Assistant Front of House Manager - Novo Restaurant

**This position will be available starting November 2024. We are currently looking for a qualified candidate to fill this role at that time.

About the Company:

Novo Restaurant has become known as a favorite for both locals and visitors alike due to its beautiful creekside ambiance, friendly service and eclectic and creative menu. While the menu has many core dishes, there is plenty of room for creativity throughout the menu as we change our menus seasonally, plus run at least one daily special for all meal services.

We are a company who walks the talk in terms of not only making it our mission to create a remarkable dining & hospitality experience for our guests, but also trying to create a remarkable experience for our employees. We value work-life balance and while this is a salaried role, we commit work-life balance to our salaried employees through our staffing models, our leadership support systems, by providing great paid vacation benefits and maintaining ongoing and open communication regarding performance goals and progress.

The primary goals for the management team are:

1. To lead the team while embracing our mission & core values.
2. To build sales through creating customer loyalty, attracting new customers, and increasing check averages.
3. To maintain tight cost controls for a healthy bottom line that benefits all staff.
4. To continually train, educate and hold staff accountable to service standards, knowledge expectations, and general information.

Summary of Position:

• Actively contribute to the oversight and coordination needed to properly plan, organize, and lead the business as necessary to achieve objectives in sales, labor costs, employee retention, guest service/satisfaction, and sanitation/cleanliness.
• To be a positive role model to staff, exhibiting gracious & genuine hospitality to all staff & guests.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Culture, Mission and Values

• First and foremost is it important that this position is in place to ensure Novo operates smoothly, but also with a positive culture in the forefront: One that is in alignment with our mission and core values and placed an emphasis on the team over the individual

• Represent company policy and correct employee behavior at all times as an example for the team to follow.

• Ensure communication with the Executive Chef and BOH team is positive to maximize guest satisfaction and provide feedback between both departments to improve their operations.

• Ensure that all guests feel welcome and are given responsive, friendly and exceptional service at all times.

• Address all guest complaints promptly and follow through with each situation until guest satisfaction is fully achieved.

• Enthusiastically & continually develop staff in all areas of hospitality industry professional development and invest in staff progress on an individual basis through consistent coaching and performance evaluations

• Constantly provide staff with positive reinforcement to boost morale when deserved and give constructive feedback whenever necessary to provide the opportunity for progress to be made.

Maintaining Standards and Policies

• Understand all of the company's policies, procedures, standards, specifications, guidelines and training programs & ensure that policies & procedures of the company are adhered to. Including administering prompt, fair and consistent corrective action for any and all violations of company policies, rules and procedures.
• Ensure training trackers are completed to standard for all new hires before they are on their own.
• Adhere to Best HR Practices for selection, hiring, onboarding, appraisals, discipline & termination of all FOH employees. Ensure you are following proper documentation protocols and hold the rest of the management team accountable to the same high standard.
• Familiarize yourself with procedures related to incidents/accidents for both the team and guests, including the management of injured employees' care. Promptly inform the HR Manager of any injuries as soon as you become aware of them.
• Work with the House Manager to manage cash controls and receipt handling. This includes overseeing cash handling practices and ensuring that reconciliation procedures follow restaurant policies and procedures.
• Understand and follow all federal, state, and local regulations for health, safety, and labor that apply to the restaurant, employees, and guests.

Daily Operations, Operational Strategy & Fiscal Responsibility

• Collaborate with the House Manager and executive team to develop and execute strategies that achieve company goals in sales, service, quality, facility appearance, and cleanliness. This involves training employees and creating a positive, productive work environment.
• When working on your shift, be mindful to also work for the next shift. This is accomplished through setting your counterparts and fellow managers up for success from restocking to ensuring sidework is complete and rosters/call outs are filled for the upcoming shifts.
• Perform your position's product ordering responsibilities at designated intervals. Adjust and establish pars in order to maintain efficiency with the restaurant's varying levels of business throughout the calendar year.
• Assist in managing cost controls in all areas of the business (labor, utilities, china/glass/silver breakage, paper goods, and linen use, etc.).
• Collaborate with the House Manager to oversee the maintenance, cleanliness, and appearance of the facility, both inside and out, to uphold our high standards. Report any maintenance issues using our facility app.
• Successfully carry out all Floor Supervisor, Opening Manager, and Closing Manager responsibilities for the designated number of shifts per week and to help out wherever needed when present in the restaurant outside of those designated shifts.
• Communicate any procedure or policy changes to FOH staff as well as menu changes, current promotions, and anything else FOH staff needs to know to be effective and successful in their positions.
• Be the liaison between FOH and BOH as Manager on Duty to make sure that all necessary information (86'D items, large party reservations, open menu counts, etc.) is communicated each shift.
• Suggest improvements to daily operations in order to increase efficiency to the House Manager and Operations Director.
• Communicate and address any potential hazards immediately.
• Think ahead on employment needs- start recruiting early for the busy season so we are trained and staffed up for peak season.
• If assigned, complete the schedule in a timely manner, ensuring it is posted no later than Thursday of the preceding week. Make sure it aligns with labor cost targets and upcoming business projections.
• Utilize reservation software to accurately and efficiently organize changing reservation needs according to each meal period's needs. Monitor reservations on a weekly basis to ensure capacities are not exceeded and that all special circumstances (projected weather, in-house events, etc.) are taken into consideration.
• When the House Manager is not present, ensure that payroll/tips and all required paperwork, including forms, reports and schedules are organized and turned in a timely manner.
• In collaboration with the House Manager, maintain regular communication with the Events Manager about upcoming events and the Marketing Manager about upcoming promotions.
• Work closely with the Bar/Wine Program leaders to maximize the department's profitability. This involves ensuring menu accuracy, creating innovative cocktails, managing ordering, controlling costs and inventory, and providing hands-on training.
• Utilize good judgement and conservative spending habits to ensure the operation is has enough stock of paper supplies & linen without overspending or being wasteful

Leadership of People

• Lead by example and provide continual hands-on training where needed to ensure guest service standards and efficient operations.
• Continually challenge our service team to elevate their knowledge and guest service. We cannot accomplish remarkable service without a knowledgeable staff
• Foster a "leader's go first" philosophy with the team: do not ask an employee to do anything that you, yourself would not do.
• Be sure that you and the management team are the most knowledgeable members of the team so they can answer any questions that come up.
• Be an active part of the communication strategy for all menu updates for food, bar, and wine and the creation and follow-through of all accompanying testing.
• In keeping with our philosophy of being good stewards of the planet, monitor and teach staff to be conservative & resourceful whenever possible.
• Stand in for House Manager at weekly management meetings when not present, to ensure communication, discussion and "Work on the business rather than IN the business" is happening regularly
• Perform other duties as assigned by senior leadership.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Must be comfortable and effective with multi-level communication, including with: your supervisors, your peers and your direct reports, all from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Must be able to comprehend, read and follow written and verbal direction
• Maintain an approachable demeanor that encourages staff and guests to feel comfortable bringing their concerns to you.
• Must have drive to identify opportunities for improvement and take the initiative to lead the change
• Possesses a high level of integrity and eye for detail
• Must be able to work well with and direct others as a team
• Versatility is essential as you must adapt to changing needs, both moment to moment and day to day. From being a hands on leader to backing off into an oversight/directorial role and be able to fill in in different work stations depending on the needs of the business
• Has a passion for taking care of people and making their experience memorable
• Can maintain a cool, calm and collected demeanor, even in times of stress and pressure
• Strong ability to juggle multiple responsibilities and tasks at any one time
• Holds high standards of excellence for themselves and for those in their charge
• Is highly organized and has the ability to make the best use of their time
• Can lead with humility and a positive sense of humor
• Ability to full meal services on your feet in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to be flexible with your schedule to meet business needs
• Ability to use a mobile device that supports downloading and using business apps, including those for the manager logbook, scheduling, inventory, as well as for electronic communications.

Education and Experience:

• Must have at least 4+ years restaurant management experience
• Must have or be able to attain a valid California Food Handlers card
• Valid Supervisory California Sexual Harassment Prevention Certificate
• Experience working with hospitality and communication technologies such as points of sale, google suite and microsoft programs

Physical Requirements:

• High level of stamina to work on feet for extended periods (be able to work in a standing position for long periods of time up to 8 hours)
• Must be able to occasionally lift, balance, and move equipment weighing up to 50 pounds
• Must be able to perform in a fast paced, busy environment with attention to detail

Disclaimer: This description includes essential functions. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. In accordance with California law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, requirements may be modified to reasonably accommodate disabled individuals. We are an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace for all. We welcome applicants from a wide variety of identities, ideas, perspectives and experiences and encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Novo Restaurant offers reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities.