Lounges Supervisor

Job Purpose

Directs daily lounge support activities for baristas, food service agents, and runners at Airport, under the guidance of the Sous Chef. The Supervisor: supervises service delivery, team conduct, stock coordination, and maintian food standards to ensure a consistent guest experience, safe food handling, and smooth lounge operations

Principal Accountabilities

• Supervises front-line service interactions in the ounges to ensure courteous, efficient, and professional guest service at all times.

Promotes a customer-focused approach among team members to ensure guest needs are handled quickly and accurately.

• Checks service readiness before peak periods to ensure display counter, beverages, and support stations are prepared for demand.
• Resolves routine guest concerns within authority to ensure complaints are addressed promptly and professionally.
• Communicates service expectations clearly to ensure the team understands how to deliver a consistent lounge experience.
• Monitors daily usage of consumables, beverages, and service items in the lounges to ensure stock is available for planned operations.
• Coordinates with the storeman, driver, and relevant support teams on replenishment requests and deliveries to ensure shortages do not disrupt service.
• Provides operational input on food and ingredient stock requirements to the Executive Sous Chef and procurement or stores teams to support planning and stock availability.
• Assesses waste, breakages, and overuse to ensure losses are identified and controlled.
• Maintains basic records of issue and usage and recommends practical controls for high-use items to ensure resources are used efficiently and losses are reduced.
• Schedules daily task flow within the shift to ensure service priorities are completed on time.
• Coordinates with kitchen, stores, and support functions to ensure product flow matches guest demand
• Adjusts work allocation during peak and off-peak periods to ensure labour is used effectively.
• Maintains awareness of flight-driven demand patterns to ensure the team responds to changing passenger volumes in the lounges.
• Assesses operational risks during the shift and applies practical solutions to ensure service continuity.
• Directs the preparation of barista and food service stations in the lounges to ensure products remain available and presentable.
• Maintains product display and serving standards to ensure items are served in line with lounge presentation requirements.
• Assesses portioning and serving practices to ensure consistency, control, and customer satisfaction.
• Coordinates with the kitchen team on menu availability and replenishment to ensure service remains aligned to demand.
• Improves day-to-day serving practices where needed to ensure efficient service and reduced service delays.
• Monitors hygiene practices across the team in the lounges to ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and airport operating requirements.
• Checks cleanliness of work areas, equipment, and service points to ensure the lounge remains safe and well maintained.
• Maintains adherence to standard operating procedures to ensure staff understand and follow required controls.
• Conducts spot checks on food handling and storage practices to ensure risks are identified and corrected early.
• Escalates non-compliance issues immediately to the Sous Chef and, where relevant, SHEQ or airport compliance stakeholders to ensure corrective action is taken without delay.
• Reports service issues, staffing concerns, stock risks, waste trends, and non-compliance matters to ensure management has timely visibility of operational issues.
• Communicates daily instructions and changes to the team to ensure expectations are understood and followed.
• Records incidents, shortages, and key shift events to ensure accurate follow-up and accountability.
• Briefs other stakeholders on lounge activity and service status to ensure coordinated support where needed.
• Maintains clear communication with internal teams and external service providers to ensure issues are resolved quickly.

Qualifications & Experience

• Matric or equivalent is required.
• Certificate in Hospitality, food service, or supervisory-related qualification or related fields is required
• Food safety or hygiene certification is advantageous.
• 3-5 years of experience in food service, lounge operations, or hospitality is required.
• Previous supervisory experience in a high-volume service environment is required. Airport, lounge, catering, or similar customer-facing environment experience is advantageous.

Knowledge and Skills

• Customer Service Excellence
• Excellent communication skills (Verbal and Written)
• Excellent leadership Skills.
• Inventory and Stock Control
• Administration and Reporting
• Knowledge of food safety management systems.
• Basic business management skills
• Systems Knowledge (SAP)
• Ability to perform in a highly pressurized environment.

Attributes

• Customer-Focused-Maintains a service excellence mindset.
• Professionalism
• Leadership
• Interpersonal Skills
• Adaptability
• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Integrity
• Resilience
• Results-Oriented
• Emotional Intelligence

Additional Information

Air Chefs SOC Ltd is a premium food solutions company with over 40 years of experience. A wholly owned subsidiary of South African Airways, we are uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional food and hospitality services across air, corporate, and event sectors. With three strategically located operational units in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, we have the capacity to produce over 50000 meals daily, serving domestic and international airlines, airport lounges, events, and corporate canteens.