Senior Food & Beverage Manager

The Watergate Hotel; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Watergate Hotel seeks an experienced Food & Beverage Manager - Ops to lead and optimize all F&B operations in a luxury hotel setting along the Potomac River. You will drive guest satisfaction, promote private dining events, and collaborate with marketing to execute year-round programs.

You will oversee reservation platforms (OpenTable and Tock), manage costs, and coach FOH and bar staff to uphold service standards while aligning with hotel goals and profitability.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of college education or equivalent in related field.
• 3+ years of food & beverage leadership experience.
• Flexible scheduling to meet hotel needs.
• Proficiency in English (spoken & written).
• Willingness to work varied hours to accomplish responsibilities.
• Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
• Ability to work safely, prudently and with organization.
• Knowledge of food & beverage trends and concepts.

Responsibilities

• Create, promote and implement promotions to drive business across outlets.
• Ensure service standards across outlets and F&B operations.
• Manage reservations platforms (OpenTable & Tock).
• Drive profitability through cost control, labor management, and P&L oversight.
• Lead beverage program strategy including menu development and vendor relations.
• Ensure hotel goals are understood and translated into action plans.
• Hire, train, and coach FOH and bar staff to meet standards.
• Respond to guest trends and opportunities to enhance guest experiences.
• Coordinate with Executive Chef on menus and events.
• Oversee private dining events and hotel wide functions.
• Assist with payroll and schedule adherence.
• Collaborate with marketing to promote private dining events.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Communication

Financial acumen

Hospitality operations

Education

Some college education or equivalent

Tools

OpenTable

Tock

POS systems

Job description

The Hotel

Step inside a legendary revival at The Watergate Hotel, a luxurious urban resort located along the banks of the Potomac River. Here modern design blends with a storied past to redefine luxury. A place where travel and business are occasions worth celebrating, attention to every detail is the standard, and intrigue can be found just beyond every curve.

The Hotel

Step inside a legendary revival at The Watergate Hotel, a luxurious urban resort located along the banks of the Potomac River. Here modern design blends with a storied past to redefine luxury. A place where travel and business are occasions worth celebrating, attention to every detail is the standard, and intrigue can be found just beyond every curve.

Location

The Watergate Hotel is centrally located in Washington, D.C., a city of political power, prestige, and elegance is culturally rich with theaters, museums, architectural splendors and unforgettable national memorials. The Watergate Hotel is situated within walking distance of the best the city has to offer.

Strategic Intent

To contribute to the hotel’s success by overseeing & assisting with all F&B operations, working with all F&B Managers to ensure a smooth operation of the department with guest satisfaction as the priority. This position will also work to promote, book, and coordinate social and corporate private dining events in addition to contributing to the marketing plan for the year including collaborating on ideas/programs/activations and bringing those ideas to fruition while keeping the marketing and hotel teams updated as to all pertinent information.

Organizational Structure

The Food and Beverage Manager - Ops will report to the Director/Assistant Director of Food and Beverage. S/he will provide support to the Assistant Food and Beverage Manager/Supervisors.

General Duties And Responsibilities

• Create, recommend and implement promotions to drive business volume into the various outlets. Ensure that team members are trained and well versed on promotional programs.
• Understand all service standards and requirements as they relate to the various outlets and food and beverage operations in general.
• Manages and creates experiences for reservation platforms (change OpenTable & Tock)
• Drive profitability through cost control, labor management, and P&L oversight
• Lead beverage program strategy, including menu development, vendor relations, and inventory control
• Have a thorough knowledge of hotel goals and where the hotel stands on a daily basis. Ensure that appropriate and approved goals are assigned to the various outlets and plans and actions are in place along with needed training in order to achieve these results.
• Hire, train, and coach FOH and bar staff to uphold service and performance standards
• Respond to customer trends, needs, issues, comments and opportunities to ensure a quality experience and enhance future sales prospects.
• Ensure exceptional guest experiences through hands-on leadership and service recover
• Maintain operational excellence, compliance, and efficiency across all department
• Remain on the cutting edge of food and beverage experience, always understanding the various trends in the industry. Ability to take advantage of this knowledge in order to exceed assigned goals
• Book reservations/group for Kingbird, The Next Whisky Bar and Top of the Gate in size from 2 and up to 40 guests
• Maintain accurate PDR Revenue Worksheets
• Plan all holidays from requesting the menus from chef, to creating fact sheets & BEO’s for each event
• Respond to all telephone, email, and walk in inquiries regarding restaurant / private dining space.
• Negotiates and creates proposals for clients and achieve maximum revenue/profit potential while satisfying client needs
• Act as the liaison between the client and the hotel for all the client needs, (i.e., Hotel rooms, audio visual, transportation, off-site event recommendations)
• Create & Distribute BEO’s
• Supervise the execution of private dining events.
• Assist with and enforce all office policies and procedures, as well as to monitor their effectiveness.
• Coordinates release dates and menu changes with the Executive Chef and the food & beverage director.
• Assist with payroll, update and check for missed punches and manages tips.
• Manages and creates experiences for OpenTable & Tock
• Perform any other job related duties as assigned.

Experience And Requirements

• More than 2 years of college education in a related fields or significant years of experience in the food and beverage industry.
• Three years of experience in food and beverage leadership positions relative to the position listed above.
• Must be flexible with scheduling and available to work varied hours.
• Reading, writing and oral proficiency in the English language.
• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule in order to accomplish all major responsibilities and tasks.
• Must be a self-motivator and motivator of others.
• Must work in a safe, prudent and organized manner.
• Must have a sufficient knowledge of food and preparation.
• Must have mathematical skills, computer software aptitude, and some hotel operation knowledge.
• Knowledge of specific hospitality industry applications is desirable.
• Must have able to relate to all levels of management and guests.
• Knowledge of food & beverage trends and concepts required.
• Must have the ability to handle multiple tasks at once.
• Must have superior organizational skills.
• Able to lift, grasp, carry and/or push up to 50 pounds.