Assistant Food & Beverage Manager

Surety Hotel•Des Moines, IA

5h•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Food & Beverage Manager reports directly to the Food & Beverage Manager and is a critical role requiring both tactical and strategic capabilities. This position involves hands-on involvement in all aspects of Food & Beverage operations, from strategic planning to daily execution. The role demands a leader who can manage the restaurant, bar, café, in-room dining, and banquets teams, serving as Manager on Duty during assigned shifts. The Assistant F&B Manager is expected to lead by example, engage extensively with associates and guests, and collaborate with the Culinary Team to execute food and beverage concepts. A collaborative, humble, experienced, and open-minded approach is essential, with no room for egos. The role involves maintaining and executing service standards across all F&B areas to ensure success for both associates and guests.

Requirements

Passion for the People, Place and Culture of our community, love of Restaurants and Guest Service also required
Minimum of three (3) years’ experience in Food & Beverage, with at least one (1) year in a supervisory or leadership role (Restaurant, Bar, Café, and/or Banquets/Events)
Must be proficient in Word, Excel and other applicable computer systems
Working knowledge, or ability to obtain, in reservations systems such as OpenTable and Tock, as well as POS systems such as Micros, Silverware and Lightspeed
Working knowledge, or ability to obtain, in reporting and inventory management tools such as Avero, Beverager and Accubar
Solid understanding of service standards, labor control, maintenance, merchandising and accounting
Ability to obtain and maintain Alcohol Awareness certification (TIPS) and Food Handlers Certification (ServSafe) within 30 days of hire
Thorough understanding of all food & beverage items offered, including ingredients, methods of preparation, and proper service, including In-Room Dining (IRD) standards
Mastery of the full Steps of Service: greeting cadence and guest acknowledgment, table set and water service, sequence of service, course pacing and fire timing, table touches and pace control, position numbering and pivot points, allergen protocol, wine and beverage service standards, table maintenance and marking, quality check cadence, check presentation, expo and runner handoff, pre-shift line-up execution, and service recovery
Working knowledge of wines and spirits, with appetite to grow into expert-level
Fluency in English both verbally and non-verbally
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time; push, pull, lift up to 50 lbs.
Must be able to work in extreme temperatures like freezers (-10°F) and kitchens (+110°F), possible for one hour or more

Nice To Haves

Ability to be a soldier is as critical as being a general
Ability to be tactical and strategic
Ability to get down and dirty to unearth existing needs and personally ensure what needs to be fixed is repaired
Ability to work in an often-unpredictable environment to meet deadlines, all while maintaining a positive and professional demeanor
Ability to inspire and challenge each other to be their best
A large degree of self-motivation is needed to drive the operation
Collaborative, humble, experienced, and open-minded — no egos are allowed

Responsibilities

Uphold and model the company’s principles of People, Place and Character; and ensure your team also models the way our values drive collaboration, intuition and translocal hospitality
Partner with the F&B Manager in recruitment, training, scheduling, supervising, coaching, and motivation of all Restaurant, Bar, Café, In-Room Dining and Banquets associates in order to create an environment that nurtures ideas and develops future talent for succession planning in the F&B program; effectively use corrective action to address root causes of issues, course-correcting any missed opportunities
Serve as Manager on Duty for assigned shifts, owning pre-shift, service execution and post-shift recap; ensure timely set-up of the dining room and adhere to food & beverage standards and guest requests through active communication with the F&B and Culinary Departments
Build and maintain strong guest and VIP relationships; ensure all requests are accurately communicated to staff and executed without compromise
Review reservations and cover count reports to determine appropriate staffing levels and station assignments; collaborate with the F&B and Culinary teams to align on service flow
Assist in managing inventory, controlling breakage and loss of china, glass and silver; inspect and oversee the cleanliness and maintenance of all restaurant space, public areas, and service areas
Support daily POS hygiene, end-of-shift reconciliation, cash handling controls, and accurate ringing of all banquet and event covers
Assist the F&B Manager with labor and cost-of-goods discipline, including time-card audits, schedule adherence, and outlet-level cost tracking
Assist in other food & beverage departments as needed
Maintain regular communication with the F&B Management team to provide updates, discuss plans, communicate needs, and align on priorities, understanding that flexibility with your responsibilities is paramount to support a successful operation
Offer direct support for your team through coaching, counseling, gentle correction, and constructive feedback
Collaborate effectively with all hotel departments including Sales, Culinary, Food & Beverage, and Hotel Operations to provide an exemplary guest experience
Be respectful in your daily interactions with your managers, direct reports, and peers, exemplifying the utmost level of professionalism and being a pillar within your community
Build subject matter expertise in the Steps of Service across Restaurant, Bar and Café, as well as in the history of the cuisine and beverage program most closely related to the hotel concepts, effectively guiding others in their personal search with a gentle hand, never admonishing their lack of knowledge
Demonstrate business acumen by ensuring that initiatives align with operational goals and budgets; show passion to further develop this skillset in preparation for advancement