IT, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, and other departments to ensure project readiness for opening.
• Coordinate final site readiness, equipment installation, furniture, signage, IT/POS infrastructure, and operational requirements.
• Maintain project opening checklists and ensure all construction‑related requirements are closed before opening.
• Support soft openings and immediately address project‑related defects or technical issues during the opening period.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5–7 years of project management experience, with significant experience delivering restaurant, hospitality, or F&B fit‑out projects.
• Strong understanding of restaurant construction, commercial kitchens, MEP systems, fit‑out methodologies, and technical coordination.
• Experience managing projects within malls, mixed‑use developments, and high‑street locations is preferred.
• Good knowledge of UAE authority requirements, landlord fit‑out processes, and construction regulations.
• Proven experience managing contractors, consultants, suppliers, project budgets, and construction programs.
• Ability to manage multiple restaurant projects and opening deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong problem‑solving, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Proficiency in project management and drawing review tools such as MS Project, AutoCAD, or equivalent platforms is preferred.