Al-Futtaim Hiring for Regional Food Commercial Manager Job at Dubai Full Time

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day

Overview of the role

Oversees the Food & Beverages responsibilities and activities of the organization. Act as deputy Food & Beverages manager in the execution of the IKEA Food & Beverages Concept in the IKEA Restaurant & Café, IKEA Bistro and IKEA Swedish Food Market and IKEA co-worker restaurant, in order to strengthen the IKEA store’s position as the best home furnishing store in your local market. Includes achieving the customer satisfaction goals set and all foods & beverages are prepared and served in the correct way by trained and skilled co-workers for IKEA store visitors to take a natural break in their shopping for a tasty and nourishing meal, at a competitive price, in pleasant and relaxing surroundings with a taste of Sweden.

What you will do

Commercial

• Together with his colleagues and managers, they 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. These are supported by input from Growing IKEA together and the IKEA Food Direction & Strategy. Develop and execute an annual action plan for his 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 we give customers an appealing range presentation.
• Passionate about his products and actively learn about their content, origins, preparation and other benefits. Share this knowledge with his guests and colleagues.
• 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, initiate commercial activities that attract store visitors and increase the take-up rate, or take other actions to secure productivity.
• Co-operate with the Stores Kitchen Managers & Kitchen Production Seniors 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.

People

• Passionate leader who can bring business and people together, inspired by the IKEA core leadership capabilities and strive to continuously develop as a leader.
• In co-operation with the Human Resources (HR) department, recruit his team based on the IKEA values.
• Committed to the development of his 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.
• Empower, support and coach his co-workers on the job to help them perform better and grow.
• Actively develop successors to ensure he 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.
• Ensure we have a simple and straightforward internal communication and information flow, and secure that key information is understood by all IKEA Food co-workers.

Operations

• Act as a member of the Commercial Management Team and proactively contribute to IKEA Regional business plan, commercial plan, and commercial calendar process
• To ensure Food as a key growth driver for IKEA by providing an inspiring and unique meeting with the customers in existing and new meeting places
• To drive and strengthen food knowledge and leadership to address food quality and operational excellence and to address effectiveness and efficiency by providing exceptional quality in common ways of working, solutions and equipment’s
• Lead and coach the store to optimize and develop the IKEA Retail Food business, considering the IKEA brand position, strategies, legal compliance and people and planet positive in all IKEA touchpoints as well as promoting IKEA as a great place to work
• Develop functional budget, ensure approval, forecasting, follow up and coordination with Commercial Manager to secure country and functional goals are covered
• Strengthen the IKEA brand by safeguarding a high quality, safe and inspirational customer experience
• Ensure that global and national compliance standards are met to secure a safe environment for customers and co-workers
• To be responsible for managing resources (people and money): Responsible for people planning within food
• Ensure IKEA Food financial results according to unit, national and global frames
• Contribute to the creation and implementation of unit yearly action plan
• Actively foster the interdependent leadership and active cooperation across all functions and units, within and outside Commercial, to secure integration, common focus and maximize impact (for example Digital, CFF (Customer Fulfilment), Expansion, Communications, Sustainability, BNOF (Business Navigation Operations & Finance), Facility, People & Culture)
• To maintain basic knowledge of the local restaurant market and in-depth knowledge of the competition on the market. You use this information to determine short- and long-term goals, especially to secure the low-price
• Be responsible for the external marketing of IKEA Food & Beverages
• Secure the integrated multichannel executions/output of the function in order to contribute to the business goals
• Measure performance of output in all areas to maximize efficiency and effectiveness/ensure performance excellence throughout the year

Sustainability

• 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.

Required skills to be successful

• Advanced knowledge of food production and food safety
• Experience from food service business
• MS Office literate
• Sales-driven and passionate about food and people
• Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• 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
• Must have the ability to create an environment where the IKEA values are a strong and living reality that embraces the diversity of co-workers and visitors

What equips you for the role

• Experience of working in vibrant retail environment – 5 to 7 years
• Experience of managing/leading and developing a team
• Tactical thinker
• Understand KPIs and how to affect their results through departmental actions

About Al-Futtaim Retail

Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.

Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference…

About Al-Futtaim IKEA

GROWING TOGETHER…

We are a values-driven company with a passion for life at home. Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people.

Al-Futtaim IKEA holds the franchise rights for IKEA in Egypt, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.