Operations Manager – Food Department

Department

Food & Catering Operations

Reports To

General Manager / Hospital Administration / Operations Head

Job Purpose

To manage and supervise the overall food department operations, ensuring efficient food production, quality, hygiene, cost control, inventory management, store management, and timely service. The Operations Manager is responsible for maintaining operational efficiency while ensuring compliance with food safety and organizational standards.

Key Responsibilities1. Food Department Operations

Manage and supervise the day-to-day operations of the food department.
Ensure timely preparation and distribution of meals as per the approved menu and requirements.
Coordinate with chefs, kitchen staff, dieticians, service staff, and other departments.
Monitor food quality, portion control, taste, presentation, and service standards.
Ensure adequate manpower allocation and efficient utilization of resources.
Monitor daily production and consumption of food items.

2. Cost Control

Monitor and control overall food production and operational costs.
Prepare and monitor food cost on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Control food wastage, overproduction, spillage, and unnecessary consumption.
Monitor portion sizes and standard recipes to maintain consistent food cost.
Compare actual consumption with budgeted consumption and identify variations.
Analyze food cost variance and take corrective actions.
Identify opportunities for cost reduction without compromising food quality and safety.
Monitor labour, utility, consumable, and other operational expenses related to the food department.

3. Inventory Management

Maintain proper control over raw materials, ingredients, consumables, and other food-related inventory.
Monitor stock levels and ensure availability of required materials.
Establish minimum and maximum stock levels for essential items.
Conduct regular physical stock verification and reconcile with records.
Monitor stock movement, consumption, and variance.
Prevent overstocking, stock shortages, expiry, and unnecessary purchases.
Ensure proper FIFO (First In, First Out) and FEFO (First Expiry, First Out) practices.
Prepare inventory reports and submit them to management.

4. Store Management

Supervise the day-to-day functioning of the food store.
Ensure proper receiving, checking, recording, storage, and issuing of materials.
Verify quantity, quality, expiry date, packaging condition, and temperature of received food items where applicable.
Ensure proper segregation and storage of dry, chilled, frozen, and other food materials.
Maintain proper storage conditions and cleanliness of the store.
Monitor expiry dates and ensure timely utilization of materials.
Maintain proper documentation for receipts, issues, returns, wastage, and stock adjustments.
Conduct regular store audits and stock verification.

5. Purchase & Vendor Coordination

Coordinate with the purchase/procurement department for timely procurement of food materials.
Monitor vendor performance related to quality, quantity, price, and delivery.
Ensure purchased materials meet approved quality standards.
Review consumption trends and prepare purchase requirements accordingly.
Support price comparison and vendor evaluation to achieve cost-effective procurement.
Report quality issues, shortages, damages, or discrepancies to the concerned department.

6. Food Safety & Hygiene

Ensure compliance with food safety, hygiene, sanitation, and HACCP requirements.
Monitor personal hygiene and PPE compliance among food handlers.
Ensure proper cleaning and sanitation of kitchen, equipment, utensils, and storage areas.
Monitor critical control points and ensure required records are maintained.
Ensure proper food temperature control during cooking, holding, cooling, reheating, and service.
Ensure food samples are collected and preserved according to organizational requirements.
Take immediate corrective action in case of food safety or hygiene deviations.

7. Quality Control

Maintain consistent food quality and service standards.
Monitor raw material quality and finished food quality.
Coordinate with the dietician/quality team for menu and dietary requirements.
Investigate complaints related to food quality, quantity, hygiene, or service.
Conduct root-cause analysis for recurring issues and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

8. Wastage Control

Monitor daily food and material wastage.
Identify the reasons for wastage and implement corrective measures.
Maintain proper wastage records.
Reduce wastage through proper production planning, portion control, inventory rotation, and forecasting.
Review wastage trends periodically and report significant variations to management.

9. Staff Management

Supervise and guide food department employees.
Prepare duty allocation and ensure adequate staffing.
Monitor staff attendance, discipline, productivity, and performance.
Provide training on food safety, hygiene, SOPs, equipment handling, and operational procedures.
Conduct regular team briefings and communicate operational requirements.

10. Documentation & Reporting

Maintain accurate operational records and reports.
Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly reports related to:
Food cost
Inventory
Stock movement
Food wastage
Purchase and consumption
Production
Complaints
Food safety and hygiene
Manpower
Review records regularly and take corrective action for deviations.
Maintain proper documentation for audits and inspections.

11. Compliance & Audit

Ensure compliance with organizational SOPs and applicable food safety requirements.
Support internal and external audits.
Ensure audit observations are addressed within the required timeline.
Follow up on corrective actions and maintain supporting documentation.
Ensure continuous improvement in food department operations.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Food Cost %
Food wastage %
Inventory variance %
Stock accuracy %
Purchase cost and variance
Expiry and near-expiry control
Food production efficiency
Customer/service satisfaction
Food safety compliance
Audit compliance score
Labour productivity
Timely availability of food materials
Reduction in operational wastage

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Management / Food Service Management / Hospitality Management / Business Administration or related field.
Additional qualification in Food Safety, HACCP, or Operations Management is an advantage.

Experience

3–7 years of experience in food production, catering, hospital food services, hotel operations, institutional catering, or a similar environment.
Experience in cost control, inventory management, store management, food safety, and team supervision is preferred.

Required Skills

Food cost and budget management
Inventory and stock control
Store management
Purchase and vendor coordination
Food safety and HACCP knowledge
Staff supervision and leadership
Data analysis and reporting
Wastage control
Problem-solving and decision-making
Good communication and coordination skills
MS Excel and basic inventory/ERP software knowledge

Apollo Hospitals

Moses - HR

Mob - 8148073833

Pay: ₹50,000.00 - ₹60,000.00 per month

Benefits:

Food provided
Health insurance
Paid sick time
Paid time off
Provident Fund

Work Location: In person

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