Sr. Cafe Manager- Elgin, IL

Restaurant Associates

Elgin (IL)

On-site

USD 72,000 - 80,000

Full time

29 hours ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

FSAs

Paid Parental Leave

Personal Leave

Job summary

Restaurant Associates seeks a Senior Café Manager for a premier corporate dining operation in Elgin, IL. You will lead daily café activities, ensure top service, food quality, safety and financial results, while fostering client relationships and growth opportunities.

The role requires strong operational leadership with culinary background, excellent communication, and ability to balance client expectations, staff development, guest satisfaction and P&L performance.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree is preferred, or equivalent professional experience.
Three to five years food service/ hospitality experience, including two years at the management level.
Some culinary experience required.
Strong business acumen and administrative skill set, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cost control, and overall P&L oversight.
Supervising, scheduling, training, management & coaching skills.
Knowledge of basic work area operations, company and client policies and procedures.
Operational knowledge of the cash handling procedures and operation of food service equipment.
Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
ServSafe or Department of Health certification a plus.

Responsibilities

Carries out managerial responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws.
Interviews, hires, trains and coaches employees.
Analysis of financial performance, communicating results and business strategies to financial leaders and senior leadership.
Maintain initiatives that maximize profitability while maintaining quality standards.
Responsible for recruiting, coaching, and developing the café team, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and professional growth.
Build strong relationships across departments and integrate café and catering operations into the broader facility plan of operations.
Plans, assigns, and directs job duties.
Participates in employee meetings, reviews, and development.
Ensures compliance with proper sanitation and cleaning standards.
Prepares and maintains volume trend analysis report daily.
Plans, markets and executes special events/promotions in the café.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Strong communication

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial reporting

Cost control

P&L oversight

Supervising & coaching

Cash handling procedures

Microsoft Office proficiency

Operational leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Position Title: Sr. Cafe Manager- Elgin, IL

Salary: $72,000 - $80,000/ year

Restaurant Associates

Position Title: Sr. Cafe Manager- Elgin, IL

Salary: $72,000 - $80,000/ year

Other Forms of Compensation: Comprehensive Benefit Package

Become part of Restaurant Associates, the industry’s leading provider of dining and event catering for some of the nation's most prestigious museums, performing arts centers and corporations!

Voted Glassdoor's Employee Choice Awards - Best Places to Work, This is R/A !

Job Summary

The Senior Café Manager is responsible for the overall operational, financial, and culinary success of a premier corporate dining account in Elgin, IL. This position provides hands‑on leadership and oversight of daily café operations, ensuring the highest standards of service, food quality, safety, and financial performance are consistently achieved.

As the key client-facing leader, you will be responsible for maintaining a strong and collaborative relationship with the client while proactively identifying opportunities to enhance the guest experience and drive account growth.

The successful candidate will have strong operational experience, with a culinary background, and exceptional communicator, strategic operator, and relationship-focused leader who can independently manage a complex corporate dining operation while balancing client expectations, employee development, guest satisfaction, culinary excellence, and financial results.

Key Responsibilities

Carries out managerial responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws
Interviews, hires, trains and coaches employees
Analysis of financial performance, communicating results and business strategies to financial leaders and senior leadership
Maintain initiatives that maximize profitability while maintaining quality standards.
Responsible for recruiting, coaching, and developing the café team, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and professional growth.
Build strong relationships across departments and integrate café and catering operations into the broader facility plan of operations
Plans, assigns, and directs job duties
Participates in employee meetings, reviews, and development
Ensures compliance with proper sanitation and cleaning standards
Prepares and maintains volume trend analysis report daily
Plans, markets and executes special events/promotions in the café
Performs other duties as assigned

What We’re Looking for

Bachelor’s degree is preferred, or equivalent professional experience
Three to five years food service/ hospitality experience, including two years at the management level
Some culinary experience required
Strong business acumen and administrative skill set, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cost control, and overall P&L oversight
Supervising, scheduling, training, management & coaching skills
Knowledge of basic work area operations, company and client policies and procedures
Operational knowledge of the cash handling procedures and operation of food service equipment
Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
ServSafe or Department of Health certification a plus

Restaurant Associates is a member of Compass Group USA

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Associates At Restaurant Associates Are Offered Many Fantastic Benefits.