Kitchen Manager

Position: Kitchen Manager (High-Capacity Operations)

Department: Food & Beverage / Operations

1. About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Kitchen Manager to guide a high-volume kitchen and institutional catering operation in Rusororo. The successful candidate will oversee production, financial performance, food safety, staff, inventory, and service delivery.

The Kitchen Manager will have responsibility for the kitchen’s operational and financial performance, including budget management and cost control. The role serves a diverse client base, including NGO-supported hospitals and schools, hospital staff, and commercial business-to-business (B2B) customers. The postholder will work closely with Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, IT, Monitoring and Evaluation, Programs, Communications, and other relevant teams.

Key Responsibilities

Financial and Business Performance

• create and oversee the annual kitchen operating budget, subject to General Manager approval.
• track food and labour costs against approved budgets and targets.
• evaluate costs and financial performance regularly, investigate variances, and execute corrective actions.
• detect opportunities to reduce waste, enhance yields, and strengthen gross margins.
• Contribute to menu planning and menu engineering to balance quality, nutrition, cost, and profitability.
• produce and submit regular financial and operational performance reports.

Kitchen Operations and Service Delivery

• guide daily, high-volume food production across kitchen service areas, including hospital operations.
• Ensure consistent use of standardized recipes, portion controls, and production plans.
• enhance workflows, production schedules, and resource utilization.
• create and execute kitchen standard operating procedures.
• organize preventive maintenance of kitchen equipment with the Facilities team.
• Ensure meals are prepared and delivered on time and meet agreed service standards.

Inventory and Procurement

• produce procurement forecasts based on production plans, consumption patterns, and anticipated demand.
• Submit requisitions in line with procurement policies and approval limits.
• collaborate with the Head of Procurement on supplier evaluation, cost negotiations, and supplier performance reviews.
• Oversee regular stock counts and reconciliation of physical stock against records.
• Enforce FIFO (first-in, first-out), stock rotation, and inventory-control procedures.
• Introduce measures to prevent stock losses, pilferage, and avoidable waste.
• keep appropriate segregation of duties for ordering, receiving, and stock control.

Food Safety, Compliance, and Quality

• Ensure compliance with applicable Rwandan food-safety, public-health, and regulatory requirements.
• execute HACCP principles and appropriate institutional food-safety and hygiene standards.
• keep high sanitation and quality standards, including those required for hospital catering.
• guide internal food-safety audits and produce the kitchen for inspections.
• Ensure accurate records are maintained, including temperature logs, cleaning schedules, and storage checks.
• Address food-safety or compliance concerns promptly and ensure corrective actions are completed.

Team Leadership

• organize staffing plans and recruitment with the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of kitchen staff.
• create and deliver staff training in coordination with HR.
• oversee staff schedules and productivity.
• perform performance reviews in line with organizational policy.
• Address performance and disciplinary matters in consultation with the CHRO and in accordance with HR procedures.
• Foster a professional, accountable, and collaborative team culture.
• assist succession planning and staff development.

Risk Management and Governance

• Ensure compliance with internal financial controls and organizational policies.
• keep complete and accurate records for audit purposes.
• detect operational risks and recommend practical mitigation measures.
• assist internal and external audits.
• Uphold ethical standards and help prevent fraud, waste, and misuse of resources.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality Management, culinary arts, food service management, business management, or a related field.
• Significant experience managing a high-volume kitchen, institutional catering operation, or comparable food-service business.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, food and labour costs, and financial performance.
• Experience leading and developing kitchen teams.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, HACCP, hygiene, and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Experience in inventory management, procurement forecasting, supplier coordination, and stock control.
• Strong planning, analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in relevant computer applications and reporting tools.

Key Performance Measures

Performance will be assessed against agreed targets, including:

• Food cost and gross profit margin against budget.
• Labour cost against approved targets.
• Production efficiency, portion accuracy, and on-time meal delivery.
• Food-safety, hygiene, and inspection results.
• Waste reduction and yield improvement.
• Staff productivity, performance, and retention.
• Stock accuracy, inventory control, and audit compliance.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES: Interested and qualified candidates should submit 1page Cover letter, and updated CV (maximum three pages) and names, title and contacts of three professional referees, to include most recent or current employer/supervisor (all in/as one document) - via email only to:hr@solidafrica.org with the POSITION applied for clearly indicated in the subject line. The deadline for submission of applications isOctober 5th 2026, at 16:00hrs. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Solid’Africa is an Equal Opportunity Employer offering employment without regard to, religion, gender, age, physical disability.