General Manager – Central Kitchen (Ready-to-Eat Foods)

Position Summary

The General Manager (Central Kitchen) is responsible for the end-to-end leadership, operational excellence, food safety, and financial performance of the central kitchen producing ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-heat food for a multi-outlet convenience-store business. This role oversees production planning, quality assurance, supply chain coordination, cost control, product innovation, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement to ensure consistent delivery of safe, high-quality, scalable food products that meet brand, margin, and growth objectives.

Reporting Line

• Reports to: Chief Commercial Officer / CEO
• Direct Reports may include: o Production Manager o Quality Assurance / Food Safety Manager o Supply Chain / Procurement Manager o Engineering & Maintenance Manager o R&D / Product Development Lead o Finance / Admin Manager (dotted line) Key Responsibilities

1. Operations & Production Management

• Lead day-to-day central kitchen operations, ensuring on-time, in-full (OTIF) production and delivery to all retail outlets.
• Develop and manage production plans aligned with store demand forecasts, promotions, and seasonal peaks.
• Ensure optimal utilisation of labour, equipment, and facilities to maximise throughput and efficiency.
• Implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) across preparation, cooking, portioning, chilling, packing, and dispatch.
• Drive continuous improvement in productivity, yield, waste reduction, and labour efficiency.

1. Food Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with MOH Malaysia, HACCP, MeSTI / GMP, Halal (JAKIM), and other applicable food safety standards.
• Establish and enforce robust food safety management systems, traceability, recall readiness, and crisis response protocols.
• Oversee internal audits, external inspections, certifications, and corrective action plans.
• Ensure consistent product quality, taste, shelf-life, and presentation across all SKUs and batches.

1. Financial & Commercial Management

• Own the P&L of the central kitchen, including cost of goods, labour, utilities, wastage, and capex.
• Set and manage budgets, cost targets, and productivity benchmarks.
• Drive cost optimisation initiatives without compromising food safety or quality.
• Partner with merchandising and commercial teams to support menu pricing, margin optimisation, and promotional execution.

1. Supply Chain, Procurement & Inventory

• Oversee procurement of raw materials, packaging, and consumables, ensuring quality, continuity of supply, and competitive pricing.
• Build strong relationships with approved suppliers and co-manufacturers where applicable.
• Implement strong inventory controls for raw materials, WIP, and finished goods to minimise expiry, shrinkage, and write-offs.
• Coordinate closely with logistics and distribution teams to ensure cold-chain integrity.

1. Product Development & Menu Innovation

• Collaborate with R&D, marketing, and merchandising teams to develop new RTE products aligned with consumer trends and brand positioning.
• Ensure new products are scalable, cost-effective, and operationally feasible for mass production.
• Support test-kitchen trials, pilot runs, and smooth transition to full production.
• Continuously review and improve existing SKUs based on sales performance, feedback, and cost structure.

1. People Leadership & Capability Building

• Build, lead, and retain a high-performing management and operations team.
• Set clear KPIs, performance standards, and accountability across departments.
• Ensure adequate training in food safety, SOPs, leadership, and technical skills.
• Foster a strong culture of discipline, safety, ownership, and continuous improvement.

1. Systems, Automation & Scalability

• Ensure the use of ERP, production planning, inventory, and QA systems implemented effectively to improve visibility and control.
• Drive automation, mechanisation, and layout optimisation to support business growth.
• Plan capacity expansion, new facilities, or line upgrades in line with store network expansion.
• Support data-driven decision-making using production, yield, waste, and quality metrics.

Requirements

Key Deliverables & KPIs

• OTIF delivery performance
• Food safety audit scores and zero critical non-compliances
• Cost per unit / gross margin targets
• Waste and yield improvement
• Labour productivity metrics
• Successful launch of new SKUs
• Staff turnover and training completion rates Qualifications & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• Minimum 10–15 years experience in food manufacturing or central kitchen operations, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Strong experience in ready-to-eat / fresh food production preferred.
• Hands-on knowledge of HACCP, Halal requirements, and Malaysian food regulations.
• Proven track record managing scale, complexity, and multi-SKU operations. Key Competencies
• Strong operational and commercial acumen
• Structured, disciplined, and detail-oriented
• Decisive leadership with the ability to manage large teams
• Excellent stakeholder management across retail, logistics, and corporate teams
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-volume environment Working Environment
• Based at the central kitchen facility
• Requires flexibility to support early-morning, late-night, or peak production cycles
• Occasional travel to outlets, suppliers, or new facility sites