Assistant Restaurant Manager

Department: Food & Beverage
Reports to: Food & Beverage Manager
Location: King Street Townhouse, Manchester
Role Focus: Restaurant operations, team leadership and guest experience

The Opportunity

We are looking for a confident and hands-on Assistant Restaurant Manager to support the leadership of our modern British, seasonal all-day restaurant. This is a visible, floor-based role, working across breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner to deliver warm, polished and natural service with genuine attention to detail. You will help lead the team, protect service standards, develop colleagues and support commercial performance while working closely with the Food & Beverage Manager and wider hotel operation.

Role Purpose

To support the Food & Beverage Manager in leading the daily restaurant operation, ensuring exceptional guest experiences, consistent standards, effective team development, strong operational control and delivery against commercial goals.

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Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Support the smooth and efficient operation of the restaurant across breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
• Maintain a highly visible presence on the floor and remain hands-on throughout service.
• Ensure opening, service and closing procedures are completed to the required standard.
• Review bookings, VIP guests, special occasions, expected covers, table plans and staffing requirements before each shift.
• Monitor table progression, service flow, food and beverage delivery, break management and communication between the restaurant, kitchen, bar and host team.
• Resolve operational issues quickly and professionally, escalating risks or recurring concerns to the Food & Beverage Manager.
• Check equipment, tills, card machines, reservation systems, menus, wine lists, specials and allergen information before service.
• Complete accurate shift handovers, reports and closing checks.

Guest Experience and Service Standards

• Deliver warm, polished and natural hospitality that reflects the character of King Street Townhouse.
• Welcome and acknowledge guests, recognise returning guests and ensure special occasions are handled with care.
• Provide confident recommendations on food, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic options, using appropriate and natural upselling.
• Maintain excellent table presentation, water service, tray service, clearing standards and restaurant cleanliness.
• Monitor guest satisfaction throughout service and lead effective service recovery when required.
• Respond to feedback and complaints professionally, ensuring actions are recorded and followed through.
• Support positive guest reviews across SevenRooms, Google and TripAdvisor.

People Leadership, Coaching and Development

• Lead by example, create a positive team culture and communicate clearly and respectfully.
• Deliver daily briefings before each service, assigning sections, roles and responsibilities.
• Coach colleagues in service, including guest interaction, tray skills, table presentation, clearing times and product knowledge.
• Identify training needs, complete competency sign-offs and deliver refresher training where required.
• Support structured induction through the Restaurant Academy and monitor mandatory training and e-learning completion.
• Hold regular one-to-one meetings and contribute to probation reviews, performance conversations and succession planning.
• Support the recruitment process through Greenhouse, including shortlisting, interview coordination and interviews with the Food & Beverage Manager.

Commercial and Administrative Responsibilities

• Support revenue growth by improving average spend per guest, beverage sales and guest engagement.
• Monitor labour deployment, overtime, wastage and stock usage in line with business needs.
• Support stock orders, monthly stocktakes, maintenance requests and supplier performance reviews.
• Prepare and maintain rotas, payroll amendments, holiday information, training records and performance documentation.
• Review sales, labour, guest feedback, online reviews and operational performance, identifying practical improvements.
• Support seasonal menu launches, afternoon tea development, wine dinners, connoisseur dinners and other guest events.

Health, Safety and Compliance

• Ensure food safety procedures, HACCP, allergen controls and licensing requirements are followed without exception.
• Ensure all incidents, hazards and near misses are reported promptly and accurately.
• Maintain compliance with fire safety, manual handling, COSHH and workplace safety requirements.
• Keep restaurant walkways, exits, service stations and back-of-house areas safe, clean and unobstructed.
• Stop, check and ask a manager or the kitchen whenever allergen information is unclear. Never guess or rely on assumptions.

Commercial Performance

• Revenue and average spend supported through confident recommendations.
• Improved beverage sales and controlled labour deployment.
• Reduced waste and disciplined stock management.

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Person Specification

Essential Experience and Skills

• Previous experience in a supervisory or management role within hospitality.
• Strong leadership, organisation and communication skills.
• Ability to lead a team confidently in a fast-paced, guest-focused environment.
• Good knowledge of food and beverage operations and service standards.
• Strong guest-service focus with commercial awareness.
• Ability to coach colleagues constructively and address standards when required.
• Ability to work flexibly across early mornings, evenings, weekends and busy trading periods.

Desirable Experience and Qualifications

• Hotel restaurant or premium all-day dining experience.
• Wine knowledge; WSET qualification is desirable.
• Food Hygiene, Health & Safety or licensing qualifications.

Personal Qualities

• Approachable, supportive and professional.
• Proactive, resilient and organised under pressure.
• Passionate about hospitality and motivated by high standards.
• Commercially aware, accountable and willing to take ownership.
• A calm, credible role model who develops others and builds strong working relationships.

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Working Relationships

The Assistant Restaurant Manager will work closely with the Food & Beverage Manager, restaurant leadership team, Bar Manager, Events and Meetings team, Executive Chef and kitchen team, Reception, Sales, Housekeeping, Maintenance and Security.

The role is expected to attend relevant Operations Meetings, Food & Beverage Meetings, departmental briefings and management meetings.

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Our Expectations

• Deliver exceptional guest experiences with warmth, personality and attention to detail.
• Lead and develop colleagues through clear standards, coaching and consistent support.
• Take ownership of the restaurant operation and communicate concerns promptly.
• Maintain the highest standards of safety, compliance, cleanliness and presentation.
• Continuously seek opportunities to improve standards, profitability and the guest journey.
• Support the wider Food & Beverage operation whenever business needs require.