Restaurant Manager

Makina Cafe is an established woman-owned Ethiopian-Eritrean Hospitality Company with a food truck, a catering kitchen, and a food stall on Governors Island. In the spring of 2025 Makina will be opening its first full-service brick and mortar location in Sunnyside/Long Island City, and the first Ethiopian-Eritrean restaurant in the famously diverse borough of Queens. Makina Café's mission is to serve delicious East African food without fear of putting a spin on this time-honored cuisine, and to educate their public about the history and culture behind this revered, long-standing culinary tradition in a welcoming, hospitable environment. The Restaurant Manager position presents an exciting opportunity for an experienced supervisor with a strong sense of leadership to grow professionally, and to be part of a unique enterprise in Queens' vast restaurant landscape. About The Role Makina Café seeks the help of an organized, responsible, and hospitality-loving individual with strong leadership skills to take on the management of this significant new location. The Restaurant Manager of Makina Café will be responsible for creating a truly hospitable environment; educating staff and patrons on the cuisine; hiring, training, and overseeing front-of-house staff; and overseeing general restaurant operations, from payroll to ordering and inventory. The ideal candidate will have proven experience managing a service team, strong communication skills, a passion for cultivating a warm restaurant environment, and be detail-oriented and results-driven. QUALIFICATIONS 2+ years of experience in a similar role Proficiency using restaurant software (POS, reservations, and 3rd party delivery platforms) and the Google Suite Wine, beer and cocktail knowledge Strong organizational skills Proven ability to multitask and pay attention to details Passionate commitment to outgoing, friendly customer service Refined verbal and written communication skills Night and weekend availability Food Handler's Certification Plays well with others and brings a positive attitude DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Hire, train, and manage all front-of-house positions Oversee dinner service Create weekly staff schedule and maintain approved budget for front-of-house labor per ownership expectations Communicate and perpetuate company policies, standard operating procedures, and best practices Create and maintain a collaborative work environment with high standards of customer service Educate staff and customers on the long tradition of East African cuisine and the Makina story Provide performance coaching: lead by example; counsel and advise staff; maintain a standardized system for two-way communication and feedback Liaise between front-of-house and back-of-house Own POS and reservations systems, updating and troubleshooting as necessary Point of contact for restaurant vendors including beverage distributors, carting company, dry goods suppliers, etc.; order related inventory Execute monthly inventory report; make related recommendations to ownership, and adjustments to ordering practices Enforce strict compliance with all relevant health and safety standards and requirements Prepare FOH for NYC Department of Health inspections First point of contact for restaurant repairs Execute weekly payroll Responsible for cash handling Track and submit relevant invoices to A/P Share all relevant customer feedback directly with kitchen and floor staff as well as ownership Work in partnership with Makina owners to realize their vision and their goals in terms of operational excellence and financial success

Created: 2025-02-13