F&B Director
- Reference:
- 4405
- Recruiter:
- Viking
- Category:
- Galley Jobs
- Positions:
- F&B Manager
- Published:
- September 7, 2018
Purpose of Position
- As part of the Onboard Operations Team, the F&B Director oversees all the food- and beverage-related operations onboard the Viking Cruises River fleet. He is in charge of both the strategic planning and execution of all F&B operations, which include (but are not limited to) service, revenue, compliance, employee and leadership development, and cost management.
- The F&B Director is expected to set the tone for the entire F&B Team fleet-wide, ensuring the teams in the different operations, and on each ship, are fully supported to be successful and to continuously deliver a flawless product and service, according to the Viking River Cruises standards.
- The F&B Director will lead the F&B Team (both Corporate and Ship staff), and work in coordination with the Onboard Operations Team. In particular, the Director F&B will work with the
- Director of Culinary Development to develop and enrich the culinary offer, and with the Senior Corporate Executive Chef to execute and implement the new and existing culinary concepts.
- The F&B Director will also interact with other departments, such as Procurement, to ensure that the Viking F&B offer meets the highest standards of guest experience and that budget guidelines are respected.
- The F&B Director exemplifies Viking’s values, its Professional Service Offering standards and S.O.P.s, and is always compliant with all regulatory and internal procedural matters. This role involves extensive traveling.
- The F&B Director reports to the Vice President Onboard Operations and is based in Basel, Switzerland. Please note that we can only accept applicants who are eligible to work in Switzerland or in possession of a valid work permit.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Responsible to definition and implementation of service, culinary, and beverage standards for all guests, officers, and crew onboard all ships as well as the Basel Head Quarter Restaurant
- Providing supervision, support and guidance to the entire F&B team, to ensure they consistently provide an excellent, friendly and efficient service in accordance with Viking’s Standards and targets.
- Maximize revenue opportunities while maintaining an efficient operation and exceeding guest expectations.
- Responsible for monitoring food cost reports and F&B orders, in coordination with procurement and with the Corporate Executive Chefs. Take the necessary actions to ensure that budget guidelines are met.
- Driving new innovations in all areas of the food and beverage operation. Develop detailed budget requirements, operating procedures and training programs. Create implementation schedule to successfully roll-out the innovations to the fleet.
- Overseeing the selection and maintenance of all food & beverage equipment for the existing fleet as well as for new builds. Work closely with technical department in optimizing F&B venues.
- In conjunction with the Human Resources department, coordinate all food & beverage officers recruiting, planning, development, training and related initiatives. Oversee performance appraisals as well as related management training programs & succession plans for F&B management team
members. Support Recruiting events and tasks in line with company standards and requirements. - Interact with the analytic teams to provide input and suggestions to optimize food costs and increase the quality across all Viking operations.
- Ensuring compliance by all food and beverage staff in all areas of SOPs, and associated safety policies as related to food and beverage operations.
- Maintaining a regular schedule to visit ships and follow up on operating procedure compliance.
QUALIFICATION PROFILE
- Must have 3 to 5 years’ experience as a successful manager on a corporate level, in a highly recognized hotel or cruise line in which quality within restaurant and beverage operations as well as high guest satisfaction are crucial.
- Must have an extensive F&B knowledge, and an understanding of the purchasing systems, records and procedures. Thorough and detailed knowledge of HACCP sanitation standards.
- Must have excellent written and spoken communication skills. Fluency in English and German; additional languages are a plus.
- Diploma or Degree from internationally recognized hotel school or university is a plus.
- Exceptionally service-oriented and guest focused, with excellent management, organizational and communication skills.
- Flexibility and stress resistance, team player, commitment, professional appearance.
- Highly motivated self-starter with strong attention to detail. Ability to provide leadership and motivation to employees in pursuit of company goals. Adherence to the highest moral and ethical standards. Excellent leadership and management skills, able to develop, motivate and train a smooth functioning team.
- Ability to organize and complete work independently, and in accordance with deadlines.
- Full commitment to travel extensively both domestically and overseas
WHAT WE OFFER
- Employee restaurant (including free soft drinks, coffee, tea)
- Regular company events, e.g. sports games, BBQ, cooking classes
- A dynamic and fast-growing environment where you can drive your future
- A free cruise for you and your +1 every two years
- A highly talented, passionate and international team
If you are interested in this role, please apply via our website, including a cover letter (one page, introducing yourself and outlining why you are interested in the role) as well as your CV and relevant references.
Language Requirements
Good knowledge of the English language is required.
Viking
THE VIKING STORY
More than 20 years ago, Viking® set the standard for what river cruising should be, and today we are the leader that all others follow. In 2015, we took the same small ship, destination-focused experience to the seas and reinvented ocean cruising. Over the years Viking has won numerous ocean and river cruise line awards from Condé Nast Traveler, Cruise Critic, Travel + Leisure, Travel Weekly and more.
Viking is a strong and dynamic company—with a growing fleet of more than 80 river ships and seven ocean vessels cruising over 100 itineraries around the world.
JOIN THE VIKING FAMILY
If you have always dreamed of combining your love of travel with the ability to grow your career, consider a position at Viking. We are the world’s leading small ship cruise line, and there is tremendous potential to advance your career with us. As part of our crew, when your ship is docked at the many destinations we visit, you can explore ashore and refresh during your free time.
Additionally, with Viking’s award-winning service and thoughtfully curated onboard experiences, our guests are typically very satisfied. This, combined with Viking’s gratuity guidelines, means that you can expect to be well rewarded as an employee on board a Viking ship.
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