Butchery Manager

1. Position Summary

Freshpoint Supermarket requires an experienced Blockman / Butchery Manager to manage the daily operation of its small in-store butchery.

This is a hands-on position. The successful candidate must be able to cut and prepare meat professionally while also controlling stock, production, hygiene, pricing, wastage and staff performance.

The Blockman / Butchery Manager remains accountable to Freshpoint management. Major decisions relating to staffing, supplier appointments, pricing changes, disciplinary action or significant purchases require management approval.

2. Key Responsibilities

Meat Cutting and Preparation

Break carcasses and primal cuts into retail-ready portions.

Cut, debone, trim, slice, mince and portion beef, lamb, chicken and veal.

Prepare steaks, chops, roasts, stew packs, mince, sausages, wors and promotional meat packs.

Ensure cuts are consistent, presentable and prepared to the correct weight and specification.

Minimise unnecessary trimming and yield loss.

Maintain Freshpoint’s fully halaal operating requirements at all times.

Ensure products are correctly packed, sealed, labelled, priced and displayed.

Prepare customer orders and special cuts when required.

Maintain sharp, clean and properly sanitised knives and equipment.

Butchery Management

Open and close the department according to company procedures.

Plan daily production according to sales, stock availability and expected demand.

Ensure adequate stock is available without overproducing.

Monitor the meat display, cold room and freezer throughout the day.

Keep the display full, attractive, correctly priced and properly rotated.

Arrange promotional displays and prepare advertised specials on time.

Coordinate with store management regarding promotions, weekend specials and cookouts.

Submit regular butchery sales and operational reports to management.

Immediately report equipment failures, refrigeration problems, stock discrepancies or food-safety concerns.

Stock Control and Ordering

Conduct daily physical stock checks.

Assist with ordering meat, packaging, spices and butchery consumables.

Obtain management approval before confirming orders where required.

Receive meat deliveries and verify quantity, weight, quality, temperature and invoice details.

Ensure all deliveries, transfers, returns and wastage are correctly processed on the company’s stock-control system.

Ensure no stock is moved between departments without an authorised transfer.

Rotate stock according to FIFO and FEFO principles.

Monitor expiry dates and product condition daily.

Investigate and report stock variances.

Participate in scheduled stock counts and ensure accurate counting.

Maintain appropriate stock levels while preventing unnecessary overstocking.

Gross Profit, Yield and Wastage Control

Monitor cutting yields and ensure the best possible recovery from each carcass or primal.

Control portion sizes and production quantities.

Reduce wastage, shrinkage, over-trimming and unauthorised consumption.

Ensure every wastage entry is weighed, recorded and approved.

Monitor cost prices, selling prices and gross-profit margins with management.

Report products that are slow-selling, overstocked or producing unacceptable margins.

Recommend practical promotions or production changes to improve sales and stock movement.

No product may be discounted, written off or removed without the required authorisation.

Hygiene and Food Safety

Maintain excellent hygiene throughout the butchery, cold room, preparation area and display units.

Ensure cutting tables, floors, drains, walls, sinks, mincers, bandsaws, scales, knives and other equipment are cleaned and sanitised.

Complete and sign all required cleaning and temperature-control records.

Monitor cold-room, freezer and display-fridge temperatures.

Immediately report temperatures outside the acceptable operating range.

Prevent cross-contamination and maintain proper separation of raw products.

Ensure employees wear clean uniforms and the required personal protective equipment.

Comply with all applicable food-safety, occupational health and safety, and halaal requirements.

Ensure pest-control concerns are reported immediately.

The butchery must be left clean, secure and properly shut down at closing.

Staff Supervision

Allocate daily duties to butchery employees.

Supervise production, packing, cleaning, merchandising and customer service.

Train employees in cutting methods, equipment use, hygiene, rotation and stock control.

Monitor attendance, timekeeping, productivity and standards of conduct.

Correct minor operational issues and report recurring or serious concerns to management.

Report misconduct or poor performance to management for formal action.

The Blockman / Butchery Manager may not independently hire, dismiss, suspend or discipline an employee.

Ensure staff comply with management instructions and company procedures.

Customer Service

Serve customers professionally and courteously.

Provide advice on meat cuts, quantities and suitable preparation methods.

Prepare special cuts and customer orders accurately.

Handle complaints calmly and refer serious matters to management.

Maintain a professional attitude and protect Freshpoint’s reputation.

Threatening, aggressive, abusive or unsafe conduct toward customers or employees will not be tolerated.

3. Equipment Responsibility

The Blockman / Butchery Manager will be responsible for the safe and correct use of:

Bandsaws

Mincers

Sausage fillers

Vacuum-sealing machines

Tenderisers

Scales

Knives and sharpening equipment

Cold rooms, freezers and display refrigerators

Other butchery equipment supplied by Freshpoint

Any defect, damage or safety risk must be reported immediately. Equipment may not be operated without the appropriate guards or safety measures.

4. Minimum Requirements

Proven experience as a blockman, senior blockman or butchery manager.

Strong practical knowledge of meat cutting, deboning, trimming and portioning.

Experience working with beef, lamb, chicken and veal.

Knowledge of carcass and primal-cut yields.

Understanding of stock rotation, wastage control and gross-profit management.

Knowledge of food safety, hygiene and cold-chain requirements.

Ability to supervise a small team.

Ability to read invoices, complete records and perform basic calculations.

Willingness to work weekends, public holidays and promotional trading periods.

Physically capable of standing for extended periods and safely handling meat products and equipment.

Experience using a retail point-of-sale or stock-management system will be advantageous.

Knowledge of halaal handling requirements will be advantageous.

5. Required Personal Qualities

The successful candidate must be:

Honest and trustworthy

Reliable and punctual

Skilled and productive

Clean and well-organised

Customer-focused

Cost-conscious

Firm but respectful when supervising employees

Able to work under pressure

Willing to take responsibility for the department

Able to follow management instructions and company procedures

6. Performance Standards

Performance will be assessed according to:

Butchery sales and gross-profit performance

Cutting yields and portion consistency

Wastage and shrinkage levels

Stock-count accuracy

Availability of advertised and core products

Accuracy of pricing, labelling and system transactions

Cleanliness and food-safety compliance

Temperature-control compliance

Quality and presentation of the meat display

Customer service and complaint levels

Staff productivity and discipline

Timely completion of reports, stock counts and production plans

Compliance with management instructions and Freshpoint procedures

7. Authority and Accountability

The Blockman / Butchery Manager is responsible for the daily operation of the butchery and may allocate work, monitor standards and make routine production decisions.

The position does not have independent authority to:

Hire, dismiss or formally discipline employees

Appoint or change suppliers

Change approved selling prices

Authorise unapproved discounts or write-offs

Make significant purchases or equipment commitments

Change company policies or operating procedures

Such matters must be referred to the General Manager or Store Manager for approval.

8. General Conditions

The employee may be required to perform other reasonable duties related to the effective operation of the butchery and Freshpoint Supermarket.

Management may amend duties as operational requirements change, provided that the duties remain reasonably connected to the employee’s position, skills and level of responsibility.

Pay: From R8 500,00 per month

Work Location: In person