Director of Food & Drinks at Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre
The Director of Food & Drinks for Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre will oversee all commercial, operational, financial and people related matters in Food & Drinks, including Bars & Restaurants, Banqueting and Room Service.
To thrive in the role, the ideal candidate must have a similar experience in a luxury operation, enjoy a hands-on approach and drive an exceptional guest experience. A thirst for multi-tasking, cultivating a team culture that is fun, performance-driven and constantly looking to evolve, innovate and create.
What will I be doing
As a Director of Food & Drinks for Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre, your role balances the critical importance of strategic high level leadership with the day to day management of the operation by developing and engaging the team, problem solving and delivering results for the business, from a people, product, guest experience and profit perspective.
You will be responsible for the following areas to the highest standards:
Commercial:
Develop the annual Food & Drinks budget and execute the business plan, commercial and promotional strategy
Responsible for leading the strategic and business development of the Food & Drinks department to maximize revenue growth and profitability
Conduct industry and trend benchmarks, identify relevant opportunities and foster innovation to increase sales and profits and position Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre as an industry leader in Food & Drinks
Monitor activities and trends of competitor hotels, restaurants and bars, keeping up to date with industry development to ensure the hotel offerings remain relevant and on-trend
Partner closely with the Operations and Commercial leaders to gather insights, drive alignment and facilitate successful strategy execution
Act as a hotel ambassador, the face of the Food & Drinks department; participate in public relations activities, sales calls or other promotional activities designed to enhance the image and profitability of the Food & Drinks department
People:
Proactively seek the industry's top talent to build and develop a strong team through effective recruitment, training and performance management, ensuring we have the right people in the right roles, at the right times
Coach and develop leaders and team members to ensure that they can operate independently and deliver financial targets while managing the performance management process for the Food & Drinks department
Be an active member of the hotel leadership team, supporting overall strategy and performance
Assist in bringing all Food and Drinks leaders up to date with the market trends and ensure that their plans match the market expectations
Ensure appropriate communication processes are established, and superior team engagement is in place.
Operations:
Lead the organizational and administrative functions in all areas of the Food and Drinks Department to ensure delivery of set strategy and full compliance with Waldorf Astoria brand standards
Monitor service quality and food and drinks standards (including Forbes Travel guide standards) in all restaurants, bars and banqueting to support the operational teams and the guest experience while ensuring compliance, quality and consistency
Ensure Hilton's Quality Assurance is of the highest standard in the Food and Drinks department
Make recommendations for the modernization of equipment, service methods, and presentation to improve guest satisfaction and profits
Actively engage with all guests during service to obtain feedback, measure satisfaction, and address areas of concern as required
Ensure measurable quality objectives are established and actively participate in the review of these objectives
Ensure all guest feedback is handled promptly with 100% Satisfaction
Financial:
Drive closely the profitability of all Food and Drinks departments in order to achieve optimal financial performance through maintaining an entrepreneurial mindset
Set and monitor monthly forecasts in close conjunction with each leader
What are we looking for:
As the Director of Food & Drinks at Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre is always working on behalf of our Guests and working with other Team Members. To successfully fill this role, you are required to have below key requirements:
3+ years of similar experience as a Director of Food & Drinks in a luxury hotel with a track record in launching and driving successful Food & Drinks promotions and initiatives
UAE local experience is required
Mastery of the commercial and financial demands of the Food and Drinks department, including P&L management, forecasting, and budgeting
Solid track record in maximizing guest satisfaction scores
Experience with Forbes Travel Guide or similar programs
What will it be like to work for Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
Waldorf Astoria provides guests the exceptional environment and the personalised attention of True Waldorf Service that creates a singular experience. If you understand the value of personalised attention and know how to treat even the most extraordinarily different experiences with the same rich level of customer service, you may just be the person we are looking for!
