Industrial Catering Operations Manager

Overview

The Industrial Catering Operations Manager will oversee comprehensive catering operations in industrial and institutional settings, ensuring smooth, timely, and quality food service delivery across multiple sites.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage daily activities of assigned industrial canteens, guaranteeing punctual service of all meals including breakfast, lunch, snacks, tea, and dinner.
• Supervise production, dispatch, serving, and cleaning processes to maintain uninterrupted operations.
• Conduct regular site visits and operational audits to ensure compliance.
• Maintain strict adherence to food safety and hygiene standards, monitoring quality of raw materials, storage practices (FIFO/FEFO), and reducing wastage.
• Enforce staff personal hygiene and grooming protocols; address quality or safety issues promptly with corrective measures.
• Manage manpower by preparing rosters, ensuring full staffing as per contractual obligations, controlling absenteeism, and overseeing training and performance of supervisors, cooks, helpers, and service staff.
• Control operational costs by monitoring food, labor, and consumable expenses, ensuring efficient stock management and minimizing wastage.
• Maintain effective communication with client HR, Admin, and Facility teams; address complaints, gather feedback, and strengthen client relationships to support contract fulfillment and business growth.
• Prepare and submit detailed daily, weekly, and monthly reports covering meal production, food costs, attendance, wastage, inventory, complaints, sales, profitability, and operational deviations.
• Drive profitability by monitoring costs against budgets, ensuring accurate billing, identifying leakages, and collaborating with finance and purchasing departments.
• Lead operational setup for new site launches including manpower, equipment, ingredients, vendor coordination, kitchen setup, and trial runs to ensure successful commencement.

Performance Indicators

• Zero significant quality complaints and full compliance with hygiene SOPs.
• Full manpower deployment with minimized absenteeism and overtime.
• Food cost maintained within approved budgets and minimal wastage.
• Prompt resolution of client complaints and on-time meal services.
• Accurate inventory control with no stock-outs and achievement of site profitability targets.
• Complete and timely MIS documentation.
• High client satisfaction meeting or exceeding agreed service level agreements.

Eligibility and Qualifications

• 5 to 10 years of experience in industrial or institutional catering, preferably involving large-scale catering operations.
• Exposure to environments such as factories, corporate canteens, hospitals, schools, or relevant institutions is favored.
• Strong expertise in food costing, manpower planning, and inventory management.
• Proficient communication and client management skills.
• Capability to handle multiple site operations and teams with readiness to travel as required.
• Working knowledge of computer applications, especially Excel and Management Information Systems (MIS).
• Educational background in Hotel Management, Catering, or Hospitality Management is preferred; however, relevant practical experience may substitute formal education.

Authority and Accountability

• Authority to allocate manpower, approve routine operational requisites within limits, implement corrective actions for staff, reject substandard raw materials, and escalate serious issues promptly.
• Recommendation power concerning hiring, replacements, or disciplinary measures.
• Major financial decisions, contract agreements, salary amendments, purchases above approved thresholds, and vendor appointments require senior management approval.