Role IntroductionThe Assistant Manager Dining Performance sits under the Customer Experience and Design department mainly responsible for managing day-to-day supplier performance for assigned stations and ensuring catering partners consistently deliver safe, compliant and operationally robust service in line with Cathay standards. Acting as the primary operational interface with suppliers, you will also be responsible for driving performance across on-time delivery, loading accuracy, equipment handling and contractual compliance; and ensuring suppliers execute approved culinary specifications and service standards. While Culinary Design owns menu planning, food budgets and food satisfaction performance, this Assistant Manager Dining Performance remains accountable for ensuring suppliers deliver against approved specifications and contractual obligations on the day of operation.
Key Responsibilities- Act as the primary operational contact for assigned catering stations and suppliers, oversee and manage assigned catering station and suppliers to ensure all agreed catering uplift standards within the regions of responsibility are met and ensure Cathay’s requirements are maintained, procedures and instructions followed and a safe inflight product is delivered to our customers, in accordance with our contracted and commercial agreement
- Review and monitor the contractual matters of the assigned catering stations and ensure caterers’ performance in all areas – cost, quality in food and service and hygiene in line with the contracted agreement; and monitor and drive supplier performance across on-time performance, loading accuracy, equipment handling, storage compliance and safety standards; and ensure suppliers execute approved menu specifications, food photo standards, packing standards and equipment mapping requirements, track supplier adherence to food specifications and escalate persistent non-performance to the Regional Dining Performance Manager
- Monitor day-to-day operational performance and intervene promptly to address
emerging risks; and coordinate and approve emergency operational deviations where necessary to protect flight integrity, informing Culinary and line management as required - Conduct structured station reviews, performance meetings and operational audits; and track and follow up on all supplier corrective action plans, including culinary-driven actions; and keep up to date with local and international food hygiene matters and other technological advancements; liaise with local station to ensure local meal ordering procedures are appropriate to local conditions and designed to minimise meal wastage
- Share performance data and operational insights with suppliers to drive continuous improvement and support kitchen readiness verification prior to menu launches, ensuring suppliers are operationally prepared
- Monitor operational cost drivers at station level and highlight risks to budget adherence, work closely with Inventory Management to resolve equipment shortages or stock-related operational risks and support resolution of food-related performance issues led by Culinary, ensuring supplier implementation of agreed actions
- Escalate contract non-compliance issues to the Regional Dining Performance Manager; and ensure suppliers comply with all food safety, operational safety and regulatory standards in partnership with Compliance; and maintain accurate documentation of supplier performance, operational incidents and mitigation actions, support catering tender processes and supplier transitions from an operational readiness perspective
- Participate in supplier tastings as an operational observer when appropriate to
understand product expectations; ensure operational communication between supplier units and Cathay teams is clear, timely and documented - Contribute to crisis response coordination during operational disruptions affecting catering performance; identify process inefficiencies and recommend operational improvements
- Maintain strong working relationships with station teams, ramp operations and Inflight Service Delivery to ensure alignment; and investigate catering delays, crew and passenger catering feedback reports, support Compliance Manager for audit findings, corrective actions and investigate suspected food poisoning incidents
Requirements- University degree in Business, Supply Chain, Hospitality, or related field
- 5+ years’ experience in airline catering, supply chain, operations support or other commercial or operational discipline
- Supplier management experience preferred; with strong organizational and data management skills
- Basic understanding of auditing and performance management processes
- Working knowledge in quality assurance techniques (such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)
- Solid experience and knowledge in airline business, processes and procedures
- Good communication and stakeholder coordination skills
- Proficiency in English; Cantonese or Mandarin an advantage
- Computer literacy (Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word); familiarity with reporting tools preferred
- Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities
Personal & Application InformationCathay Pacific is an Equal Opportunities Employer. Personal data provided by job applicants will be used strictly in accordance with our Applicant Personal Information Collection Statement and for recruitment purposes only. Candidates not notified within eight weeks may consider their application unsuccessful. We keep records of your data for no longer than is necessary for the purpose for which we obtained them and any other permitted linked purposes. If your application is unsuccessful, we will keep your details on file for as long as is necessary to process your application or for the purposes of further job opportunities if you agree to such longer periods.