The General Manager (GM) is responsible for the overall leadership, operational performance, financial management, and strategic growth of the company's institutional and corporate catering business, including the management of central kitchen operations. The role oversees end-to-end foodservice operations, ensuring operational excellence, food safety compliance, profitability, customer satisfaction, and team performance across multiple sites and production functions.
The GM is accountable for achieving revenue and profitability targets while maintaining high service standards, efficient production systems, strong client relationships, and a high-performing workforce.
Key Responsibilities
1. Business & Operational Leadership
- Lead and manage the company's institutional and corporate catering operations, including onsite catering services and central kitchen production.
- Develop and execute operational strategies to improve efficiency, service quality, productivity, and profitability.
- Oversee daily operations across catering sites, logistics, procurement, production, inventory, and kitchen functions.
- Ensure seamless coordination between central kitchen production and client delivery schedules.
- Drive operational consistency and standardization across all business units.
- Monitor operational KPIs and implement corrective actions where necessary.
- Lead expansion initiatives, process improvements, and operational scaling projects.
2. Financial & P&L Management
- Assume full accountability for the company's Profit & Loss (P&L) performance.
- Prepare annual budgets, forecasts, and financial plans aligned with business objectives.
- Monitor revenue, margins, food costs, labor costs, overheads, and operational expenditures.
- Identify opportunities to improve profitability through cost optimization, productivity improvements, and waste reduction.
- Review financial reports regularly and implement strategies to achieve financial targets.
- Ensure proper controls over procurement, inventory, cash flow, and operational spending.
- Work closely with Finance to ensure accurate reporting and financial compliance.
3. Central Kitchen Management
- Oversee central kitchen production planning, capacity utilization, workflow efficiency, and quality assurance.
- Ensure food production meets required standards for quality, consistency, hygiene, and timeliness.
- Optimize kitchen operations through manpower planning, process improvements, and production scheduling.
- Ensure compliance with all food safety regulations, HACCP, sanitation, and workplace safety standards.
- Manage inventory control systems to minimize wastage and stock discrepancies.
- Collaborate with culinary and production teams on menu execution and operational feasibility.
4. Staff Leadership & Workforce Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop department heads, operational managers, kitchen teams, and support staff.
- Establish clear performance objectives and accountability measures across the organization.
- Drive workforce planning, manpower optimization, and succession planning initiatives.
- Foster a high-performance culture focused on teamwork, operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Oversee recruitment, onboarding, training, employee engagement, and retention strategies.
- Ensure compliance with labour laws, company policies, and HR best practices.
- Address employee relations issues and support a positive workplace culture.
5. Client & Stakeholder Management
- Maintain strong relationships with institutional and corporate clients to ensure high customer satisfaction and retention.
- Participate in key client presentations, contract negotiations, and service reviews.
- Respond proactively to operational issues, customer feedback, and service recovery situations.
- Collaborate with Sales and Business Development teams to support growth opportunities and tender submissions.
- Ensure service delivery meets contractual obligations and client expectations.
6. Compliance, Quality & Risk Management
- Ensure full compliance with all regulatory requirements related to food safety, workplace health & safety, and licensing.
- Maintain and improve quality assurance systems and operational SOPs.
- Conduct regular operational audits and implement corrective measures where required.
- Mitigate operational risks through effective planning and contingency management.
- Ensure business continuity and crisis management procedures are in place.
