Representing Catering Management when on shift, being responsible for the operational activities of the production unit, transport, product despatch, delivery, external service outlets, accountable for ensuring accurate recording and customer receipt for invoicing.

Scope of operational responsibility
• Daily production and provision of services for 180 flights uplifting 70,000 meals to agreed customer specification and schedule to very high standards of safety and hygiene conditions.
• Ensuring that the guaranteed-on time delivery for all the catered Etihad and other International Airlines is met as per the given schedule.
• Point of contact on shift for all business activities, liaison with the other Airport and external organisations, Police; Security; Airlines, satellite outstations and down route suppliers in the Etihad network.
• Chairing the daily multi-disciplinary taskforce meeting with all Department Managers, reviewing the previous days business activity and performance to the schedule, and planning the forthcoming days shifts activity.
• Assisting in monitoring, updating and reviewing all Departments’ Key Performance Indicators on a daily basis.
• Submission of detailed and credible incident and shift reports.

Achievements:

• Reviewed and contributed to the adopted Business Continuity Management plans for the Catering Department.
• Assigned to work with, and assist, three Departments in creating the background and successful launch of the COPEX Programme setting up excellence teams and ground rules.
• Successfully coordinated for two weeks the catering of a very high-profile programme of a VIP Customer using Abu Dhabi as their base, operating multiple flights with unscheduled and short notice departures, with zero errors.

Worked in a Management Team in a Department within the World’s largest Inflight Kitchen that over saw a growth of catering from 40 000 to 200 000 meals per day. Overall shift responsibility on a 3-shift basis over 24-hours in the Department of 600 plus multi-cultural staff packing an average of 200,000 meals and equipment for over 200 daily Emirates flights departing from Dubai International Airport.

Scope of operational responsibility:

• Planning and directing shift activities based on the scheduled and multiple unscheduled flight departures ensuring adherence to on time performance, quality and cost control.
• Driving lean management principles to create efficiencies across multiple sections, ensuring key stakeholder satisfaction.
• Planning and implementing staff rosters, leave, vacation assignments and HR issues.
• Stock and inventory control in coordination with Production, Bond stores, Dish-wash, Laundry and Warehousing.
• Managing Customer requirements, proactively communicating, offering new products and services, changes to specification, standards and finance, audits, compliments and occasionally complaints, investigating, putting in place corrective measures and communicating to the Customer.
• Overseeing department documentation for quality control (ISO9001), process flow, food safety and implementing annual audits, certification and reviews.

Achievements:

• I developed the initial ‘Standard Operating Procedure’ in the Department leading to the creation and adaptation of 21 working documents in line with ‘Lean Management’.
• Carried out risk assessments for the different job roles in the Department setting the base for the SOP’s and overall Health and safety improvement.
• Established a functional departmental training data base, with annual refresher schedule.
• Planned and improved hollow ware packing process changing it into individual work station-based packing with notable results of reducing on packing errors, staff complement, and increasing efficiency, staff morale, accountability and work traceability