General Manager (Business Management)

FLAVORWORKS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading café and bakery brand in Singapore is seeking a highly experienced General Manager to lead the launch and operation of the RITUEL brand. This role requires expertise in Japanese dessert F&B management and multi-country operations. Key responsibilities include P/L management, brand localization, and overseeing store development. The successful candidate must possess extensive experience launching multiple Japanese café outlets and managing operations across Asia. Flexible working hours are expected.

Qualifications

• 20 years of professional experience in the F&B industry.
• Minimum 5 years experience in Japanese sweets café or dessert-focused F&B brands.
• Experience managing multi-country F&B operations across Asia.
• Direct experience launching and managing multiple Japanese café outlets.

Responsibilities

• Oversee full P/L ownership and performance monitoring.
• Lead HR strategy, recruitment, and organisational development.
• Maintain brand consistency and operational standards across markets.
• Train and mentor local staff in brand philosophy and service standards.

Skills

F&B industry experience

Japanese sweets café management

Multi-country operations management

Cross-cultural leadership

Job description

FLAVORWORKS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Baycrew’s Co., Ltd., is seeking a highly experienced General Manager (Business Management) to lead the launch, operation, and business expansion of the RITUEL café‑bakery brand in Singapore. This is a high‑intensity, high‑responsibility leadership role overseeing the end‑to‑end business lifecycle in a fast‑paced, growth‑oriented environment.

The General Manager will be responsible for P/L management, organisation building, store development, brand localisation, and cross‑border coordination with Japan headquarters, while also responding to time‑sensitive and unexpected issues related to new store openings and brand‑critical decisions across multiple Asian markets. The role is designed for an F&B leader with strong expertise in Japanese sweets café or dessert brands, multi‑country business management across Asia, and hands‑on operational excellence, who can operate under tight timelines and complex, multi‑stakeholder conditions.

Leveraging Baycrew’s long‑standing reputation as one of Japan’s leading lifestyle companies, operating over 60 brands and 418 stores across fashion, food, and interior retail, the successful candidate will play a key role in establishing Singapore as the strategic hub for RITUEL’s brand development, operational standardisation, and future ASEAN expansion, reporting directly to senior management in both Singapore and Japan.

Job Description

1. Company Management
   • Full P/L ownership, budgeting, financial governance, and performance monitoring
   • Lead HR strategy, recruitment oversight, and organisational development
   • Establish SOPs, compliance standards, and operational governance
   • Oversee store development (layout design, workflow engineering, equipment planning)
   • Manage vendor coordination, renovation schedules, pre‑opening operations, and launch execution
2. Regional Brand & Franchise Management
   • Maintain brand consistency and operational standards across markets (Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, ASEAN)
   • Conduct franchise training, operational audits, and store opening support
   • Evaluate regional markets and build the franchise expansion pipeline
3. Brand Localization & Product Development
   • Work with Japan HQ on product development, design, and menu creation
   • Localise Japanese sweets production, temperature control, and seasonal product concepts
   • Perform menu engineering using consumer insights and commercial analysis
4. Cross‑Cultural Leadership
   • Train and mentor local staff in brand philosophy, service standards, and operations
   • Serve as communication hub between Japan HQ and regional partners
5. Work Conditions
   • Ability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends, and public holidays

Job Requirements

To perform the highly specialised responsibilities of this role, the candidate must meet all of the following requirements:

1. 20 years of professional experience in F&B industry, with minimum 5 years of experience in Japanese sweets café or dessert‑focused F&B brands at a management level. Successful candidate must possess this experience within the last 3 years. Successful candidate must have experience in launching or managing 10+ Japanese café/bakery outlets, including operational and quality oversight.
2. Proven experience managing multi‑country F&B operations across Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and/or ASEAN markets, with minimum 5 years of hands‑on experience leading brand localisation, including menu redevelopment, consumer insight adaptation, and cross‑cultural brand positioning.
3. Experience overseeing franchise management for more than 10 outlets, including quality audits, SOP standardisation, franchise partner training, and new store openings, together with demonstrated ability to manage P/L, financial governance, HR, legal compliance, and operational controls.
4. Direct experience launching, operating, or supervising more than 5 Japanese café or sweets restaurant outlets, reflecting brand philosophy and cultural standards.
5. More than 5 years of experience coordinating cross‑border projects with overseas HQ, including product development, design, marketing, and operational teams.
6. Proven experience leading multicultural, multinational, and multi‑location teams of at least 25 members.
7. Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.