Food Service Managers

Operations & Service Delivery

Level 5548 of 1200 points

Job description

Food Service Managers

Job purpose

To plan, direct and coordinate the activities of an establishment or department serving food and beverages, managing its staff, stock, budget and standards, so that food and service meet quality, cost and health requirements and customers' complaints are resolved.

Skills

Customer service and quality standards, food production, storage and handling techniques, the administration and management principles needed to plan and resource an establishment, personnel practice, arithmetic and accounting for menu pricing, labour and overhead costs, budgets and payroll, and the health, fire, sanitation, nutrition and liquor regulation applying to food service. Secondary-level education is the most common qualification, with substantial minorities holding a post-secondary certificate or a two-year degree and others who left school earlier, together with up to a year of on-the-job training.
Investigates and resolves complaints about food quality, service and accommodation, greets and seats guests and presents menus and wine lists, and negotiates the details of banquets and receptions with clients. Organises and directs worker training programmes, coaches and develops staff, and resolves personnel problems.
Reviews work procedures and operational problems to find ways of improving service, performance and safety, tests cooked food by tasting and smelling it for palatability, monitors preparation methods, portion sizes and presentation, and records the number, type and cost of items sold to identify what is less profitable. Problems are operational and recurrent, with standards and regulation to work to, but decisions bear directly on cost, safety and the customer.
Schedules staff hours and assigns duties, coordinates the assignment of cooking personnel for economical use of food and timely preparation, plans menus and food utilisation from the anticipated number of guests and from nutritional value, palatability, popularity and cost, and estimates food, liquor, wine and beverage consumption to anticipate purchasing. Determines tasks and priorities within service periods and booking commitments.
Works on foot through kitchen and dining areas for most of the day, and performs food preparation and service tasks such as cooking, clearing tables and serving food and drinks when necessary. Common protective equipment is worn and materials are handled and moved regularly.

Responsibilities

Manages the establishment's staff: establishes standards for personnel performance and customer service, schedules hours and assigns duties, organises and directs training programmes, assesses staffing needs and recruits, hires new staff, evaluates performance and resolves personnel problems. Accountable for the health and safety of workers.
Counts money and makes bank deposits, monitors budgets and payroll records, reviews financial transactions to confirm that expenditure is authorised and budgeted, analyses recipes to determine labour and overhead costs and assign prices to menu items, and purchases equipment and supplies. Sets prices and commits operating expenditure within an approved budget.
Maintains food and equipment inventories and inventory records, schedules and receives deliveries and checks contents to verify product quality and quantity, arranges equipment maintenance and repairs, and coordinates services such as waste removal and pest control. Responsible for stock security and wastage.
Keeps the records required by government agencies on sanitation and food subsidies, maintains inventory, payroll and sales records, and documents the monitoring of health, fire and liquor compliance. Regulators inspect these records, and food cost, pricing and menu decisions rest on them.

Effort required

Frequent decisions across a kitchen and dining operation running at once, judging food, staff performance and compliance from direct observation while tracking cost and stock. Attention switches continuously between service, supervision, purchasing and paperwork under the time pressure of a service period.
Direct and continuous public contact, including guests who are unpleasant, angry or discourteous, and conflict with customers and among staff that is resolved on the floor. Carries responsibility for the safety of staff and customers, and handles performance and personnel problems.
Standing and walking for most of the working day in kitchen and dining areas, with repetitive motions and the handling and moving of materials. Exertion is light to moderate but sustained.

Working conditions

Indoor, environmentally controlled kitchen and dining premises, worked in close physical proximity to staff and customers throughout and with common protective equipment worn. No exposure to noise, extreme temperatures, contaminants or hazardous equipment is recorded, so the demand is the constant public contact, part of it with angry guests, and recurring conflict.
Most incumbents work a regular established schedule and a minority an irregular pattern following demand; the length of the week varies widely, with more working beyond forty hours than a shorter week. Pace is set by service periods and bookings, so the work is time-pressured with defined peaks and continuous interruption. Holds real freedom to determine priorities within standards, regulation and budget.

Skills

40% · 242 points▾

KnowledgeLevel 3 of 8
54 of 144 points
Knowledge of facts, principles and general ideas in a job area. The job requires a range of thinking and practical knowledge to do tasks and solve problems by choosing and using basic methods, tools, materials and information.
Interpersonal and communication skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Effective communication and interpersonal relationships. The job holder is required to adapt communication to different audiences and foster trust, cooperation and positive working relationships.
Problem-solving skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Variable problems. The job involves dealing with different kinds of problems that require careful thinking, research into different options or adjusting existing ways of doing things. Guidance and resources may be limited.
Planning and organisational skillsLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate organisational skills required. The job requires the organising and prioritising of multiple tasks, with some level of adjustment to plans on the basis of changing circumstances or deadlines.
Physical skillsLevel 2 of 5
29 of 72 points
Basic physical skills required. The job requires some physical skills that involve light to moderate physical effort. There is some requirement for dexterity beyond the everyday needs of life. Manipulation may be required, but precision is not necessary.

Responsibility

35% · 196 points▾

PeopleLevel 3 of 5
86 of 144 points
Moderate responsibility for people. The job includes overseeing or coordinating the work and well-being of others. This may involve supervising, providing regular support, managing conflicts, responding to an individual's needs and ensuring the personal and professional development of individuals.
Goods and equipmentLevel 2 of 5
34 of 84 points
Some responsibility for goods or equipment. The job involves the use and maintenance of equipment or stock, and the job holder is responsible for ensuring resources are used appropriately and safely.
InformationLevel 2 of 5
38 of 96 points
Limited responsibility for information. The job requires the individual to gather, process or share information in a controlled way, following guidelines or predefined procedures.
Financial resourcesLevel 2 of 5
38 of 96 points
Limited responsibility for financial resources. The job involves handling limited financial resources, such as managing small budgets, processing invoices or participating in financial planning discussions.

Effort

15% · 86 points▾

Mental effortLevel 2 of 5
24 of 60 points
Moderate mental effort. The job involves tasks that require focus, such as analysing straightforward information or performing repetitive tasks that require attention to detail.
Psychosocial and emotional effortLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate psychosocial and emotional effort. The job requires the regular management of emotional responses, such as dealing with sensitive or challenging individuals or situations.
Physical effortLevel 2 of 5
19 of 48 points
Low physical effort. The job involves moderate physical effort, such as standing for long periods, occasional lifting, or repetitive or monotonous movements.

Working Conditions

10% · 24 points▾

Environment (physical, psychological or emotional)Level 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Minimal exposure to hazards or stress. The job involves little or no exposure to physical hazards (e.g. chemicals, moving equipment, noise) and minimal emotional or psychological risks (e.g. occasional routine tasks with no emotional burden). There is minor exposure to dust, dirt, fumes, noise, waste, poor lighting, etc.
Organisational environmentLevel 1 of 5
7 of 36 points
Minimal organisational demands. The job requires standard working hours with no night shifts or irregular schedules. There is little or no need for travel or digital connectivity beyond typical working hours.