Operations and Food Production Leadership Opportunity at Impact HR
Impact HR is recruiting a reliable, hands-on, and experienced Kitchen Manager to oversee daily kitchen operations on a contract basis in Bramley, Gauteng. This associate-level opportunity is ideal for a professional with strong experience in fresh produce preparation, juice production, kitchen operations management, and team leadership within an FMCG or food production environment.
The role is responsible for managing the preparation of fresh fruit and vegetable products, including juices and pre-cut produce, while ensuring strict adherence to food safety standards, hygiene requirements, quality control measures, and client specifications. The Kitchen Manager plays a critical role in maintaining operational efficiency, product consistency, staff productivity, and customer satisfaction.
This position is well suited to an organised and proactive individual who thrives in fast-paced food production environments and understands the importance of precision, compliance, and leadership in kitchen operations.
About the Role
The Kitchen Manager is accountable for the end-to-end management of daily kitchen operations. The role focuses on supervising food preparation activities, managing staff, controlling stock and materials, enforcing food safety standards, and ensuring that all products meet required quality and client specifications.
This position requires strong operational oversight, as the Kitchen Manager must coordinate production workflows, manage stock processing, and ensure that output targets are met without compromising food safety or quality. The role works closely with kitchen administration teams, quality control personnel, and operations management to ensure smooth production and accurate documentation.
Attention to detail, strong leadership, and the ability to manage pressure are essential, as the role involves handling high-volume production while maintaining strict hygiene and safety standards.
Key Responsibilities
Kitchen Operations and Production Management
The successful candidate will manage and supervise daily kitchen preparation activities, including washing, peeling, cutting, and portioning fresh fruits and vegetables. This includes overseeing juice production and ensuring that recipes, blending processes, and packaging specifications are followed consistently.
The role requires ensuring that all client orders are fulfilled accurately, on time, and according to specification. The Kitchen Manager must monitor production yields, identify inefficiencies, and reduce waste through effective planning and process optimisation.
Accurate production records, batch sheets, and order documentation must be maintained at all times to support traceability and operational accountability.
Stock Control and Bill of Materials Oversight
The Kitchen Manager is responsible for monitoring stock processing within the kitchen to ensure accuracy and efficiency. While the Kitchen Admin Team manages the Bill of Materials (BOM) process, the Kitchen Manager must oversee stock usage, verify processing accuracy, and ensure that materials are allocated correctly.
The role also includes responsibility for ordering stock, including fresh produce, juices, and dry goods, to ensure uninterrupted production and availability of materials aligned with demand.
Staff Management and Leadership
The Kitchen Manager will lead, train, and schedule kitchen staff to ensure efficient workflow and optimal productivity. This includes conducting performance reviews, providing coaching, addressing performance issues, and applying discipline where necessary.
The role requires ensuring that all staff understand and comply with safety, hygiene, and operational procedures. Building a disciplined, motivated, and accountable kitchen team is a key responsibility.
Food Safety and Hygiene Compliance
A core responsibility of the role is ensuring compliance with all food safety legislation, internal hygiene standards, and industry best practices. The Kitchen Manager must conduct regular hygiene and safety inspections, enforce corrective actions, and ensure that records are accurately maintained.
This includes managing cleaning schedules, temperature logs, traceability records, pest control measures, and allergen control protocols within the kitchen environment.
Quality Control and Client Specifications
The Kitchen Manager is responsible for inspecting incoming raw materials to ensure freshness and quality before processing. The role also includes verifying that final products meet client specifications related to appearance, weight, packaging, and presentation.
Where quality issues or non-conformance arise, the Kitchen Manager must work closely with the Quality Control team to investigate root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Equipment Maintenance and Health and Safety
The role includes ensuring that all kitchen equipment is properly maintained, cleaned, and calibrated. The Kitchen Manager must report equipment failures promptly and follow up on servicing requirements to minimise downtime.
Safe handling and storage of knives, machinery, and equipment must be enforced to prevent accidents. The Kitchen Manager must promote and enforce safe working practices, conduct risk assessments, and ensure compliance with workplace health and safety regulations, including PPE and manual handling requirements.
Minimum Requirements
Candidates applying for this role must meet the following requirements:
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Proven experience as a Kitchen Manager or in a similar leadership role
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Strong leadership and people management skills
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Solid knowledge of food safety and sanitation regulations
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Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
Experience and Professional Background
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Associate-level experience in kitchen or food production management
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Experience managing fresh produce preparation and juice production
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Experience overseeing staff, stock, and production workflows
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Exposure to FMCG, food processing, or fresh produce environments
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A culinary degree or relevant certification will be advantageous
Key Skills and Competencies
The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong capability in:
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Kitchen operations and production planning
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Food safety, hygiene, and compliance management
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Staff leadership, scheduling, and performance management
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Stock control and waste reduction
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Quality assurance and client specification compliance
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Problem-solving and decision-making under pressure
Fundamental Competencies
This role requires a professional who is:
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Reliable, organised, and detail-oriented
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Confident leading teams in operational environments
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Able to remain calm and effective under pressure
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Proactive, solution-focused, and improvement-oriented
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Committed to high standards of quality, safety, and service delivery
Employment Details
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Position Type: Contract
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Company: Impact HR
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Department: Agriculture
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Location: Bramley, Gauteng
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Industry: FMCG
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Job Functional Area: Operations
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Experience Level: Associate
Apply for Kitchen Manager – Bramley
Qualified candidates with relevant kitchen and food production management experience are encouraged to submit their applications.
👉 Apply for Kitchen Manager – Bramley
Applicants should ensure that their CV clearly reflects their experience in kitchen operations, food safety compliance, and team leadership. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
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