Kitchen Operations Lead

Nestled in the heart of Tengah Evergreen Town, the new Tengah General and Community Hospital will be an exciting and innovative health campus providing a comprehensive range of clinical specialties and healthcare services including emergency, inpatient, rehabilitative and outpatient specialist care.

As part of National University Health System (NUHS) cluster, this state-of-the-art facility is slated to be ready by early 2030s.

Intricately connected with the surrounding community, Tengah Health Campus offers you the opportunity to create a healthcare facility of the future, tightly integrated with the residents and nature. As a people-focused organisation, we believe in respect and recognition. By harnessing the passion and strength of our team and putting them at the core of our culture, we create a nurturing environment to excel and deliver fulfilling care.

Be part of our groundbreaking team to bring our vision to life – a hospital in a forest, and a healing oasis within the hospital. Join #TeamTengah #TengahHealthCampus

Kitchen Operation's Lead

(Tengah General and Community Hospital)

The Head of Food Services provides strategic and operational leadership for all food service functions within the healthcare facility. This role is responsible for driving excellence in culinary quality, operational efficiency, food safety, and patient-centred care, while ensuring alignment with NUHS's vision, mission, and core values. The Executive Chef and Food Service Manager report directly to this position.

Additionally, he/she will be actively involved in planning for the kitchen in the new hospital, Tengah General and Community Hospital (TGCH). This role requires close collaboration with the Hospital Development team, MOHH Design team, Medical Planner, and end-users.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Develop and execute the strategic direction of the Food Services department in alignment with NUHS's vision, mission, and core values
• Lead the development and implementation of department-wide work plans, goals, and performance targets
• Develop long-term strategic plans for food service operations, incorporating emerging industry trends, innovations, and best practices
• Research and evaluate new technologies and service delivery methods to enhance operational effectiveness
• Spearhead and champion cluster and hospital-wide initiatives relating to food services
• Collaborate with hospital administration on capital planning, facility improvements, and equipment investments
• Drive continuous improvement across all food service operations, identifying opportunities for innovation and service excellence

People Leadership & Development

• Provide direct leadership, mentorship, and guidance to the Executive Chef and Food Service Manager
• Oversee overall manpower planning, recruitment, talent management, and workforce optimization for the Food Services department, including a team of 25–40+ staff
• Foster a high-performance culture through regular performance reviews, professional development, and staff engagement
• Manage staff scheduling, leave planning, and workforce planning to ensure operational continuity
• Handle disciplinary actions and grievance procedures in a fair and consistent manner
• Champion a learning culture by supporting continuous competency development of all food service staff across culinary, therapeutic diet knowledge, safety, and operational domains
• Promote workplace safety, collaboration, and a positive team environment
• Ensure contract checklists are completed when verifying the contract and vendor performance monthly
• Escalate issues to Head, Group Hospitality if necessary

Culinary & Operational Oversight

• Oversee all kitchen and food service operations, ensuring seamless preparation and delivery of patient meals, festive menus, and catering services
• Provide strategic direction and support to the Executive Chef on menu development, recipe standards, presentation techniques, and quality benchmarks, ensuring recipes are regularly reviewed, updated, and trained
• Ensure all food service operations — including control room, store, catering, dishing, assembly, and outsourced services — are conducted efficiently and to the highest standards
• Oversee the management of special catering events and institutional food programmes

Patient Meals

• Oversee meal planning, preparation, and delivery for all patient dietary requirements, including therapeutic and special dietary needs
• Coordinate closely with clinical dietitians and medical staff on patient nutrition plans to ensure medically appropriate meal delivery
• Manage patient meal ordering systems and special dietary requests effectively
• Conduct continuous training for food service staff on therapeutic diets to ensure safe and accurate meal preparation
• Drive patient meal satisfaction outcomes to meet TGCH and NUHS targets of 50% Excellent rating

Project Management

• Lead or participate in assigned projects and tasks assigned by Head, Group Hospitality Services

Compliance, Safety & Risk Management

• Ensure full departmental compliance with all licensing, accreditation, certification, and benchmarking requirements, including MOH, MUIS, ISO22000, BizSafe, JCI, and HACCP principles
• Provide executive oversight on food safety, workplace safety, and enterprise risk management, ensuring risks are proactively identified, mitigated, and regularly reviewed
• Conduct regular audits, inspections, and corrective actions to address non-compliance issues promptly
• Ensure all departmental policies, procedures, and documentation are current, accurate, and consistently upheld
• Maintain robust documentation and record-keeping systems to support regulatory and accreditation requirements
• Ensure the department is prepared and equipped to respond effectively to emergency situations

Financial & Resource Management

• Plan, manage, and be accountable for the department's OPEX and CAPEX budgets (approximately $3–5M annually)
• Oversee procurement strategy and contract management for all food service-related vendors and outsourced services
• Monitor food costs, labor expenses, and operational efficiency, implementing cost control measures without compromising quality
• Manage inventory levels, minimize waste, and ensure efficient resource utilization
• Prepare financial reports, variance analyses, and timely annual budget recommendations for senior management

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the key representative of Food Services in hospital-level committees, audits, and cross-functional discussions
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders — including clinical teams, nursing, dietetics, and facilities — to ensure food services are aligned with patient care needs
• Manage relationships with external vendors, regulatory bodies, and accreditation agencies

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in hospitality, Food Services, Nutrition, Business Management, or a related discipline.
• Food Safety Supervisor Certification and HACCP Certification.
• At least 8 years of relevant food service or hospitality operations experience, with proven leadership experience and 3-5 years in healthcare food service or institutional catering.
• Strong knowledge of food safety regulations, therapeutic diets, kitchen operations, and service excellence.
• Experience in budgeting, inventory management, vendor management, and operational planning.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and team leadership skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and food service management systems.