Kitchen Production Team Leader

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate. 

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day

Overview of the role

Strive to make people smile while providing irresistible food offers in a welcoming atmosphere that gives IKEA guests a good reason to return and provide IKEA store visitors to take a natural break in their shopping for a tasty and nourishing meal, at a competitive price, in pleasant and relaxing surroundings with a taste of Sweden.

What you will do

• Empower and encourage the team to take immediate action to meet the needs of guests and give input on how to continuously improve our meeting with them
• Together with his colleagues and IFB manager, contribute actively in the development and implementation of a clear IKEA Food action plan for the store using the store business plan and country business plan based on input from the IKEA Food Direction & Strategy. Develop and execute an annual action plan for kitchen area based on agreed goals.
• Actively implement the range matrix (global and national) by securing quality and availability.
• Serve high-volume dishes that suit the taste of the many people on the local market.
• Secure that we prepare all food in line with the product sheet and secure the quality served at all times.
• Actively use the product sheets to train co-workers. Also, ensure all co-workers taste and learn about new products before they are launched.
• Secure an irresistible food offer by ensuring to give customers an appealing range presentation.
• Passionate about kitchen products and actively learn about their content, origins, preparation and other benefits. Share this knowledge with the team.
• Ensure that his team and him know the top-selling products, 3 Aces and 1 King, and that they are available and clearly communicated and displayed at all times. To promote alternative products when these are unavailable.
• Utilise everyday commercial opportunities to grow sales and profitability according to the goals in his area. Work with the Functional Commercial Review and other appropriate tools to do so.
• During unexpectedly quiet times, propose commercial activities that attract store visitors and increase the take-up rate, or take other actions to secure productivity.
• Co-operate with the IFB manager to enhance Swedishness and the link between the IKEA Restaurant & Café and the Swedish Food Market when appropriate.
• Have relevant knowledge of the competition on the market & use this information to initiate immediate action as needed, e.g. secure a substantial price distance.
• Create awareness of IKEA Food as the most important in-store marketing tool for maximising the IKEA store’s sales potential.
• In collaboration with the HRBP and IFB manager select, recruit, train, develop, coach, mentor and inspire co-workers in accordance with the IKEA values.
• Committed to the development of kitchen team and secure their training to ensure all co-workers understand the IKEA Concept and other key guidelines, and how they have an impact on their specific roles.
• Train the co-workers how to work with the Swedish range and local range according to the recipes.
• Empower, support and coach kitchen co-workers on the job to help them perform better and grow.
• Actively develop successors to ensure to meet the succession needs of the IKEA store.
• Work actively to create an environment where the IKEA culture is a strong and living reality, and diversity is valued, to ensure the IKEA store is regarded as a great place to work.
• Be responsible for stock levels in Food & Beverages units, as well as purchasing, reordering and stock rotation (FIFO).
• Train the co-workers in food preparation to ensure the highest standards of range presentation.
• Train, develop and constantly follow up the quality and food safety regulations, while ensuring a safe working environment for co-workers and customers in accordance with all local health and safety regulations and HACCP standards
• Ensure to have a simple and straightforward internal communication and information flow, and secure that key information is understood by all IKEA Food co-workers.
• Secure the integrated multichannel executions/output of the function in order to contribute to the business goals
• Challenge costs by working in a lean, simple and cost-conscious way using and sharing good examples and encouraging his team and colleagues to discover smarter ways of working.
• Ensure the implementation and follow-up of the SOP rules and guidelines
• Promote a “safety first” culture where co-workers are encouraged to raise and discuss concerns and solutions, also co-operate with external service providers and authorities when needed.
• Adjust and implement the IKEA HACCP plan to secure store’s requirements, also ensure the HACCP routines are known and followed in the daily work.
• Execute an action plan for the kitchen to support Business Plan goals, sales/gross profit developments and manage controllable costs.
• Ensure that all food incidents, or potential incidents, are reported through CASY
• Ensure efficient operations of the IKEA Kitchen department with special attention to the preparation and serving of food that enhances the co-worker and visitor experience
• Act in accordance with the IKEA Global Sustainability Direction and work with his team to take actions that contribute to sustainability, such as waste management and energy efficiency.
• Ensure that the IKEA Co-worker Restaurant food range is appealing, nutritious and based on our co-workers needs and wants.
• Strive towards accurate sales forecasts for his area to enable proper supply planning, ordering, efficient goods handling and stock control.
• Control food costs, operational costs, working hours, productivity, sales mix and calculate inventory and dish costs.
• Ensure daily work routines are in place, e.g. goods flow, stock control, purchasing, ordering, production and waste management.
• Secure optimal productivity by ensuring a staff planning process aiming for the right number of competent co-workers, at the right times, in the right places to meet guests’ needs.
• Ensure efficiency and guest in focus in the serving line by setting up the serving line with flexibility based on peak and non-peak periods (menu offers), in conjunction with the Commercial direction, ensure the proper production levels to ensure freshness, maximise sales and minimise waste.
• Work proactively to avoid bottlenecks and constantly improve guest satisfaction and ensure the appropriate speed of service in the serving line by following IKEA Food routines, such as walk-the-plate and mechanical sales techniques
• Develop menu offers based on customer’s needs & feedback actively and continuously, and create & implement the yearly Commercial calendar accordingly
• Ensure the efficient maintenance of the area (preventive maintenance, equipment history), securing it is clean, organised, attractive and inviting to provide a positive guest experience.
• Ensure to have proper product sheets and cost calculations (Recipes, production charts, Navision database).
• Use the full potential of the IKEA Concept, tools, manuals, guidelines and other best practices.
• Collaborate and align with internal and external stakeholders to secure sustainability is integrated across all IKEA Food market functions in delivering their sustainability contribution to the agreed frameworks and strategies.
• Secure local adaption of the global and country directions and ambitions, to deliver to the total business agenda and a more People and Planet Positive IKEA.
• Ensure that alignment, budget and resources are in place to move the sustainability agenda within the market.
• Enable and follow-up sustainability performance and progress based on the country business plans, Group tools and methods.
• Facilitate integration and implementation of sustainability by supporting functions with the right information, best practice solutions, tools & methods and ways of working.
• Explore and follow-up on sustainability situation in local PMA and contribute to the unit’s business agenda, provide feedback and share across sustainability matrix.
• Document and evaluate initiatives and activities with a view to capitalise on learning, sharing and promoting continuous improvement.

Required skills to be successful

• Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Must be able to build working relationships
• Must be able to speak and understand English
• Must have a strong customer focus
• Must have the ability to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, and constantly changing retail environment
• Must have analytical skills
• Must have multitasking capabilities
• Must be computer literate
• Must have proven leadership abilities and lead by example
• Must have the ability to bring out the best in co-workers and to motivate and develop the organisation

What equips you for the role

• Must have a minimum of 2-3 years food service supervisory experience, preferably in a high-volume business
• Must have an interest and knowledge of culinary or food service industry
• Broad knowledge of IKEA concept, brand objectives, IKEA Culture & Values and vision
• Broad knowledge of IKEA tools, processes and cycles & Al Futtaim Group strategies, priorities and business planning process. Knowledge of direction setting, creation of strategic and operational goals and plans as well as follow up on KPIs
• Broad knowledge of IKEA food business and IKEA food operations
• Broad knowledge of the IKEA multichannel reality and online customer behaviors & of (food) trends that influence home furnishing, retail design and communication to gain insight to a more appealing product presentation for customers in our retail environment