Store & Cost Control Manager

Company Overview and Role Summary

Chennai Darbar Restaurant in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, seeks a highly skilled Store & Cost Control Manager. This role is integral to managing inventory flows, auditing purchases, tracking food costs, coordinating with suppliers, and implementing savings strategies within a fast-paced restaurant environment. Collaboration with management, purchasing, kitchen, finance, and front-of-house teams is essential.

Core Responsibilities

• Conduct detailed audits of purchases including orders, invoices, and receipts to confirm accuracy and quality.
• Maintain a comprehensive and accurate inventory list for food, beverage, packaging, cleaning, and operational supplies, managing stock levels and storage locations.
• Track ingredient prices historically and currently, benchmarking supplier rates to identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Manage data within Supy software daily, ensuring updated costs, recipe costing, and accurate reporting to highlight abnormalities.
• Control food usage by comparing actual consumption against theoretical amounts from recipes, working with kitchen management to minimize waste and cost leakage.
• Produce weekly and monthly analytical reports covering stock usage, price changes, wastage, cost variances, supplier performance, inventory valuation, and recommendations.
• Initiate cost-saving methods by analyzing expenditures, suggesting alternatives without sacrificing quality, improving portion control, and reducing spoilage.
• Maintain and assess supplier databases, obtain multiple quotations, benchmark offerings, support negotiations, and monitor supplier reliability.
• Implement and enforce FIFO stock rotation, conduct expiry checks, and reduce wastage due to poor stock management.
• Oversee store room organization ensuring cleanliness, labeling, designated storage zones and proper segregation of different products.
• Comply with Saudi regulations on storage and food safety, monitor temperature controls, segregation, and labeling, reporting any violations promptly.

Performance Metrics

• Accuracy of inventory data
• Variance between actual and theoretical food costs
• Control of stock and purchase price variances
• Reduction in wastage and expired items
• Inventory turnover rate
• Supplier price savings
• Realization of cost-saving initiatives
• Frequency of stock-outs
• Adherence to FIFO and storage standards
• Timeliness and accuracy of Supy data updates
• Compliance with food safety laws and inspection readiness

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Accounting, Finance, Supply Chain, Inventory Management, Hospitality Management, or related fields preferred.
• At least 3 years of relevant experience managing inventory and cost control in restaurant, hotel, catering, or F&B sectors.
• Comprehensive understanding of food cost management and inventory best practices.
• Experience handling purchasing, supplier management, physical stocktaking, and reconciliations.
• Proficient in Excel or Google Sheets and restaurant inventory or ERP systems, with strong preference for Supy software experience.
• Solid knowledge of FIFO procedures, food storage, and food safety regulations.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, verbal, and written communication abilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with chefs, purchasing, finance teams, and management.