Sodexo Hiring! Full Time Culinary Solutions Manager in Selangor - Ricebowl

Role Purpose

The Chef Manager – Culinary Solutions & Bid Excellence plays a critical role in driving business growth by designing commercially viable, brand-aligned culinary solutions for new business bids, and ensuring seamless execution post-award.

This role bridges culinary innovation, financial acumen, and operational delivery—ensuring that every concept is cost-effective, scalable, and delivers both client satisfaction and sustainable profitability.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Bid & Solution Development

• Partner with Business Development, Marketing and Operations teams to develop winning food concepts for tenders and pitches
• Translate client needs into innovative, relevant, and executable menus and service models
• Build detailed costing models (food cost, labor, equipment, logistics) to ensure competitive yet profitable bids
• Ensure all proposals align with company food strategy, brand standards, and category positioning
• Contribute to pitch presentations, tastings, and client engagements where required

2. Commercial & Financial Ownership

• Own and validate food cost structures, ensuring margin targets are met or exceeded
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising quality or brand integrity
• Work closely with procurement and supply chain to ensure accurate pricing assumptions and sourcing strategies
• Support scenario planning and sensitivity analysis for bids

3. Mobilization & Implementation

• Lead or support the end-to-end mobilization of new contracts from a culinary standpoint
• Ensure all approved concepts are translated into clear SOPs, recipes, and training materials
• Work with operations teams to ensure smooth launch execution, including kitchen setup, menu rollout, and staff readiness
• Act as a key bridge between design (bid phase) and delivery (operations)

4. Operational Performance & Profitability

• Monitor post-launch performance to ensure financial targets, food quality, and client expectations are met
• Conduct periodic reviews and implement corrective actions where needed
• Support sites in optimizing menus and processes to drive efficiency and profitability

5. Brand & Culinary Excellence

• Uphold and evolve the company’s food brand standards and culinary identity
• Ensure consistency across new implementations while allowing for local relevance and client customization
• Drive innovation in menu design, sustainability, and customer experience

Key Stakeholders

• Business Development / Sales
• Commercial & Finance Teams
• Procurement & Supply Chain
• Operations & Site Teams
• Marketing / Brand

Ideal Candidate Profile Experience

• 8–12 years in culinary leadership roles, preferably within contract catering, hospitality groups, or large-scale food service
• Proven experience in menu engineering, costing, and multi-site operations
• Experience supporting tenders, bids, or new business acquisition is highly preferred

Skills & Competencies

• Strong commercial and financial acumen (comfortable with costing, margins, and P&L impact)
• Ability to balance creativity with practicality and scalability
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration
• High attention to detail with a solution-oriented mindset
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

Success Measures

• Quality and accuracy of culinary contribution in bids
• Accuracy and robustness of costing models
• Successful and timely mobilization of new contracts
• Post-launch profitability vs. bid assumptions
• Client satisfaction and brand alignment