Kitchen Specialist - IKEA

Job description / Role

Kitchen Specialist (x2) - IKEA - Abu Dhabi

One of the companies bearing Al-Futtaim name is IKEA.

IKEA is the worlds largest home furnishings store, founded in Sweden over 60 years ago. At IKEA not only our furniture is down to earth, straightforward and inspiring, but so is our work ethics. Despite being the leading home furnishing retail franchisee across the world, we at IKEA still give you the room to grow! At IKEA creating a better everyday life for the many isnt only our vision, its our way of life!

Job Purpose:
Manage the kitchen department for an IKEA Store and ensure that all operational objectives are delivered taking into account quality, quantity and cost through development and execution of tactical and operational initiatives. Also, make appropriate business recommendations based on the analysis of daily/ monthly KPIs. Finally support the sales departments ensuring that customers are provided with the highest possible service level (in line with IKEA standards) to achieve the pre-defined yearly sales targets.

Commercial:
- Conduct surveys to gauge the in store customer shopping experience and external competitor monitoring to recommend strategies that fill any gaps in the market.
- Schedule Customer appointments. Monitor and keep track of all customer appointments to ensure the highest possible service levels on waiting times for customers.
- Liaise and follow up with Range department. Track stock levels (Overstock / Outgoing / Concrete and Ageing stock) and make recommendations to the range department on order quantities required to achieve the sales targets.
- Liaise with Home delivery and assembly. Audit all kitchen designs with the home delivery and assembly teams and the kitchen designers before dispatching stocks to the customer`s home. Arrange for home visits and conduct follow up on all kitchen jobs.

People:
- Staff training and development. Ascertain that all staff is competently trained on the design system (IHP 2) and the kitchen range (NAVISION) and receive adequate development support to secure the store performance and succession needs.
- Manpower planning. Prepare plans, set productivities and supervise the kitchen designers to ensure highest levels of work efficiency within the budgeted productivities, motivation and control all the budgeted cost.
- Scheduling for the kitchen department. Create and submit all schedules for the kitchen designers based on the coverage needed for peak and non peak sales day. Plan annual leave for the designers based on the commercial calendar.

Financial:
- Prepare annual business plan and budget for the kitchen department (i.e workforce, budgets) and management information provided to support appropriate business decisions.
- Review and monitor daily and monthly KPIs and analyse reports on various measurable factors against benchmarked figures (i.e. reports relating to stock levels, stock ageing, top sellers, service levels with regards to stock availability, range analysis, manpower productivity, etc). Working with the team to create meaningful actions to achieve agreed goals
- Controlling costs through working in a lean, simple, cost-conscious way using good examples and solutions, and encouraging the team and colleagues to discover more effective ways of working.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications and Knowledge:
High School/Trade School Graduate.

Minimum Experience:
3 to 5 years in a similar role.

Job-Specific Skills:
Strategic Planning and Analytical Skills, Effective Communication, Excel competence.

Behavioural Competencies:
Interpersonal Skills, Business Acumen, Problem Solving, Confident, Leadership Skills and Strategic Thinking

About the Company

Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.

The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.