Asst. Manager Food development

About the Role

Catrion is seeking an Asst. Manager Food Development to join their team in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Umluj and Tabuk. This full-time role is central to the development and implementation of menus, recipes, and food design, ensuring alignment with target costs and high-quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage menus, including uploading them to the catering platform.
• Collaborate with procurement and finance teams to achieve food cost targets.
• Monitor recipe and routing compliance, addressing anomalies and reporting to the Commercial Manager.
• Train chefs on correct cooking methods for new products introduced into the factory.
• Lead training for third-party staff at customer canteens to ensure proper food reheating and preparation.
• Develop and maintain product specifications, including photographic standards and production guides.
• Introduce tools for chefs to measure applicable attributes such as thickness, pH levels, salt, sugar, spice, and product coloring.
• Conduct internal and third-party sensory evaluations.
• Manage the scaling up of products from kitchen trials to full-scale factory production.
• Conduct market research on new food trends and products in coordination with the Procurement department.
• Support internal customers during tender processes.
• Develop new and innovative packaging to enhance product appearance.
• Assist in streamlining raw materials to reduce wastage and improve forecasts.
• Conduct menu presentations in coordination with the sales department.
• Write recipes and procedures for new products or reformulate existing ones.
• Work with the production and menu planning team to ensure successful delivery and start-ups of new products, product improvements, cost reductions, and changes in ingredients, formulas, specifications, and processes.
• Document all work processes according to established procedures and guidelines.
• Prepare or assist in preparing project reports and plans for the Executive Chef of Menu Planning to ensure clear communication of project status, progress, solutions, timelines, and accountability.

Financial and Strategic Support

• Participate with the Commercial Manager in periodic reviews and planning.
• Support the Commercial Manager in compiling statistics and figures for internal customers for annual turnover budget preparation.
• Assist the Commercial Manager in preparing the business plan and budget write-up.
• Ensure operating expenses remain within budget limits.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should possess 5-10 years of relevant experience in food development, menu design, and recipe management. The role requires a strong understanding of food costs and the ability to work collaboratively across various departments.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with responsibilities extending to Umluj. The role involves working closely with procurement, finance, production, sales, and commercial teams.