Kitchen Production Team Leader

What you will do

• Empower and encourage the team to take immediate action to meet the needs of guests and give input on how to continuously improve our meeting with them
• Together with his colleagues and IFB manager, contribute actively in the development and implementation of a clear IKEA Food action plan for the store using the store business plan and country business plan based on input from the IKEA Food Direction & Strategy. Develop and execute an annual action plan for kitchen area based on agreed goals.
• Actively implement the range matrix (global and national) by securing quality and availability.
• Serve high-volume dishes that suit the taste of the many people on the local market.
• Secure that we prepare all food in line with the product sheet and secure the quality served at all times.
• Actively use the product sheets to train co-workers. Also, ensure all co-workers taste and learn about new products before they are launched.
• Secure an irresistible food offer by ensuring to give customers an appealing range presentation.
• Passionate about kitchen products and actively learn about their content, origins, preparation and other benefits. Share this knowledge with the team.
• Ensure that his team and him know the top-selling products, 3 Aces and 1 King, and that they are available and clearly communicated and displayed at all times. To promote alternative products when these are unavailable.
• Utilise everyday commercial opportunities to grow sales and profitability according to the goals in his area. Work with the Functional Commercial Review and other appropriate tools to do so.
• During unexpectedly quiet times, propose commercial activities that attract store visitors and increase the take-up rate, or take other actions to secure productivity.
• Co-operate with the IFB manager to enhance Swedishness and the link between the IKEA Restaurant & Café and the Swedish Food Market when appropriate.
• Have relevant knowledge of the competition on the market & use this information to initiate immediate action as needed, e.g. secure a substantial price distance.
• Create awareness of IKEA Food as the most important in-store marketing tool for maximising the IKEA store’s sales potential.
• In collaboration with the HRBP and IFB manager select, recruit, train, develop, coach, mentor and inspire co-workers in accordance with the IKEA values.
• Committed to the development of kitchen team and secure their training to ensure all co-workers understand the IKEA Concept and other key guidelines, and how they have an impact on their specific roles.
• Train the co-workers how to work with the Swedish range and local range according to the recipes.
• Empower, support and coach kitchen co-workers on the job to help them perform better and grow.
• Actively develop successors to ensure to meet the succession needs of the IKEA store.
• Work actively to create an environment where the IKEA culture is a strong and living reality, and diversity is valued, to ensure the IKEA store is regarded as a great place to work.
• Be responsible for stock levels in Food & Beverages units, as well as purchasing, reordering and stock rotation (FIFO).
• Train the co-workers in food preparation to ensure the highest standards of range presentation.
• Train, develop and constantly follow up the quality and food safety regulations, while ensuring a safe working environment for co-workers and customers in accordance with all local health and safety regulations and HACCP standards
• Ensure to have a simple and straightforward internal communication and information flow, and secure that key information is understood by all IKEA Food co-workers.
• Secure the integrated multichannel executions/output of the function in order to contribute to the business goals
• Challenge costs by working in a lean, simple and cost-conscious way using and sharing good examples and encouraging his team and colleagues to discover smarter ways of working.
• Ensure the implementation and follow-up of the SOP rules and guidelines
• Promote a “safety first” culture where co-workers are encouraged to raise and discuss concerns and solutions, also co-operate with external service providers and authorities when needed.
• Adjust and implement the IKEA HACCP plan to secure store’s requirements, also ensure the HACCP routines are known and followed in the daily work.
• Execute an action plan for the kitchen to support Business Plan goals, sales/gross profit developments and manage controllable costs.
• Ensure that all food incidents, or potential incidents, are reported through CASY
• Ensure efficient operations of the IKEA Kitchen department with special attention to the preparation and serving of food that enhances the co-worker and visitor experience
• Act in accordance with the IKEA Global Sustainability Direction and work with his team to take actions that contribute to sustainability, such as waste management and energy efficiency.
• Ensure that the IKEA Co-worker Restaurant food range is appealing, nutritious and based on our co-workers needs and wants.
• Strive towards accurate sales forecasts for his area to enable proper supply planning, ordering, efficient goods handling and stock control.
• Control food costs, operational costs, working hours, productivity, sales mix and calculate inventory and dish costs.
• Ensure daily work routines are in place, e.g. goods flow, stock control, purchasing, ordering, production and waste management.
• Secure optimal productivity by ensuring a staff planning process aiming for the right number of competent co-workers, at the right times, in the right places to meet guests’ needs.
• Ensure efficiency and guest in focus in the serving line by setting up the serving line with flexibility based on peak and non-peak periods (menu offers), in conjunction with the Commercial direction, ensure the proper production levels to ensure freshness, maximise sales and minimise waste.
• Work proactively to avoid bottlenecks and constantly improve guest satisfaction and ensure the appropriate speed of service in the serving line by following IKEA Food routines, such as walk-the-plate and mechanical sales techniques
• Develop menu offers based on customer’s needs & feedback actively and continuously, and create & implement the yearly Commercial calendar accordingly
• Ensure the efficient maintenance of the area (preventive maintenance, equipment history), securing it is clean, organised, attractive and inviting to provide a positive guest experience.
• Ensure to have proper product sheets and cost calculations (Recipes, production charts, Navision database).
• Use the full potential of the IKEA Concept, tools, manuals, guidelines and other best practices.
• Collaborate and align with internal and external stakeholders to secure sustainability is integrated across all IKEA Food market functions in delivering their sustainability contribution to the agreed frameworks and strategies.
• Secure local adaption of the global and country directions and ambitions, to deliver to the total business agenda and a more People and Planet Positive IKEA.
• Ensure that alignment, budget and resources are in place to move the sustainability agenda within the market.
• Enable and follow-up sustainability performance and progress based on the country business plans, Group tools and methods.
• Facilitate integration and implementation of sustainability by supporting functions with the right information, best practice solutions, tools & methods and ways of working.
• Explore and follow-up on sustainability situation in local PMA and contribute to the unit’s business agenda, provide feedback and share across sustainability matrix.
• Document and evaluate initiatives and activities with a view to capitalise on learning, sharing and promoting continuous improvement.

Skills

Required skills to be successful

• Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Must be able to build working relationships
• Must be able to speak and understand English
• Must have a strong customer focus
• Must have the ability to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, and constantly changing retail environment
• Must have analytical skills
• Must have multitasking capabilities
• Must be computer literate
• Must have proven leadership abilities and lead by example
• Must have the ability to bring out the best in co-workers and to motivate and develop the organisation

What equips you for the role

• Must have a minimum of 2-3 years food service supervisory experience, preferably in a high-volume business
• Must have an interest and knowledge of culinary or food service industry
• Broad knowledge of IKEA concept, brand objectives, IKEA Culture & Values and vision
• Broad knowledge of IKEA tools, processes and cycles & Al Futtaim Group strategies, priorities and business planning process. Knowledge of direction setting, creation of strategic and operational goals and plans as well as follow up on KPIs
• Broad knowledge of IKEA food business and IKEA food operations
• Broad knowledge of the IKEA multichannel reality and online customer behaviors & of (food) trends that influence home furnishing, retail design and communication to gain insight to a more appealing product presentation for customers in our retail environment