Assistant Restaurant Manager: Lead Hospitality & Ops

Dobbies Garden Centres Ltd.; Milton Heights; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Staff discount

Financial wellbeing resources

Retail Trust support

Dobbies Academy

Positive culture

Job summary

Dobbies Garden Centres Ltd. is seeking an Assistant Restaurant Manager for our Milton Keynes area stores. You will oversee restaurant operations, drive guest satisfaction, and help deliver exceptional hospitality.

You will lead a hands-on team, manage stock and budgets, support in-store events, and collaborate with central teams to keep the operation compliant and efficient.

Join a connected Garden Centre team dedicated to customer service, training, and a positive workplace culture.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing a restaurant operation within a retail or hospitality setting.
• Demonstrated passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences.
• Strong commercial awareness and budget understanding.
• Experience in stock control and wastage reduction.
• Ability to train and coach staff at all levels.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities.
• Proactive leadership to guide a team towards excellent service.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the fast-paced restaurant operation, taking responsibility for both the kitchen and front of house operation
• Lead an engaged team, focused on delivering a great customer experience and making it work for our customer
• Ensure strict compliance with health and safety regulations at all times
• Effective stock management controls, to ensure wastage is minimised and the kitchen has everything it needs to deliver to our customers
• Support the delivery of instore events, including seasonal highlights such as Breakfast with Santa, and regular fixtures such as Afternoon Teas
• Communicate effectively with our central support teams to maintain smooth operations and feedback to improve our business
• Work as part of the overall Garden Centre Management team to deliver a safe working environment, commercially successful store and a great place to work for our colleagues
• You're effectively coaching and training all levels ensuring our teams are delivering a first-class customer experience and safe centre environment
• Adaptability. You'll act quickly and enthusiastically to changing priorities, workload and new regulations or requirements
• Positivity managing change, you'll lead the team through each session with care and motivation to deliver the best
• Can demonstrate our values at all times - we're one team, getting better everyday. We bring a smile. We live and breathe gardens. We make it work for our customers.

Skills

Restaurant management

Hospitality passion

Commercial awareness

Stock control

Training & coaching

Adaptability

Team leadership

Job description

Dobbies Garden Centres Ltd. is seeking an Assistant Restaurant Manager for our Milton Keynes area stores. You will oversee restaurant operations, drive guest satisfaction, and help deliver exceptional hospitality.

You will lead a hands-on team, manage stock and budgets, support in-store events, and collaborate with central teams to keep the operation compliant and efficient.

Join a connected Garden Centre team dedicated to customer service, training, and a positive workplace culture.