Food service managers play an integral role to ensure that the food served to customers is appetizing, cooked properly and delivered on time. Their primary responsibility is to oversee employees to verify that all policies and procedures are being followed, and to encourage professional and personable behavior. Other responsibilities include training employees, ordering supplies, inspecting work areas and resolving complaints.
When considering what skills to include in your food service manager job description, highlight leadership and customer service. Leading a team of employees requires a manager to set an example of quality customer service. Keen organizational and business skills are also critical.
Conflict management is required for mediating situations where the customer is unhappy. Physical strength is recommended as food service personnel spend many hours on their feet. This food service manager job description illustrates how to articulate these types of skills in your own document.
Food Service Manager Job Summary
As a food service manager, you have the valued responsibility of leading employees to serve the best food and provide an outstanding dining experience. If you are someone who appreciates leading by example, team work and motivating other people, then this could be the job for you. In addition to working with a variety of customers and team members, you can utilize your strengths in organization, attention to detail and conflict management. You have the opportunity to actively contribute to creating a memorable dining experience for customers by teaching employees to suggest menu items, vigilantly serve their guests and maintain a dining area that is clean, orderly and comfortable. This role is perfect for someone who enjoys working with people and managing a host of responsibilities with ease and enthusiasm.
Job Responsibilities
- Manage a team of 12 employees and verify that each is compliant with federally regulated policies regarding food handling and safety
- Encourage employees to provide outstanding customer service by enthusiastically welcoming diners, suggesting complementary menu items, regularly checking on guests and serving the highest quality food
- Oversee the preparation, presentation and delivery of food to guarantee that guests receive meals that are proportionate, consistent, cooked properly and aesthetically stunning
- Mediate conflict and resolve customer complaints related to food quality, service rendered or wait times
- Inspect kitchen areas, work stations and dining areas to verify that all are clean, safe and in working order
- Create employee schedules and find viable solutions when an employee is unable to make a shift
- Review restaurant ratings, employee conduct and guest feedback to determine areas where things can improve, and come up with innovative solutions to problems
- Order restaurant supplies, maintain a reasonable inventory and monitor finances to determine compliance with assigned budgets
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- High school diploma or equivalent degree
- Five years of experience working in customer service
- Enthusiasm, communication skills and motivated team player
Preferred:
- Familiarity with scheduling software
- Understanding of budgeting
Food Service Manager Job Responsibilities
Before getting started on your food service manager job description, you should plan in advance to spend a healthy amount of time on the job responsibilities section. Not only is this the section that first grabs the jobseeker’s attention, but it also plays a large role in weeding out underqualified candidates as well. This is where applicants will get an understanding of the day-to-day job functions and determine whether they have the skills to perform those functions.
A wall of text can be intimidating for jobseekers to read, so it’s wise to use a bulleted format. Bullets are a great way to streamline the bulk of information you’ll be presenting in your food service manager job description, and jobseekers will have an easier time understanding. While this section should be meaty, it need not be comprehensive. Focus mainly on the core responsibilities of the position rather than ancillary duties that won’t play as large of a role.
We’ve listed a few examples of well-written food service manager job responsibilities here:
- Maintain and record equipment and food inventories
- Maintain health and fire code compliance among employees, and make corrections when necessary
- Conduct regular accounting procedures, such as counting and depositing
- Assign staff duties and schedule shifts
Food Service Manager Job Specifications
Looking at the requirements for the job qualifications and skills section, it’s easy to assume it will be simple to write. It is the shortest section of the food service manager job description and is a bottom line for applicants’ credentials, such as relevant work experience and education necessary to qualify for the opening.
With that in mind, underestimating this section of the job description is a mistake. Just as the list of job responsibilities filters out candidates without the ability to perform the job’s daily functions, the outline of qualifications and skills will be instrumental in ensuring applicants meet the expectations set forth by your upper management.
A great way to avoid your inbox filling up with resumes from unqualified candidates is to sit down with your leadership and understand what their requirements are. This discussion will give you a firm understanding of their expectations, which will make the job posting much easier to write. Once you know what managers hope for, separate the skills that are deal-breakers from those that are simply preferred. Delineating the two on the food service manager job description will give jobseekers a clear vision of what executives expect of them and whether they qualify for application.
Here are some food service manager job specifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 5 years’ experience in management positions
- Solid grasp of interpersonal communications skills
- Excellent conflict resolution skills