Operations Manager - Vida e Caffe (Angola and Namibia)

PURPOSE

The Operations Manager takes ownership of a number of stores in an allocated region. The main responsibility is to ensure that business channels with Procurement, Suppliers, Marketing, NPD, Logistics, HR, and Training and Development are aligned. Furthermore, there is a responsibility for driving the company policies and procedures, brand standards, monitoring the regions’ performance from budgets and stock control, managing staff productivity and presenting solutions to potential difficulties.

RESPONSIBILITIES

HR

• Conduct staff interviews, recruitment & induction.
• Conduct staff disciplinaries and issue written warnings, suspensions, notices to attend hearings, and coordinate hearings & dismissals with HR. 
• Apply for and motivate for employee accreditation/increment.
• Continuously update the HR department with new staff & resignation information. 
• Manage staff turnover. 
• Manage store rosters according to the contracts of employment.
• Submit monthly payroll for store/s. 
• Plan and coordinate store/s leave calendars according to the time of year and operational requirements. 
• Conduct regular performance appraisals with staff.

Training

• Plan, coordinate and book staff training for the required modules and training duration. 
• Liaise with the training department for in-store staff assessments to be conducted. 
• Take an active role in coaching and developing junior staff, whilst building an energetic & successful team.

Feedback

• Monthly review meetings with the Country Manager to discuss the region’s performance. 
• Monthly Franchisee meetings in the store to discuss store performance and its operations.
• Weekly team meetings to discuss action plans and audit and mystery shopper reviews (documented & filed).
• Investigate, follow-up & feedback continually on customer complaints and compliments. 
• Monthly supplier meetings.

Sales

• Actively drive sales targets and sales incentives, including cross- and upselling as required by country management (and the franchisor).
• Maintain profitability through increased sales whilst maintaining company operating standards.
• Ensure food (and packaged drink) counter displays and grab and go displays are stocked according to a planogram which maximises sales of the FULL product range, and that associated disciplines are followed rigorously, e.g. twice daily photos of filled displays and coffee parameters.

Financials

• Control the cost of sales tightly by monitoring, analysing and taking corrective action to ensure the food cost variance target set by country management is met, which will be 0.5% unless otherwise specified.
• Monitor & manage store/s budgets and costs.
• Forecast staff costs according to the operational requirements and budget costs. 
• Actively drive targets and incentives. 
• Maintain profitability through increased sales and reduced costs whilst maintaining company operating standards.
• Daily spot cash-ups. 
• Day-end cash-up & safe checks.
• Enforce daily cash banking. 
• Analyse & identify reporting information (predictions & forecasting).

Operations

• Constantly drive, motivate, enforce & maintain Vida e Caffe standards and procedures as per the operations manual.
• Drive product quality, both food and beverage. 
• Drive customer service, experience and satisfaction. 
• Daily store visits integrated with operational involvement.
• Effectively and actively manage both managers & staff.
• Store audit and mystery shopper feedback, action plans & follow-ups.
• Report analysis.

Stock control

• Daily stock-taking & inputting of stock, with count sheets; documented & filed. 
• Ensure and enforce daily invoice capturing. 
• Monitor stock usage/items sold and implement stock order and par levels. 
• Monitor daily wastage levels according to financial requirements.
• Manage the direct purchases to prevent "out of stocks" and to ensure freshness, e.g. from Shoprite for selected confectionery items and breads, fruit and veg and other ingredients not available through the distribution centre (DC), and packaged drinks suppliers from Luanday and Castel.
• Oversee DC stock supply to prevent "out of stocks",  through verifying centrally generated order requirements and expediting DC deliveries and occasionally arranging for emergency collections from the DC.
• Manage the Vida e Caffe van driver to ensure the above is done effectively.

Customer Service and Relationship Management

• Manage the operational relationships with key partners such as Sonangol and ATO, to resolve key issues timeously and ensure the agreed standards are met, e.g. in terms of housekeeping, hygiene, safety, and to also generally maintain positive relationships with these key partners.
• Drive the Vida vibe/energy across the brand in Angola, ensuring all customers experience this constantly, primarily through the team members exhibiting the Vida vibe, but also ensure that all elements of the store are working to standard.
• Manage customer complaints, ensuring complaints are minimised, well recorded, and resolved timeously. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Fluent in Portuguese both written and verbal.
• Good command of the English language, both written and verbal. 
• Can communicate clearly with staff and customers, actively interacting. 
• Must be able to work in high-pressure environments and be flexible to the needs of the business.
• Takes pride in personal appearance and hygiene. 
• Good understanding of superior customer service and hospitality principles, with good attention to detail.
• Passionate, driven, trustworthy and self-motivated individual with a strong and confident personality. 
• Must have a good understanding of food handlers’ hygiene and be able to implement and follow at all times. 
• Ability to uplift, motivate and manage small to medium teams. 
• Ability to set the example and develop leadership skills in others. 
• Good time-management, with exceptional organisational and planning skills.
• Sound computer knowledge (Google Workspace applications).