Operations Manager - Restaurants

Kitopi; Dubai; On-site; AED 60,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food tech company in Dubai seeks an experienced Operations Manager to oversee daily restaurant operations, ensure compliance with health standards, and lead high-performing teams. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of operations management experience, be fluent in Arabic and English, and have strong knowledge of Levantine cuisine. Benefits include extensive training opportunities, flexible working hours, and inclusive health insurance.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Health insurance

Up to 50% discount on Kitopi brands

Free access to nutritionist

Team activities and social events

Qualifications

• 5+ years of operations management experience with a proven track record.
• Strong knowledge of Levantine food preparation and presentation.
• Innovative, results-oriented leader with strategic thinking abilities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of multiple restaurant outlets.
• Manage outlet performance including sales and customer satisfaction.
• Recruit, train, and lead high-performing teams.

Skills

Operations management

Fluent in Arabic and English

Performance metrics knowledge

Customer experience management

Job description

Kitopi is the region's leading creator and partner for magical food experiences. With a purpose to satisfy the world’s appetite to create joy, Kitopi operates a portfolio of both invested and franchised F&B brands, serving as enablers in the industry by helping brands grow and scale in both the delivery and dine-in spaces.

Launched in Dubai, UAE, in January 2018, Kitopi has grown to become one of the greatest success stories in the food tech space. In July 2021, Kitopi announced its $415 million Series C funding round, led by the world’s largest tech-focused investment fund, the Softbank Group. This investment elevated Kitopi to Unicorn status, making it the fastest Unicorn to emerge from the MENA region.

Kitopi’s growth has been fueled by its innovative and scalable software solutions. Kitopi’s kitchens are powered by its proprietary Smart Kitchen Operating System (SKOS) - an in-house suite of applications that optimizes cloud kitchen operations in real time. As part of its growth roadmap, technological innovation, data science, artificial intelligence, and robotics will take center stage as Kitopi continues to reinvent the food industry and remain the leading food company in the region.

With over 6,000 employees, Kitopi currently operates 200+ locations across the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. It also operates its Customer Experience Center in Amman, Jordan, its Engineering Hub in Krakow, Poland.

What You'll Do?

• Oversee daily operations of multiple restaurant outlets, ensuring smooth execution, food quality, cleanliness, and team efficiency
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, hygiene, and licensing requirements in collaboration with Quality and Compliance teams
• Develop and enforce operational standards and procedures across all outlets to maintain consistency and excellence
• Manage outlet performance including sales, profitability, customer satisfaction, and overall brand representation
• Support budgeting and forecasting, analyze financial reports, and implement cost-control strategies to drive margin improvement
• Coach Restaurant Managers on managing labor, inventory, and operational KPIs to achieve revenue and cost targets
• Recruit, train, and lead high-performing teams while fostering a strong, positive work culture
• Set performance KPIs, conduct evaluations, and create development plans to support team growth and retention
• Champion service excellence by monitoring guest feedback, quality ratings, and operational audits—driving action where needed
• Collaborate with Marketing on campaigns, events, and local activations to increase traffic and brand visibility
• Lead new outlet openings and closures, ensuring readiness, compliance, and timely execution
• Identify opportunities for growth, expansion, and operational improvement while staying updated on industry trends and competitor movements

What Are We Looking For?

• Fluent in Arabic and English is a must
• 5+ years of operations management experience, with a proven track record of driving significant improvements in sales and operational efficiency.
• Strong knowledge of Levantine food preparation, ingredients, and presentation
• Extensive knowledge of performance metrics, product specifications, and advanced management systems.
• Proven success in leading large teams and developing a high-performing organizational culture through effective coaching and mentoring of senior leadership.
• Strong expertise in customer experience management, with a focus on implementing strategies that enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex budgets and financial performance, ensuring alignment with strategic business objectives.
• Innovative, results-oriented leader with excellent strategic thinking, negotiation, and communication skills.

Benefits

- Extensive learning opportunities with hard and soft skill training to help you improve and challenge yourself.

- Be involved in customized workshops run by the Kitopi Academy.

- Have the chance to work in an international, diverse, and inclusive environment.

- Become part of one of the most caring communities out there.

- Free and unlimited access to a nutritionist.

- No Dress Code! (T&C applies).

- The famous team activities and social events bursting with fun.Inclusive private health insurance.

- Up to 50% discount on Kitopi brands.

- Annual leave as per the company policy.

- Flexible working hours to support work-life balance.

Additionally, we offer:

- Wellness spaces designed for mothers inclusive for all.

- Monthly well-being programs to nurture your mental and physical health.

- Informative and empowering webinars to support your growth.

- Social Thursdays and Fridays across markets to gather and connect with colleagues.

Recruitment Process and Timeline

First, you apply, and our talent attraction team will review your profile. If your profile matches our requirements, you will receive a link to schedule a meeting with a recruiter at your convenience. This meeting is an opportunity for you to share more about yourself and for us to get to know you better.

If you are shortlisted, you will meet with our hiring managers. Depending on the role and its requirements, you may need to attend 2-3 interview rounds. These rounds could include a case study, role-play, trial assignment, or live coding session, which will be communicated to you in the initial conversation.

Upon successful completion of the interview rounds, your recruiter will contact you to discuss the offer. We aim to complete this process within 2-3 weeks.

So, what does it really mean to work at Kitopi?

We are constantly striving to make Kitopi the best place to work, by empowering you to be the best version of yourself every day. Our company values act as our guiding principles to help ensure that everyone feels safe, included, and like they truly belong.

Kitopi is an equal-opportunity employer. While we currently operate in 6 countries, we are over 70 different nationalities of talented Kitopians. Whether you are a seasoned professional, a recent graduate, or someone looking to return to the workforce after a break, we encourage you to apply. We celebrate rich diverse backgrounds, lifestyles, and cultures and have a 0-tolerance policy towards racism, bigotry, and hate. Please apply if you see a position that makes your heart skip a beat and help us build a company that we are all proud to work for.

Customer-obsessed and tech-enabled, at Kitopi, we are a team of passionate humans who are on a mission together to satisfy the world’s appetite.