IKEA Food Leader, IKEA Kuching

The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. We do this by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford them. We operate in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and have an ambitious expansion plan to bring a little bit of Sweden to new markets in the region. We are part of the Ikano Group of companies and the only IKEA franchisee owned by the Kamprad family that founded IKEA.

We also develop, own and operate Shopping Centres that are anchored by IKEA and create walkable communities by including residential, office and other types of real estate in our development plans.

Ready for your next IKEA adventure?

IKEA Kuching is opening soon, and we're looking for an IKEA Food Team Leader to join the pioneering IKEA team of our first store in East Malaysia. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a brand-new store opening, build and develop a passionate team, and help create an enjoyable food experience for our customers while bringing the IKEA Food concept to life.

About the job

As an IKEA Food  Leader, you will inspire and develop your team to deliver a welcoming dining experience while ensuring operational excellence, food quality and food safety. You will lead the daily operation of the IKEA Restaurant, Swedish Bistro and Swedish Food Market, balancing customer satisfaction, commercial performance and operational efficiency. Working closely with the Operations Manager and other store functions, you will contribute to business growth while building an engaged, customer-focused and high-performing team.

Your assignment

• Lead, coach and develop IKEA Food co-workers to build a competent, engaged and high-performing team.
• Deliver an outstanding customer experience by ensuring excellent service and a welcoming food environment.
• Ensure an attractive food offer through great food presentation, merchandising and communication.
• Monitor customer feedback and sales performance, taking actions to continuously improve operations and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure the availability and communication of key food offers while optimising sales opportunities.
• Maintain clean, organised and inviting food areas that create a positive dining experience.
• Plan daily staffing and operational routines to ensure smooth operations and prevent bottlenecks.
• Oversee dishwashing operations and manage service provider performance where applicable.
• Ensure full compliance with IKEA Quality, Food Safety, HACCP, health, safety and legal requirements.
• Support the wider IKEA Retail operation when business needs require, while maintaining primary ownership of IKEA Food operations.

We're looking for someone who:

• Is passionate about food, people and creating a great customer experience.
• Enjoys leading, coaching and developing people to perform at their best.
• Has a strong customer and commercial mindset with the ability to balance operational excellence and business performance.
• Thrives in a fast-paced retail or food service environment.
• Is motivated to continuously improve ways of working and deliver business results.
• Works collaboratively across functions and builds strong working relationships.
• Makes sound decisions and remains calm under pressure.
• Demonstrates strong planning, organisation and problem-solving skills.
• Leads by example and embraces IKEA values in everything they do.

Knowledge or experience in the following will be an advantage:

• Food service or hospitality operations.
• Food Safety, HACCP and hygiene standards.
• Retail or restaurant operations.
• Customer service excellence.
• Sales performance and KPI management.
• Team leadership, coaching and people development.
• Commercial food presentation and merchandising.
• Resource planning and daily operational execution.
• Basic English communication skills

Why Join Us?

Join an internationally recognised, values-led retail organisation as we expand into Sarawak. This is a unique opportunity to help build a new team, shape the employee experience and contribute to the success of a growing retail business from the very beginning.

You'll enjoy working in a collaborative, inclusive and people-focused environment where learning, development and continuous improvement are part of everyday life.

If you're looking for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while growing your HR career, we'd love to hear from you.