Department Manager - Operational Excellence

Key Responsibilities:

• Connect Commercial, Chef, Product Development, Production Planning and Store Operations to ensure strong end-to-end execution.

• Set demand-based production and manpower plans by store, cluster and daypart to improve availability while reducing overproduction.

• Work closely with Specialists(Chef) to align on SOPs, training and store-audit standards to ensure consistent product quality and execution.

• Use SKU, store and production data to identify root causes and improve availability, yield, waste, markdown and productivity.

• Own operational P&L improvement, including raw-material cost, recipe variance, labour productivity, waste and below-the-line costs.

• Lead continuous-improvement pilots and scale successful solutions across stores.

• Track the total profits and other benefits of different production models, including scratch, frozen dough, par-bake and centrally processed products.

Responsibilities:

• At least 5 years’ relevant experience in food retail, food production, restaurant/QSR, central kitchen, supply chain, store operations or continuous improvement.

• Experience leading a team, project or cross-functional improvement initiative; formal managerial experience is preferred but not essential.

• Good general understanding of production planning, quality, food safety, manpower and store execution.

• Comfortable working with operational and commercial data to identify issues and recommend practical actions.

• Basic understanding of costs and business performance, with willingness to develop stronger P&L capability.

• Hands-on, proactive and able to solve problems collaboratively with commercial, chef, supplier and store teams.

• Able to manage multiple priorities and drive implementation across different stores or working teams.