Hospitality and Counters Operations Manager | Retail | M&S | UAE

Role Summary

Overview Of The Role

The Hospitality and Counters Operations Manager for MENA & KSA is tasked with spearheading the strategic vision and operational execution of in-store bakery, hospitality, and counters functions. The role involves driving sustainable growth, fostering innovation, and enhancing efficiency. This position is essential for shaping and implementing long-term strategies, optimizing performance, and ensuring excellence through transformational leadership and collaboration with the Food Buying teams and Operations. The manager is responsible for overseeing daily operations, aligning with strategic objectives, and working closely with cross-functional teams to drive successful business outcomes.

Responsibilities

Financials

• Deliver the sales plan for Regional M&S hospitality and counters business by identifying opportunities across all departments.
• Regularly review and analyze sales figures to identify opportunities for sales performance enhancement across the region.
• Identify risk areas and probe performance to implement improvements.
• Engage with team, UK Specialists, Food Buying team, and other Operations colleagues to drive sales performance.
• Maximize stock accuracy and availability through effective management practices.
• Ensure accurate and timely implementation of corporate seasonal updates and events.

Service and Product Quality

• Manage the delivery of a memorable customer experience by connecting with customers to sell.
• Conduct Ready To Trade checks, customer walkthroughs, and observations to ensure service standards.
• Ensure Café Managers effectively manage service points like till points and service counters.
• Provide feedback to teams to recognize great service and drive improvements.
• Coach teams to actively demonstrate and role model excellent service.

Standards and Operational Excellence

• Ensure the M&S Way document is up to date and adapted to the MENA region.
• Lead the design and deployment of best-in-class bakery equipment and processes to enhance efficiency.
• Champion innovation projects for bakery performance including product development and sustainability initiatives.
• Ensure a safe and legal working environment for customers and colleagues by managing TSL and compliance.

People Management

• Manage a committed team, engaging and supporting them to recognize their contributions.
• Communicate effectively and engage with teams through regular updates and team briefs.
• Drive individual performance and develop potential through career path implementation.
• Meet with HR to build strong training, recruitment, and engagement plans.

Cost Optimization

• Contribute to store profitability by minimizing losses and managing staff costs accurately.
• Review Trade Meeting feedback to manage cost lines efficiently.
• Implement cost-saving initiatives such as packaging optimization and waste reduction.

Requirements

• Required Skills To Be Successful
• High-level strategic planning and delivery skills.
• Operational transformation leadership and large-scale project management experience.
• Expertise in Capex planning, cost control, and optimization.
• Advanced knowledge of baking, hospitality, and counters operations with process improvement and category management.

What Qualifies You For The Role

• Proven track record in hospitality business and retail operations, particularly within F&B or retail industry.
• At least 5 years of experience in Hospitality business with extensive technical knowledge and related food hygiene certifications.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills with the ability to work under pressure and tackle challenges.
• Strong capabilities in analyzing complex data for decision-making and understanding financial and commercial levers in Cafe and Restaurant management.
• Outgoing, positive personality focused on teamwork and results.

About the Company

Why Join HealthHub?

We Hear Your Ambition.

For over 90 years, the Al-Futtaim Group has been bringing the world’s leading brands of lifestyle watches, cars, home furnishings and fashion to the UAE. The Group has now introduced a whole new way of holistic healthcare through HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim, its multi-speciality chain of more than 20 clinics in Dubai with over 25 specialties offering the right combination of advanced diagnostics, proven medical expertise and specialised services.

What gives our clinics an edge is that as a part of the Al-Futtaim Group, you can expect world-class quality standards, with access to the best medical services and facilities within a healing environment. It’s a new way of healthcare that’s designed to meet a patient’s needs with a complete range of smart healthcare solutions. As testimony to this, only recently, we’ve earned a rare milestone of being the only primary healthcare network in the UAE to receive the Gold Seal by a reputed international body: Accreditation Canada.

As trusted partners to health, we at HealthHub Clinics adopt evidence-based learning that enables us to listen to our patients more carefully. It helps us in treating the cause and not just the symptoms, while applying global best practices to ensure quality of care for every family member. Most of all, we adopt a patient-centric approach to healthcare that is reflected in the promise of our core belief: “We Hear You.”

5-day working week