Kitchen Production Team Leader Jobs in Abu Dhabi 2025 – Lead IKEA YAS Island Food Experience with Al-Futtaim Now

Job Overview
About Al-Futtaim Group and IKEA YAS Island
Available Jobs and Related Career Paths
Kitchen Production Team Leader Job Description
Key Job Responsibilities
- Customer-Focused Responsibilities
- Commercial and Sales-Driven Responsibilities
- People and Team Leadership
- Steering the Business
- Operations, Quality and Food Safety
Why This Kitchen Production Team Leader Job in Abu Dhabi Stands Out
Requirements for Kitchen Production Team Leader Jobs in Abu Dhabi
How to Apply for This IKEA YAS Island Role
FAQs About Kitchen Production Team Leader Jobs in Abu Dhabi

Job Overview

Job Title: Kitchen Production Team Leader | Retail | IKEA YAS Island
Company: Al-Futtaim Private Company LLC
Brand: IKEA
Location: YAS Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Employment Type: Full-time
Job Requisition ID: 172133
Posting Date: 20 November 2025

If you’re searching for kitchen production team leader jobs in Abu Dhabi and you want a role that combines food, leadership and a world-famous retail brand, this opportunity at IKEA YAS Island with Al-Futtaim Group is a perfect match.

In this role, you’ll be part of the IKEA Food team and will:

Attract visitors to the store through an irresistible food offering
Lead kitchen production and support restaurant and food market operations
Coach and motivate co-workers to deliver outstanding customer service
Help develop the IKEA Food business in line with commercial targets and brand values

This isn’t just a back-of-house role. It’s a visible, hands-on leadership position in one of Abu Dhabi’s most popular retail destinations.

Kitchen Production Team Leader Jobs in Abu Dhabi 2025 – Lead IKEA YAS Island Food Experience with Al-Futtaim Now

About Al-Futtaim Group and IKEA YAS Island

About Al-Futtaim Group

Founded in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group is now one of the region’s most diversified and progressive privately held companies. Headquartered in Dubai, UAE, the group operates through five core divisions:

Automotive
Financial Services
Real Estate
Retail
Healthcare

With over 35,000 employees across 20+ countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim partners with more than 200 global brands, bringing world-class products and experiences to customers across multiple markets.

Al-Futtaim is guided by four core values that shape how business is done and how people are led:

Respect
Excellence
Collaboration
Integrity

As part of Al-Futtaim, you’ll work in a culture that combines long-term stability with continuous growth and innovation.

About IKEA YAS Island

Through Al-Futtaim, IKEA has become a household name in the UAE, known for affordable home furnishings and a unique in-store experience that includes Swedish-inspired food.

At IKEA YAS Island in Abu Dhabi, the IKEA Food department is central to the store experience. It:

Attracts visitors with family-friendly, affordable meals and snacks
Creates a welcoming environment where customers can relax, recharge and extend their stay
Supports overall store performance by increasing customer dwell time and satisfaction

As a Kitchen Production Team Leader, you’ll help ensure that the food offer, production standards and service levels support IKEA’s vision: “to create a better everyday life for the many people.”

Available Jobs and Related Career Paths

If you’re exploring kitchen production team leader jobs in Abu Dhabi, it’s useful to understand related roles and potential career paths at IKEA and Al-Futtaim.

Common related roles include:

IKEA Food Team Member – Kitchen or Restaurant
IKEA Food Team Leader – Restaurant Service or Bistro
Kitchen Supervisor – Retail or Quick Service Environment
Restaurant Manager / IKEA Food Manager (future step)
Customer Experience Team Leader – Retail

As you grow in this role, you can move into:

Larger leadership roles within IKEA Food
Store-level management or commercial leadership
Multi-site food operations roles within the Al-Futtaim Group

If you’re exploring more options, you might also like:
See more jobs in Abu Dhabi

Kitchen Production Team Leader Job Description

This kitchen production team leader job in Abu Dhabi is focused on leading the IKEA Food production area while contributing to the wider store experience.

You’ll be responsible for:

Ensuring food production is efficient, safe and aligned with IKEA standards
Supporting restaurant and food market operations
Keeping customers at the centre of every decision and action
Coaching your team to deliver high quality, fast service and a welcoming atmosphere
Contributing to store business plans and IKEA Food action plans

Ideal Candidate Profile

This role is perfect for you if you:

Have solid experience in retail or food environments with high customer traffic
Enjoy leading and supervising teams in a busy setting
Are comfortable working with targets, KPIs and action plans
Love food, understand basic kitchen operations and care about quality and safety
Want to grow your career within a respected group like Al-Futtaim and a global brand like IKEA

Key Job Responsibilities

Customer-Focused Responsibilities

One of the core expectations in kitchen production team leader jobs in Abu Dhabi at IKEA is to always put customers first. You will:

Ensure customers are always the focus, greeting them warmly and serving them with empathy and care, following IKEA values.
Act as an IKEA ambassador, making sure every interaction gives customers a positive impression and a reason to return.
Regularly walk the store and food areas, engaging in daily conversations with customers to get feedback and better understand their needs.
Take immediate action to meet customer needs, whether that means speeding up service, improving presentation, or solving issues on the spot.
Encourage your colleagues to adopt the same customer-first mindset and continuously improve customer interactions.
Have a strong knowledge of store services (like family offers, loyalty programs, and food offers) and use that knowledge to assist customers.
Ensure customers enjoy a great shopping and dining experience at all times, from opening to closing.

Commercial and Sales-Driven Responsibilities

You’re not just running a kitchen; you’re helping drive the commercial success of the store. You will:

Understand and contribute to the store business plan and IKEA Food action plans, supporting your manager with implementation.
Secure an irresistible food offer, ensuring food is attractively presented, clearly priced and well-communicated.
Stay passionate about IKEA food products, actively learning about ingredients, origins and benefits so you can explain and promote them to customers and colleagues.
Ensure top-selling products are available at all times, with clear and attractive displays.
Collaborate with your manager to support marketing campaigns and in-store activities that drive traffic to the restaurant and food market.
Assist the manager with range changes in a simple, efficient and cost-conscious way.
During quieter periods, initiate commercial activities (e.g., sampling, promotions, themed offers) to attract visitors and boost take-up rates.
Maintain a clean, organised and inviting area that enhances the customer experience.
Use your local market awareness to give feedback on range and pricing that better meets customer expectations.

People and Team Leadership

As a Kitchen Production Team Leader, you’re also a people leader. You will:

Work closely with your manager to ensure all co-workers understand the IKEA Concept, food guidelines and how these affect their daily work.
Lead by example, modelling the behaviours, service standards and teamwork you want to see in others.
Support and coach colleagues so they can develop their skills, meet customer needs, and grow their careers.
Promote an environment where the IKEA culture is alive, diversity is respected, and everyone feels they can contribute.
Help make IKEA Food a great place to work through clear communication and positive energy.
Actively participate in team activities and cross-store collaboration, stepping in to help other departments when needed.
Keep colleagues informed and encourage knowledge sharing, ensuring everyone understands goals, changes and priorities.

Steering the Business

You will help steer the IKEA YAS Island store toward its commercial goals by:

Contributing to making the store successful and capable of continuous sales growth.
Working towards agreed goals and taking ownership of actions required to reach them.
Challenging costs by working in a lean, simple and cost-conscious way, without compromising quality or safety.
Sharing good practice and smart ideas with your team, encouraging constant improvement in how work is done.

Operations, Quality and Food Safety

Operational excellence and safety are non-negotiable. You will:

Ensure full compliance with IKEA Quality and Food Safety policies and routines at all times.
Report any food incidents or potential risks immediately, supporting a strong “safety first” culture.
Ensure your area is properly staffed, with the right people in the right place at the right time.
Proactively avoid bottlenecks, adjusting workflows to maintain smooth operations and short waiting times.
Implement daily operational routines and action plans as directed by your manager, maintaining consistency and reliability.

Why This Kitchen Production Team Leader Job in Abu Dhabi Stands Out

Among the many kitchen production team leader jobs in Abu Dhabi, this role at IKEA YAS Island with Al-Futtaim is especially attractive because it offers:

A Global Brand plus a Strong Local Group

The support and systems of Al-Futtaim Group, a trusted regional leader.
The reputation, standards and customer appeal of IKEA, a brand recognised and loved worldwide.

Direct Impact on the Customer Journey

You influence how customers feel in the store by delivering great food and service.
Your work impacts how long they stay, how much they spend and whether they come back.

Real Leadership and Growth Potential

You lead a team in a high-traffic environment, building skills in:
- People management
- Commercial thinking
- Operations and food safety
You open doors to future roles in:
- IKEA Food Management
- Broader store leadership
- Multi-store roles within Al-Futtaim’s retail network

Values-Driven, People-Centric Culture

You work in a culture built on Respect, Excellence, Collaboration and Integrity.
Your development and performance are taken seriously, with the support of a global Talent Acquisition and HR structure.

If you enjoy combining customer service, food, and leadership, this is one of the most rewarding retail kitchen jobs in Abu Dhabi you can pursue.

Requirements for Kitchen Production Team Leader Jobs in Abu Dhabi

To thrive in this role at IKEA YAS Island, you should meet the following requirements.

Experience

Experience in a vibrant retail environment with high customer traffic.
Proven experience in serving customers and supervising a team, ideally in retail, food or hospitality.
Experience working with KPI-driven action plans, where you track performance and adjust plans accordingly.
Knowledge of the IKEA Concept, culture and values, plus basic merchandising techniques, is a strong advantage.

Skills

Ability to prioritise and organise work effectively in a busy environment.
Strong communication skills, both with customers and internal teams.
Problem-solving and decision-making skills, especially under pressure.
A strong drive to make things happen and consistently exceed goals.

Personal Attributes

Customer-first mindset and a warm, approachable personality.
Passion for food, quality and operational excellence.
Ability to lead by example, motivate and support others.
Cost-conscious, safety-aware and committed to continuous improvement.

Location and Eligibility

Based in, or willing to relocate to, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Able to work full-time, including weekends and shifts, in line with retail and food operations.
Must be able to meet UAE work visa and legal requirements.

How to Apply for This IKEA YAS Island Role

Ready to take the next step in your career with Al-Futtaim and IKEA? Here’s how to apply for this kitchen production team leader job in Abu Dhabi:

Click Here to Apply!

FAQs About Kitchen Production Team Leader Jobs in Abu Dhabi

1. Do I need specific IKEA experience for this role?

Not necessarily. While knowledge of the IKEA Concept, culture and values is an advantage, strong experience in retail or food operations, team supervision and customer service is often what matters most.

2. Is this more of a kitchen role or a leadership role?

It’s both. You will focus heavily on kitchen production and operations, but you are also a team leader, responsible for coaching staff, driving commercial results and improving the customer experience.

3. What is the typical work schedule like?

As with most retail kitchen jobs in Abu Dhabi, the schedule is shift-based and may include weekends, evenings and holidays. Flexibility is important.

4. Are there opportunities for growth within Al-Futtaim and IKEA?

Yes. High-performing team leaders can grow into:

IKEA Food Manager or Restaurant Manager roles
Store-level leadership positions
Regional or multi-store roles within Al-Futtaim’s retail portfolio

5. How can I make my application stand out?

To stand out for kitchen production team leader jobs in Abu Dhabi:

Highlight measurable achievements (e.g., reduced waste, improved food quality scores, faster service times).
Show clear examples of team leadership and coaching.
Emphasise your customer focus, problem-solving skills and comfort with KPIs.
Tailor your CV to reflect familiarity with retail, food operations and values-based leadership.

If you’re ready to lead a kitchen team, delight customers and build your career with a respected group and a global brand, this Kitchen Production Team Leader job at IKEA YAS Island in Abu Dhabi is a powerful opportunity to step up and shine.