Operations Manager - New Market Entry and Expansion

Hungry Lion Fast Foods (Pty) Ltd; Remote; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food and beverage company in Stellenbosch is seeking an Operations Manager for New Market Entry and Expansion. This role is pivotal in launching new stores, driving financial performance, and ensuring operational excellence across multiple markets. Ideal candidates will have over 5 years of experience in international food management, strong operability, and a passion for coaching in diverse environments. The position requires extensive travel across Africa and a focus on brand standards and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of International multi-unit food and beverage management with exposure to emerging markets.
• Direct experience opening new stores and launching new markets.
• Experience developing front-line leaders and running training/onboarding programmes.

Responsibilities

• Ensure new locations are operational and ready for business.
• Drive and maintain target GP margins across all operational countries.
• Ensure rigorous adherence to brand standards.

Skills

Strong operational systems knowledge

Pragmatic Problem-Solving Skills

Business Development Skills

Industry and Local Knowledge

Interpersonal Skills

Technology Skills

Coaching and Capability Building Skills

Marketing and Selling Skills

Supply Chain Management

Data analytical skills

Education

Food and beverage or Hospitality certification

Executive Management Diploma

Job description

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Operations Manager - New Market Entry and Expansion is responsible for leading Hungry Lion’s operational expansion into new African territories. This role ensures each new market launches with strong operational foundations, local capability, and brand‑consistent execution from Day 1, bridging expansion strategy, operations readiness, cross‑functional coordination, and coaching of in‑country teams to ensure rapid, stable, and scalable growth. This role requires extensive travel across Africa.

KRAs

1. New Store Opening Readiness

• During periods of rapid expansion and multi‑market entry, the Operations Manager’s role pivots heavily to ensure new locations are operational and ready for business.
• Manage the formal handover process from the project team to operations, conducting site inspections and compiling a comprehensive snag list of problem items for immediate rectification.
• Oversee the rigorous testing of all kitchen and operational equipment, as well as IT hardware and software systems (e.g., Point of Sale, inventory management, network connectivity).
• Ensure all required opening stock is available and properly received via coordination with Procurement.
• Conduct practical, hands‑on training sessions alongside the Training department for new managers and staff, monitoring their progress closely during the pre‑opening phase.
• Coordinate new store opening team support.

2. Financial Performance

• Gross Profit (GP) Margin Oversight: Drive and maintain target GP margins across all operational countries by monitoring sales and managing costs effectively.
• Stock Management: Oversee inventory levels to optimise stock and minimise waste, ensuring effective supply chain logistics and communication with the Procurement team.
• Cost Control: Identify and address areas of inefficiency, implementing company processes to reduce operational expenses and manage waste effectively, which directly contributes to higher profitability.

3. Operational and Brand Standards Excellence

• Brand Standards: Ensure rigorous adherence to brand standards, focusing on consistency in product quality, speed of service, and overall customer experience.
• Customer Feedback: Ensure that customer feedback received on all platforms is addressed timeously and efficiently.
• Compliance Audits: Conduct regular compliance audits of each store.

4. Staffing and Talent Management

• Staffing: Ensure stores are optimally resourced. Liaise with HR regarding required staff numbers and collaborate with Training on effective program deployment.
• Interviews: Conduct in‑country, in‑person interviews of shortlisted candidates.
• In‑country practical training: Conduct in‑country, practical training of successfully theory‑trained candidates.

5. Regulatory Governance

• Ensure all markets operate within food safety regulations, and business compliance requirements.
• Verify all required operational licences and permits are in place before trading commences.
• Mitigate operational risks associated with local regulatory environments and health/safety standards.

REQUIREMENTS

• 5+ years of International multi‑unit food and beverage management with exposure to emerging markets.
• Direct experience opening new stores and launching new markets.
• Experience developing front‑line leaders and running training/onboarding programmes.
• Food and beverage or Hospitality certification or relevant in‑house certification.
• Executive Management Diploma is an advantage.

COMPETENCIES

Core Skills

• Strong operational systems knowledge.
• Pragmatic Problem‑Solving Skills: Must be able to see problems simply and find effective solutions.
• Business Development Skills: Must be top‑line driven, ability to grow business, particularly in turnover.
• Industry and Local Knowledge: Must understand local network, who’s who in the Retail industry, relevant legislation and government contacts.
• Interpersonal Skills: Must be a people person, good with people, firm and fair.
• Technology Skills: Computer literate/management of various tech‑enabled platforms.
• Coaching and Capability Building Skills: Ability to uplift new, inexperienced teams.
• Marketing and Selling Skills: Enforce and protect brand equity.
• Supply Chain Management: Rotation and management of stock levels/stock control.
• Data analytical skills.

Personal Attributes

• Customer Centric Mindset: Ensures every element of operations enhances customer experience.
• Travel: Comfortable with extensive travel across Africa.
• Personal Ethics: Must be honest with themselves and everyone around them.
• Fair and Just: Must be fair as a person in all business dealings, and with all employees.
• Passionate about the Business: Must love/enjoy what they do.
• Drive: Must have a winning attitude/mentality.
• Results‑Oriented: Enjoys being measured and being judged by financial and operational performance results.
• Proactive Initiator: Must be pro‑active, a self‑starter and can see and grasp opportunities.
• Goal Driven: Begin with the end in mind; must know what they want at the end, personally and for the business.
• Multicultural Skills: Must be able to operate and interact in a multicultural environment.
• Resilience and Tenacity: Must be able to sustain motivation and commitment to goals in good times and bad; roll with the punches.
• Unstructured Situations: Ability to flex and adapt in unstructured and new environments and to create order and stability.
• Self‑Reliable: Ability to operate on own, create and sustain own networks and key relationships.