Project Manager - Catering

Job Purpose The Project Manager – Catering is responsible for the overall planning, execution, management, and continuous improvement of assigned catering contracts, ensuring that all operational, financial, contractual, quality, food safety, and health & safety objectives are achieved. The role provides strategic leadership to multidisciplinary teams while ensuring full compliance with client requirements, company policies, local regulations, and international food safety standards. The Project Manager is accountable for delivering exceptional catering services, maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction, achieving financial targets, developing employees, managing risks, protecting company assets, and fostering a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement. Duties & Responsibilities : • Provide overall leadership and management of assigned catering projects from mobilization through full operational delivery. • Ensure all catering operations are carried out efficiently while meeting contractual obligations, company standards, and client expectations. • Develop annual, quarterly, monthly, and weekly operational plans to achieve business objectives. • Monitor operational performance daily and implement immediate corrective actions whenever service levels fall below agreed standards. • Coordinate all departments including kitchen operations, food production, stewarding, housekeeping, laundry, accommodation services (where applicable), stores, transportation, and maintenance. • Continuously review operational processes to improve productivity, efficiency, service quality, and customer satisfaction. • Lead project mobilization and demobilization activities, ensuring smooth transition with minimal operational disruption. • Maintain effective communication with all internal departments to ensure seamless service delivery. • Build and maintain strong professional relationships with client representatives and key stakeholders. • Prepare annual operational budgets in consultation with senior management. • Monitor project revenue, operational expenditure, profitability, and financial performance against approved budgets. • Control food cost, labour cost, utility consumption, transportation expenses, and operating overheads. • Review daily sales reports, food consumption, purchasing trends, and inventory levels to minimize wastage. • Ensure complete compliance with HACCP, ISO 22000, local Ministry of Public Health regulations, and client food safety requirements. • Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene, sanitation, personal hygiene, and kitchen cleanliness. • Plan manpower requirements according to operational needs and contractual obligations. • Participate in recruitment, interviews, selection, onboarding, and mobilization of employees. • Ensure all contractual obligations and service level agreements (SLAs) are fully achieved. • Monitor contract performance and ensure compliance with all client requirements. • Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management, Hotel Management, Food Service Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline. • Professional certifications in HACCP, ISO 22000, Food Safety, IOSH or NEBOSH are preferred. • Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is an added advantage. • Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in industrial, defence, corporate, or remote-site catering. • Minimum 5 years in a senior management position leading large catering operations.