Overview
Country Manager – Portugal Jobs in Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal at Zahir Kebab Portugal
Title: Country Manager – Portugal
Company: Zahir Kebab Portugal
Location: Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
Lead the Growth of One of Europe’s Fast-Growing Restaurant Brands
Zahir Kebab, part of the Zahir & Zahid Group, is seeking an experienced and results-driven Country Manager to lead our operations in Portugal.
With more than 200 restaurants in Poland and over 20 restaurants in Portugal, Zahir Kebab is one of Europe’s fastest-growing Halal fast-food brands. We are looking for a commercially driven leader to oversee our operations in Portugal, driving operational excellence, sustainable business growth, profitability, and high-performing teams.
If you have a proven track record in managing multi-site restaurant operations and are passionate about building exceptional teams, we’d love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities
As Country Manager, you will:
- Lead the overall business operations of Zahir Kebab in Portugal.
- Deliver sustainable sales growth, profitability, and operational excellence across all restaurant locations.
- Develop and execute the annual business plan and country strategy aligned with Group objectives.
- Assume full Profit & Loss (P&L) responsibility for the Portugal business.
- Monitor financial performance and implement corrective actions to achieve revenue, profitability, and cost targets.
- Identify and drive expansion opportunities through franchising and new restaurant openings.
- Ensure consistent implementation of company operating standards across all locations.
- Maintain exceptional standards of food quality, food safety, hygiene, customer service, and brand presentation.
- Lead, coach, and develop Regional Managers, Restaurant Managers, and support teams.
- Foster a high-performance culture built on accountability, teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Oversee recruitment, employee engagement, succession planning, and leadership development.
- Ensure compliance with company policies, procurement procedures, and Delegation of Authority requirements.
- Monitor inventory management, purchasing practices, food costs, labour costs, and operational efficiency.
- Develop strong supplier partnerships while maintaining cost competitiveness and quality standards.
- Collaborate closely with the Finance team to manage budgets, cash flow, and financial reporting.
- Analyse operational and financial KPIs and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
- Ensure full compliance with Portuguese labour legislation, food safety regulations, tax requirements, and all applicable laws.
- Represent the company with landlords, government authorities, suppliers, franchise partners, and strategic stakeholders.
- Prepare regular business performance reports and present updates to the Vice President and senior leadership team.
What We’re Looking For
The ideal candidate will have:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
- MBA or postgraduate qualification (preferred).
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a senior management position within the restaurant, fast-food, hospitality, or multi-site retail industry.
- Demonstrated success managing multiple restaurant locations.
- Strong commercial and financial acumen with proven experience managing budgets and business performance.
- Outstanding leadership, coaching, communication, and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
Language Requirements
- Fluent Portuguese (Mandatory)
- Fluent English (Mandatory)
What We Offer
- Competitive salary package.
- Performance-based annual bonus.
- Monthly car allowance.
- Laptop and mobile phone.
- Business travel reimbursement.
- Leadership development and professional training.
- Excellent career progression opportunities within a rapidly expanding international restaurant group.
- The opportunity to play a key leadership role in shaping the future growth of Zahir Kebab across Portugal and Europe.
How to Apply
Please send your CV (in English) together with a brief cover email highlighting your relevant experience to:
Subject: Application – Country Manager (Portugal)
