Department Manager - Operational Excellence

Key Responsibilities • Connect Commercial, Chef, Product Development, Production Planning and Store Operations to ensure strong end-to-end execution. • Set demand-based production and manpower plans by store, cluster and daypart to improve availability while reducing overproduction. • Work closely with Specialists(Chef) to align on SOPs, training and store-audit standards to ensure consistent product quality and execution. • Use SKU, store and production data to identify root causes and improve availability, yield, waste, markdown and productivity. • Own operational P&L improvement, including raw-material cost, recipe variance, labour productivity, waste and below-the-line costs. • Lead continuous-improvement pilots and scale successful solutions across stores. • Track the total profits and other benefits of different production models, including scratch, frozen dough, par-bake and centrally processed products. Qualifications: • At least 5 years’ relevant experience in food retail, food production, restaurant/QSR, central kitchen, supply chain, store operations or continuous improvement. • Experience leading a team, project or cross-functional improvement initiative; formal managerial experience is preferred but not essential. • Good general understanding of production planning, quality, food safety, manpower and store execution. • Comfortable working with operational and commercial data to identify issues and recommend practical actions. • Basic understanding of costs and business performance, with willingness to develop stronger P&L capability. • Hands-on, proactive and able to solve problems collaboratively with commercial, chef, supplier and store teams. • Able to manage multiple priorities and drive implementation across different stores or working teams.