Associate Restaurant Manager

Summerwood Corporation; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Summerwood Corporation is looking for an Associate Restaurant Manager in Columbia, Maryland. The successful candidate will assist the Restaurant General Manager in running operations, focusing on customer service excellence, maintaining high quality standards, and ensuring financial accountability.

The role includes responsibilities such as employee training, managing HR-related activities, and achieving the restaurant's annual operating plan. The ideal candidate will possess leadership skills, problem-solving abilities, and a dedication to driving business success.

Qualifications

• Experience in supervisory roles within food service or retail environments.
• Ability to maintain financial controls and train hourly employees.
• Demonstrated focus on customer satisfaction and financial performance.

Responsibilities

• Drive excellence in customer service and maintain quality standards.
• Analyze sales and take corrective actions to meet targets.
• Oversee HR activities and crew training.

Skills

Customer service excellence

Team leadership

Problem-solving

Financial analysis

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

The Associate Restaurant Manager (ARM) serves as the assistant to the Restaurant General Manager and provides additional management coverage of operating hours and direct supervision of operations in an individual restaurant.

Focal points include driving excellence in customer service, maintaining company standards in product and facility specifications, supervising food handling procedures and operational processes, and exercising basic shift‑to‑shift financial control to meet profit margin targets.

• Driving excellence in customer service
• Maintaining company standards in product and facility specifications
• Supervising food handling procedures and operational processes
• Exercising basic shift‑to‑shift financial control to meet the restaurant profit margin targets

In addition, the ARM assumes full responsibility for specific financial controls, crew training assignments and the screening of prospective employees under the direction of the RGM. The ARM directly performs hands‑on operational duties and on an ongoing basis trains employees, responds to customer service needs, and role models appropriate skills and behaviors in the restaurant.

The candidate for ARM is someone considered promotable to RGM within a year and a half of assuming the ARM position. The candidate has demonstrated the leadership skills necessary to become an RGM with continued training and coaching. ARM’s that do not show progress toward an Individual Development Plan within the first year are subject to demotion or termination.

Principle Accountabilities

Customer Satisfaction/Product Quality

• Maintains fast, accurate service, positive guest relations and ensures products are consistent with company quality standards.
• Drives customer‑focused culture by serving as role model in resolving customer issues and training managers and crew to meet or exceed customer service standards.
• Tracks, analyzes and resolves sources of customer complaints.
• Ensures that food safety standards are met.

Financial

• Develops and drives restaurant annual operating plan.
• Analyzes sales, labor, inventory and other controllable accounts on a continual basis and takes corrective action to meet or achieve margin and sales growth targets.
• Trains and mentors subordinates on financial analyses and profitability tips for the restaurant.
• Develops store CAPEX requests and is the principal interface with all vendors.

Operations

• Ensures that facilities and equipment are maintained to Company standards.
• Monitors inventory, food preparation and order fulfillment daily to ensure adherence to company standards.
• Establishes restaurant speed with service (SWS) targets, monitors performance and resolves bottlenecks to achieve SWS goals.
• Oversees development and revision of weekly management and crew schedules.

Human Resources

• Directs all restaurant level HR activity including:
• Personal accountability for crew hiring decisions
• Learning Zone planning and execution
• Performance management
• Compensation
• Employee relations issues up to and including termination
• Provides hands‑on training for management staff in advanced Learning Zone modules and develops all Shift Managers and Assistant General Managers to assume higher level responsibilities.
• Develops and monitors staffing plans and directs crew sourcing activities.
• Manages the work environment on all shifts to ensure fair and equitable employee treatment, as well as adherence to all company, state and federal workplace regulations.

Success Measures

• Achievement of restaurant annual operating plan
• Margin improvement over previous year sales growth
• Weekly/period restaurant performance in sales, labor, and COGS
• PRC results and DISSAT scores
• Learning Zone certification levels, crew turnover and staffing levels

Qualifications

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

Delivers Excellence in Customer Service

Is fully aware of customer needs and ensures that they receive quality products and service. Ensures work is to the correct standard. Possesses extremely high standards of product quality and speed with service and constantly monitors performance against those standards. Possesses a strong eye for detail and cleanliness. Presents a positive image through tidy and professional appearance of self and other employees. Interacts with customers in a highly effective and proactive manner. Consistently seeks to improve the customer experience. Demonstrates and emphasizes to others the importance of a winning customer experience. Uses customer feedback tools and techniques in making decisions and improving restaurant performance.

Team Leadership

Supervises others and efficiently coordinates their work. Delegates tasks to the most appropriate member of staff. Is able to remain in control in difficult situations. Provides clear direction and authority. Gets involved in a hands‑on manner and leads by example. Is assertive. Communicates restaurant goals and a motivating vision; links individual performance to achieving restaurant goals. Demonstrates principled leadership and sound business ethics; stands up for what’s right. Celebrates achievements; recognizes and rewards others; generates pride and commitment. Regularly coaches staff to drive performance against objectives; provides ongoing, constructive feedback. Demonstrates passion, enthusiasm and intensity in work; is a role model.

Business Savvy

Identifies problems quickly; assertively develops and implements solutions; manages restaurant flow to ensure customer satisfaction. Focuses the team on critical business issues; plans, organizes and delegates work for peak efficiency. Ensures understanding and use of available business tools by appropriate team members. Accurately analyzes financial data; identifies trends and takes appropriate action; follows up to ensure 100% implementation. Understands key business drivers and uses this knowledge to build sales and achieve margin targets.

Team Development

Identifies appropriate staff development needs and action plans and ensures time is available for crew development. Is tenacious in ensuring that all employees receive the opportunity to learn and demonstrate new skills. Transfers own knowledge to others by clearly demonstrating procedures, maintaining high standards and “walking the talk”. Provides resources for development, follows up and gives positive, direct feedback. Provides ongoing coaching and feedback as well as periodic formal assessment of progress.

Restaurant Operations

Technically proficient in all aspects of food preparation, production and delivery. Displays detailed knowledge of all key food handling/food safety procedures. Familiar with basic restaurant equipment troubleshooting. Displays detailed knowledge of all company product standards.

Educational Attainment/Experience Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Supervisory experience in either a food service or retail environment.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain financial controls and coach and train hourly employees.
• Proven ability to drive customer satisfaction, financial performance and employee satisfaction.