The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. We do this by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford them. We operate in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand – and have an ambitious expansion plan to bring a little bit of Sweden to new markets in the region. We are part of the Ikano Group of companies and the only IKEA franchisee owned by the Kamprad family that founded IKEA.
We also develop, own and operate Shopping Centres that are anchored by IKEA and create walkable communities by including residential, office and other types of real estate in our development plans.
We work towards making sustainability a natural part of our everyday work. We are active in our communities, driving and supporting social initiatives that benefit children, women and the environment.
Be Part of IKEA History in East Malaysia
As we prepare to open IKEA Kuching, our first store in East Malaysia, we are looking for an experienced and passionate leader to join the pioneering leadership team.This is a unique opportunity to be part of a store opening journey, broaden your leadership experience, and help shape the future of IKEA in a new market.
Job Description
Lead Operations, Create Great Customer Experiences and Shape the Future of IKEA in East Malaysia.
At IKEA, our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. As we prepare to expand our presence in East Malaysia, we are looking for an experienced and passionate Operations Manager to join the IKEA Kuching leadership team. Reporting to the Store Manager, the Operations Manager will lead three critical business functions: Fulfilment, Customer Experience, and IKEA Food, ensuring operational excellence, and an outstanding customer experience across every touchpoint.
You are a hands-on, customer focused, and down-to-earth leader. You are knowledgeable about all aspects of the IKEA retail system, and you have passion to develop new ways of operating an IKEA store. This is a unique opportunity to help build IKEA’s presence in East Malaysia and bring IKEA brand and experience closer to the many people.
Your Assignment
As a member of the Store Management Team, you will:
- Lead and develop high-performing teams across Fulfilment, Customer Experience, and IKEA Food.
- Ensure a seamless and convenient customer journey before, during, and after every purchase.
- Drive operational excellence, productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
- Secure efficient order fulfilment, product availability, and last-mile customer delivery experiences.
- Strengthen customer loyalty by delivering excellent service and continuously improving the customer experience.
- Grow IKEA Food as a vibrant commercial business while ensuring exceptional food quality, safety, and service standards.
- Use customer insights, operational data, and business analytics to drive continuous improvement and business performance.
- Develop future leaders and build a strong succession pipeline within the Operations organisation and across Commercial organisation.
- Contribute actively to the overall success and growth of IKEA Kuching and East Malaysia.
Your profile
To Be Successful in This Role, you have:
- Minimum 5 years of IKEA experience with proven leadership capabilities. Experience in Fulfilment, Customer Experience, IKEA Food or Retail Operations is highly preferred.
- Strong understanding of IKEA Culture, Values and Commercial priorities is essential.
- Proven leadership experience managing large and diverse teams in current IKEA Stores
- Strong business acumen with a track record of delivering operational and commercial results.
- Experience leading customer-facing operations and driving customer satisfaction.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.
- A passion for creating better experiences for customers and co-workers alike.
- You have deep knowledge of all relevant IKEA Way Manuals relating to the Operations functions. The IKEA Way Manuals
Why IKEA Kuching?
This role offers a rare opportunity to:
- Be part of a new store opening journey.
- Broaden your leadership exposure across multiple functions.
- Develop future leaders and build a high-performing team.
- Contribute to shaping IKEA's future in East Malaysia.
Why Join Us?
You'll enjoy working in a collaborative, inclusive and people-focused environment where learning, development and continuous improvement are part of everyday life.
If you're looking for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while growing your HR career, we'd love to hear from you.
Skills Required
- Minimum 5 years of IKEA experience
- Proven leadership capabilities
- Experience managing large and diverse teams in current IKEA stores
- Strong understanding of IKEA culture, values, and commercial priorities
- Strong business acumen with a record of delivering operational and commercial results
- Experience leading customer-facing operations and driving customer satisfaction
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills
- Deep knowledge of relevant IKEA Way Manuals for Operations functions
- Experience in Fulfilment, Customer Experience, IKEA Food, or Retail Operations
What We Do
Ikano Retail is an IKEA franchisee that operates IKEA stores and shopping centers, focusing on creating better everyday lives through retail and real estate development.
