Star Bar and Cafe has an exciting opportunity available for a Head of Operations : Food and Beverage to be based in Umhlanga, Durban. The successful incumbent will be responsible for the growth of the Food and Beverage business through establishment of new service outlets and improving the effectiveness of existing service outlets. This will include:
Oversight and management of F&B branches on a/national basis in order to increase profitability, ensure smooth running and effective management of F&B branches maintaining all Hollywood standards within our stores.
Setting and implementing standards with regard to health and safety, facilities management, kitchen management, stock management, resource management, customer service and cost control.
Ensuring compliance and adherence to departmental and company policies, procedures, reporting and the willingness to “get hands dirty” when the need arises.
Key to achieving the above will be a requirement to partner with branch managers to enquire about customer experience and areas of improvement to ensure that F&B experience attracts and retains customers, as well as providing the best dining experience possible for customer.
Minimum requirements:
- Valid South African Driver’s License.
- Minimum of 5-10 years in a Management role in the Food and Beverage industry or related.
- Excellent understanding of Food and Controls.
- Leadership experience.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Development and Structuring
- Oversight of the Retail and Catering operations through Ops leadership Teams
- Plan, document and rollout of strategic development plan to grow the brand and business at a national level
- Drive accountability of performance across all levels of leadership
- Devise and present business plans linked to ongoing development and growth
Oversight and management:
- Facilitate the opening of new F&B branches nationally through Operations Management Team
- Be innovative in taking the F&B business forward including partnering with Team nationally to plan, review and revise menus for F&B branches and for special events.
- National F&B cost and budget management to ensure maximum profitability, financial management of F&B targets for the branches, cash and stock control for the F&B branches, grow national F&B revenue generation.
- Manage all food and beverage resources nationally through existing Team structure, including Ops Managers, Area Managers, Branch Managers and F&B supervisors and indirectly all national F&B staff. Establish performance standard and conduct performance reviews
- Monitor customer service and Customer experience nationally. Pro-actively address repetitive customer complaints and ensure future customer feedback is positive. Partner with branch managers to enquire about customer experience and areas of improvement to ensure that F&B experience attracts and retains customers.
- Review branch and regional level daily, weekly and monthly F&B reports and manage the improvement of operational and financial results.
Setting and implementing standards:
- Ensure quality of food nationally. Monitor food preparations, portion sizes and presentation of food to ensure that food is prepared and presented in an acceptable manner and according to quality standards.
- Ensure that national branch es maintain the GAAP system in order to operate effectively.
- Ensure that national F&B facilities are well maintained at all times, clean and tidy work and service areas. This includes the entire kitchen area, freezer/fridges/storerooms/service areas/dining areas/ bar area. Ensure the cutlery and crockery is clean and in good condition for use by customers.
- Ensure stock is maintained at a good standard. Ensure branches declare F&B stock wastages and breakages to dispense of expired stock. Ensure F&B stock is neatly packages to preserve the stock and keep it in a neat and tidy condition, stored in appropriate locations.
Ensuring compliance and adherence:
- Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations regarding food preparations and serving and building maintenance in kitchen and service areas nationally.
- Ensure internal F&B processes are followed nationally. Ensure compliance queries are kept to a minimum and resolved timeously.
- Investigate national stock variances and shortages and implement correct action and interventions as needed. Ensure national stock control, stock reconciliations, stock recording and stock reporting is accurate and well managed. This includes front and back office stock.
- Resource management of F&B resources nationally in line with operational trends and events to ensure optimal staff and asset utilization. Provide input into the scheduling of resources and assigning of duties taking into account busy periods, events, operating hours to ensure that the F&B department is sufficiently staffed and able to meet operational requirements.
Skills and competencies:
- Must have experience with the GAAP system.
- Accountability: Follows through and delivers results in spite of obstacles. Admits errors and takes corrective action to avoid repetition. Approaches own work with dedication and high sense of responsibility.
- Financial Management Budget planning. Manage and report on income and expenditure, through responsible implementation of policies and practices and decisions in order to achieve profitable results and financial targets.
- Initiative: Ability to assert ones influence over events in order to achieve goals, self-starting rather than accepting passively, taking action to achieve goals beyond what is required, being proactive.
- People Management: Provide clear directions and performance feedback to staff. Maximize the talents of staff from different backgrounds to achieve sound organizational results
- Problem Solving: Identify, analyse, organise and solve problems and issues in a timely and effective manner. Anticipate problems, identify root causes and take corrective action. Evaluate effectiveness of a solution
Additional requirements:
- Any other ad hoc duties that might be required.
- Willingness to travel nationally.
- Keep abreast of activities and trends within the industry.
At Star Bar & Cafe, we believe talent and passion have no limits. We’re committed to an inclusive workplace where everyone, regardless of ability, can thrive. Diversity makes us stronger, and accessibility is central to everything we do. We encourage candidates with disabilities who meet the job requirements to apply, and we’re here to support you with any accommodations during the hiring process.
Please note that only team members who meet the stipulated minimum requirements will be considered.
Please be advised that should you not be contacted within 30 days, kindly consider your application to be unsuccessful.