Quick Apply: Empact Group Food Solutions | Contract Position | Closing: 31 January 2026
Are you a culinary professional ready to advance into food service management? Assistant Catering Manager positions in Cape Town offer competitive salaries of R25,000-R38,000 monthly while providing essential experience managing high-volume operations, food costs, and kitchen teams. This Empact Group Food Solutions contract role combines operational management, financial oversight, culinary expertise, and team leadership—positioning you for advancement to Catering Manager (R40,000-R60,000) and Food Service Director roles (R65,000-R95,000) within 3-5 years.
Food service management represents one of South Africa’s most stable and lucrative hospitality career paths. As businesses, healthcare facilities, and institutions increasingly outsource catering to professional providers, demand for qualified Assistant Catering Managers with proven operational expertise continues growing. This position with industry leader Empact Group offers comprehensive management training, exposure to complex operations, and career advancement opportunities unavailable in traditional restaurant management.
Quick Job Overview
Position: Assistant Catering Manager (Operations & Kitchen Management)
Location: Cape Town, Western Cape
Employer: Empact Group Food Solutions
Salary Range: R25,000-R38,000 monthly (experience-dependent)
Employment Type: Contract (permanent conversion possible for top performers)
Application Deadline: 31 January 2026
Posted: 13 January 2026
Experience Required: Minimum 3 years progressive kitchen/food service management
Education: Tertiary qualification in Food & Beverage Services or Culinary Arts (compulsory)
Key Skills: Budget management, HACCP knowledge, kitchen operations, team leadership
Career Path: Assistant Manager → Catering Manager (R40K-R60K) → Multi-site Manager (R65K-R95K)
About Empact Group Food Solutions: Leading Contract Catering Provider
Empact Group Food Solutions operates as one of South Africa’s largest and most respected contract catering companies, managing food service operations for corporate clients, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and hospitality venues nationwide. With over 150 locations and annual revenues exceeding R500 million, Empact delivers millions of meals annually while maintaining rigorous quality, safety, and financial performance standards.
What distinguishes Empact in the competitive food service industry is their sophisticated operational systems, comprehensive management training programs, and documented commitment to developing talent internally. Over 65% of Empact’s Catering Managers and Regional Directors began in Assistant Manager or Sous Chef positions, demonstrating genuine advancement opportunities for high-performing professionals.
Why Choose Empact Group for Your Management Career
Exposure to Complex Operations – Assistant Managers gain experience managing high-volume production (500-5,000+ meals daily), diverse service models from fine dining to cafeteria operations, multi-site coordination and logistics, specialized dietary requirements and therapeutic nutrition, and advanced food cost management and procurement systems. This breadth of experience accelerates professional development beyond what traditional restaurant management provides.
Professional Development Investment – Empact invests heavily in manager development including comprehensive onboarding and operations training, HACCP and food safety management certification, financial management and cost control training, leadership and people management programs, and mentorship from experienced Regional Managers and Directors.
Clear Career Advancement Structure – Empact’s transparent promotion criteria and regular advancement opportunities include performance-based progression with documented milestones, internal job postings giving current employees priority, succession planning identifying high-potential managers for development, and competitive compensation increasing with responsibility scope.
Cape Town Operations Advantage – Cape Town represents one of Empact’s largest operational regions, serving major corporate clients, private hospitals, educational institutions, and hospitality venues. The Western Cape’s thriving business environment, tourism sector, and healthcare industry create substantial career opportunities and operational diversity.
Understanding the Assistant Catering Manager Role
Assistant Catering Managers serve as operational leaders supporting Catering Managers in delivering excellent food service while maintaining budgetary performance and regulatory compliance. This position combines culinary expertise, business management, team leadership, and customer service into a comprehensive management role.
Core Responsibilities and Management Functions
Daily Operations Management
You’ll assist in managing all aspects of daily food service operations including overseeing kitchen production schedules and workflow, coordinating service timing across multiple meal periods, ensuring quality standards throughout preparation and service, managing front and back of house team coordination, and resolving operational issues maintaining service continuity.
Effective operations management requires understanding the complete food service cycle from purchasing through service, balancing quality with efficiency and cost targets, anticipating and preventing operational bottlenecks, and maintaining composure managing multiple priorities under pressure.
Production Process Implementation
Supporting kitchen production, you’ll implement standardized processes ensuring consistency, quality, and efficiency including menu execution following standardized recipes, production planning meeting forecasted demand, preparation timing coordinating with service schedules, quality control throughout production cycle, and workflow optimization maximizing kitchen productivity.
Understanding production systems enables you to identify improvement opportunities, reduce waste through better planning, maintain consistency across shifts, and scale operations for varying volumes.
Food and Labour Cost Management
Financial performance distinguishes successful Assistant Managers from merely competent ones. You’ll assist managing critical cost areas including monitoring food cost percentages against targets (typically 28-35%), controlling portion sizes and waste minimizing unnecessary costs, managing inventory levels optimizing working capital, scheduling labour meeting service needs within budget constraints, and tracking actual vs. budgeted costs identifying variances.
This financial acumen proves essential for advancement to Catering Manager roles with full P&L responsibility. Demonstrating cost control capability significantly accelerates career progression.
HACCP Compliance and Food Safety
Food safety represents non-negotiable priority in professional catering. Your comprehensive understanding of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) includes implementing critical control point monitoring, maintaining temperature logs and safety documentation, ensuring proper food handling and storage procedures, conducting regular safety audits and inspections, and training staff in food safety protocols.
Strong food safety knowledge protects customer wellbeing, maintains regulatory compliance, preserves company reputation, and demonstrates management capability essential for senior positions.
Menu Development and Planning
Supporting Catering Managers, you’ll contribute to menu planning considering multiple factors including nutritional requirements and dietary accommodations, seasonal ingredient availability and cost optimization, customer preferences and feedback, production capacity and equipment limitations, and profitability targets balancing appeal with costs.
Menu development skills enable creativity within operational and financial constraints, differentiate your value as manager, and provide foundation for senior roles requiring strategic menu planning.
Kitchen Brigade Management
Leading kitchen teams requires balancing high standards with supportive leadership including supervising chefs, cooks, and kitchen assistants (teams of 15-40+), providing training and skills development, conducting performance management and feedback, fostering positive kitchen culture and morale, and coordinating across shifts ensuring consistency.
Your leadership directly impacts team productivity, quality consistency, employee retention, and operational atmosphere. Developing strong people management skills distinguishes exceptional managers and accelerates advancement.
Strategic and Day-to-Day Operations Support
Assistant Managers bridge tactical execution and strategic planning including implementing Catering Manager’s operational strategies, participating in business planning and goal setting, supporting client relationship management, contributing to continuous improvement initiatives, and preparing reports and performance analysis.
This dual tactical and strategic involvement develops comprehensive management perspective essential for Catering Manager and senior leadership positions.
Salary, Benefits, and Career Advancement
Salary Range: R25,000-R38,000 Monthly
Compensation reflects experience and capability including 3-4 years management experience: R25,000-R28,000, 5-6 years with proven results: R28,000-R33,000, 7+ years or specialized expertise: R33,000-R38,000, and high-volume operations experience commanding premium (complex operations valued highly).
Total Compensation Package
Beyond base salary, Assistant Managers typically receive performance bonuses (quarterly or annual, 5-15% of salary), medical aid contributions (50-75% employer-paid), pension/provident fund contributions, uniform and equipment provision, professional development funding (certifications, courses), and possible company vehicle or travel allowance (site-dependent).
Realistic Career Progression
Years 1-2: Assistant Catering Manager (R25,000-R38,000) – Focus: Master operational systems and processes, demonstrate cost control capability, build strong team leadership, achieve performance targets consistently.
Years 2-4: Catering Manager (R40,000-R60,000) – Focus: Full P&L responsibility for single location, client relationship ownership, complete operational authority, team development and succession planning. Advancement criteria: Proven financial management, operational excellence, leadership capability.
Years 4-7: Senior Catering Manager/Multi-site Manager (R55,000-R80,000) – Focus: Oversee multiple locations or complex mega-site, regional operational responsibility, mentor and develop Assistant Managers. Requirements: Track record managing R10M+ annual budgets, demonstrated leadership excellence.
Years 7-10: Regional Manager/Food Service Director (R75,000-R120,000) – Focus: Portfolio management across region, strategic business development, senior leadership team membership, organizational impact. Requirements: Proven multi-site success, strategic thinking, executive presence.
This progression represents documented career paths at Empact Group, with numerous current Regional Managers and Directors having advanced from Assistant Manager positions.
Minimum Requirements and Essential Qualifications
Educational Requirements (Compulsory)
Relevant Tertiary Qualification in Food & Beverage Services or Culinary Arts – Professional culinary education is mandatory including National Diploma in Food & Beverage Management, Diploma in Culinary Arts (NQF Level 6), Professional Chef Qualification with management components, or Hospitality Management degree with culinary specialization.
This requirement ensures professional foundation in culinary techniques, food science and nutrition, food safety and HACCP principles, kitchen management systems, and cost control fundamentals.
Experience Requirements (Compulsory)
Minimum 3 Years Progressive Kitchen/Food Service Management Experience – Demonstrated management trajectory essential including progression from line cook/chef to supervisory roles, increasing responsibility for operations, budgets, teams, proven track record delivering operational and financial results, and experience managing teams of 10+ kitchen staff.
Budget Management Experience (Compulsory) – Proven capability working within budget constraints including managing food cost percentages, controlling labour costs, meeting financial targets, and understanding P&L fundamentals.
High-Volume Complex Operations Experience (Highly Desirable) – Experience managing substantial meal volumes (500+ daily) preferred demonstrating ability to scale operations, manage complex logistics, maintain quality at volume, and handle operational pressure.
Essential Knowledge and Competencies
HACCP and Food Safety – Comprehensive understanding of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, critical control point monitoring, food safety regulations (Department of Health), sanitation and hygiene protocols, and safety documentation requirements.
Catering Environment Knowledge – Experience across service models from fine dining requiring refined technique and presentation, casual dining and cafeteria operations, banquet and event catering, to specialized dietary services (healthcare, schools).
Regulatory Compliance – Knowledge of South African and industry-specific legislation including food safety regulations, employment law and labour relations, health and safety requirements, and industry best practices.
Management and Leadership Skills – Proven capability in team leadership and motivation, performance management and development, conflict resolution, delegation and empowerment, and creating positive work culture.
Financial and Business Acumen – Strong skills in budget management and cost control, financial reporting and analysis, P&L understanding, procurement and vendor management, and pricing and profitability analysis.
Customer Service Excellence – Client-focused approach including understanding customer needs and expectations, managing relationships professionally, handling complaints and concerns effectively, and delivering consistent service quality.
Computer Literacy – Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel for cost analysis, Word for reporting, PowerPoint for presentations), food service management software, inventory and ordering systems, and email and digital communication.
How to Apply Successfully
Application Requirements
Submit comprehensive CV highlighting relevant management experience with quantifiable achievements (reduced food cost X%, improved customer satisfaction Y%, managed budget of R amount), educational qualifications and certifications, progression showing increased responsibility, and professional references from previous employers or clients.
Include cover letter addressing your interest in Empact Group specifically, relevant experience managing operations and budgets, understanding of food service management challenges, and career goals in contract catering.
Gather supporting documents including certified copies of qualifications, HACCP or food safety certificates, reference letters from previous managers, and portfolio of menus developed or events managed (if applicable).
Application Deadline: 31 January 2026
Submit complete application through Empact recruitment channels. Late or incomplete applications may not be considered due to high candidate volume.
Interview Preparation
Prepare to discuss specific examples of managing operations under budget constraints, improving food cost or labour cost percentages, handling operational challenges or crises, developing team members and improving performance, implementing food safety systems, and managing client relationships.
Bring portfolio showcasing menus, cost analyses, operational improvements, or event execution. Prepare thoughtful questions about operational scope, performance expectations, advancement opportunities, and company culture.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
Assistant Catering Manager positions with Empact Group offer more than jobs—they provide career acceleration in professional food service management. The combination of complex operations exposure, comprehensive training, financial responsibility, and documented advancement opportunities creates optimal conditions for ambitious culinary professionals seeking management careers.
Contract catering’s growth trajectory ensures strong long-term prospects. As organizations increasingly outsource food services to specialists, demand for qualified managers continues expanding. Assistant Managers developing operational excellence, financial acumen, and leadership capability position themselves for six-figure salaries and executive roles within 7-10 years.
Cape Town’s dynamic business environment, thriving tourism sector, and expanding healthcare facilities create exceptional opportunities for food service professionals. Experience gained managing Empact operations transfers effectively to hotel management, restaurant operations, institutional food service, or independent catering ventures.
Application Deadline: 31 January 2026 – Don’t Miss This Opportunity
Related Resources:
- Catering Manager Salary Guide South Africa 2026
- HACCP Certification for Food Service Managers
- From Chef to Food Service Director: Career Roadmap
- Contract Catering vs Restaurant Management: Career Comparison
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