Cluster Manager – Operations

ABOUT THE ROLE

Department: Operations
Location: Mumbai 
 

The Cluster Manager will be responsible for overseeing the performance and day-to-day operations of multiple Bombay Sweet Shop cafes and retail outlets. This role will focus on driving business performance, maintaining brand standards, ensuring operational excellence, and developing store leadership teams while delivering an exceptional guest experience.

The Cluster Manager is the field accountability layer between the Cafe Manager and the Head of Cafe Operations. They are not here to run a café; they are here to make 2-3 cafes run well without constant escalation upward. The role exists to enforce consistency across the cluster, develop cafe managers into stronger operators, catch problems early before they surface as crises, and flex resources across cafes when needed.

The ideal candidate is a strong people leader with experience managing multiple retail or hospitality outlets, a commercial mindset, and a passion for operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Performance & Revenue Growth

• Drive sales, profitability, and business growth across all stores within the assigned cluster.

• Ensure achievement of monthly, quarterly, and annual revenue targets.

• Monitor business performance through sales reports, KPIs, and operational dashboards.

• Identify opportunities to increase average bill value, guest frequency, and overall store productivity.

• Implement local marketing initiatives in collaboration with the marketing team to drive footfall and sales.

2. Operational Excellence

• Ensure all stores consistently execute Hunger Inc and Bombay Sweet Shop operational standards.

• Monitor adherence to SOPs across guest service, food safety, hygiene, inventory management, cash handling, and visual merchandising.

• Conduct regular operational audits and implement corrective action plans.

• Ensure compliance with statutory, safety, and regulatory requirements.

• Drive consistency in store presentation, cleanliness, maintenance, and overall guest experience.

• Actively manage resource flexibility across the cluster; staff coverage, inventory support, and operational attention should flow to where it's most needed on any given day or week.

3. Guest Experience

• Champion a guest-first culture across all stores.

• Monitor guest feedback, online reviews, and satisfaction scores.

• Resolve guest escalations promptly while ensuring a positive guest experience.

• Work closely with store teams to improve service quality and guest engagement.

• Drive repeat business through exceptional service delivery.

4. Team Leadership & People Development

• Lead, coach, and mentor Store Managers and Assistant Store Managers across the cluster.

• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.

• Identify succession planning opportunities and develop future leaders.

• Ensure effective onboarding and training of new employees.

5. Inventory & Cost Management

• Ensure optimum inventory levels across all stores.

• Monitor stock movement, wastage, shrinkage, and product availability.

• Work closely with Supply Chain and Production teams to improve replenishment and inventory planning.

• Drive initiatives to improve productivity and reduce controllable costs.

6. Compliance & Audit

• Ensure stores consistently meet food safety, hygiene, and compliance standards.

• Conduct regular audits and ensure timely closure of observations.

• Maintain operational documentation and reporting standards.

7. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Production, Supply Chain, Marketing, HR, Finance, and Maintenance teams to ensure smooth store operations.

• Support new store openings, renovations, and operational projects.

• Drive process improvements across the retail business.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Sales Growth

• Store Profitability

• Guest Satisfaction (NPS/Reviews)

• Mystery Audit Scores

• SOP Compliance

• Food Safety & Hygiene Scores

• Inventory Accuracy

• Wastage & Shrinkage

• Team Attrition

• Employee Engagement

• Training Completion

• Store Productivity

• New Store Readiness & Launch Success

Key Competencies

Business & Commercial Acumen

• Strong understanding of retail and hospitality business operations.

• Ability to interpret financial reports and operational metrics.

• Commercial mindset with a focus on revenue growth and profitability.

Operational Excellence

• Strong knowledge of multi-unit retail operations.

• Experience implementing SOPs and driving operational consistency.

• High attention to detail and execution excellence.

Leadership

• Proven ability to lead, coach, and inspire high-performing teams.

• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent conflict resolution and people management capabilities.

Guest Centricity

• Passion for delivering memorable guest experiences.

• Ability to handle guest escalations professionally.

• Strong service orientation.

Planning & Execution

• Excellent organizational and time management skills.

• Ability to prioritize multiple initiatives across various locations.

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment.

Candidate Profile

• Graduate in Hospitality, Business Administration, Retail Management, or a related discipline. MBA is preferred.

• Minimum 6–8 years of experience in Retail, QSR, Café, Food & Beverage, or Hospitality operations.

• At least 3 years of experience managing multiple outlets or stores.

• Strong understanding of retail operations, inventory management, and business performance metrics.

• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

• Comfortable with frequent travel across store locations.