Restaurant Manager

Dobbies; Southampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-known garden center retailer in Southampton is seeking an experienced Restaurant Manager to oversee operations, lead a team, and ensure high operational standards. The ideal candidate should have proven experience in restaurant management, a passion for hospitality, and the ability to manage stock and health standards effectively. The role offers generous annual leave, employee discounts, and opportunities for training and development.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

50% off in Restaurants

Access to Wagestream

Confidential support services

Dobbies Academy for continuous development

Qualifications

• Proven experience in restaurant management.
• Ability to coach and train all levels of staff.
• Strict adherence to health and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the restaurant operations.
• Lead an engaged team for customer service.
• Implement stock management controls.
• Communicate with central support teams.

Skills

Passion for hospitality

Commercial awareness

Stock management

Adaptability

Positive change management

Job description

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Our Restaurant Managers play an essential role in delivering an exceptional customer experience across our Restaurants - delivering tasty food, maintaining high operational standards, and smashing commercial targets.

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 customers.
• Ensure strict compliance with health and safety regulations at all times.
• Implement effective stock management controls to minimise wastage and ensure the kitchen has everything it needs to serve our customers.
• Support the delivery of in-store events, including seasonal highlights such as Breakfast with Santa and regular fixtures like Afternoon Teas.
• Communicate effectively with our central support teams to maintain smooth operations and provide feedback to improve our business.
• Work as part of the overall Garden Centre Management team to deliver a safe working environment, a commercially successful store, and a great place to work for our colleagues.

Who we are looking for

• You’ll bring a passion for hospitality with proven experience in restaurant management.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of budgets, profitability from driving sales, and improved ways of working.
• A proven ability to manage stock controls and strict adherence to health & safety regulations.
• Ability to identify training needs. You'll be effectively coaching and training all levels to ensure our teams deliver a first-class customer experience and maintain a safe environment.
• Adaptability. You'll act quickly and enthusiastically to changing priorities, workload, and new regulations or requirements.
• Positivity in managing change. You'll lead the team through each season with care and motivation to deliver the best.
• Ability to demonstrate our values at all times – we’re one team, getting better every day. We bring a smile. We live and breathe gardens. We make it work for our customers.

What we offer

• Generous annual leave entitlement. Use your holidays when you want with limited statutory days off required.
• Treat yourself with generous uncapped discounts across our stores: 50% off in our Restaurants, 25% off in the Garden Centre, and 10% off in our food halls.
• Access to Wagestream – support your financial wellbeing with the ability to access earnings ahead of payday, save for the future, and receive financial advice.
• Access to Retail Trust – seek confidential support, access to a virtual GP, free counselling, and discounted retail rewards with our employee wellbeing platform.
• Access to Dobbies Academy – continue your development with our eLearning platform and development programmes.
• Thriving culture; the Dobbies team is passionate, diverse, and committed to making it work for our customers.

About us

At Dobbies, we’re proud to have a history dating back to 1865. We were founded by James Dobbie and are the only garden centre retailer with stores in every nation across the UK.

Our passion for gardens and plants makes us special. In our stores, we showcase this through our own brand and branded products, concession partners, and services. We champion garden living all year round.

Many of our stores feature a restaurant or coffee shop, where customers can enjoy refreshments or meals in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

We offer a calendar of events and experiences that bring people and communities together, and we have a national charity partner that our colleagues and customers raise money for.

We’re committed to being a great place to work. We’re one team, and we encourage our colleagues to be the best version of themselves every day; to share their wins and celebrate success. Together, we make it work for our customers.