PepperJax Assistant Manager- Cedar Rapids

Job Description

Job Description

Life’s too short to not work somewhere awesome.

At PepperJax Grill, an Assistant Manager isn't someone who stands on the sidelines and tells everyone else what to do.

You're in it with your team.

You'll help lead the restaurant, develop people, deliver a great guest experience, and make sure we're doing things the right way—even when it's busy, the line is full, and everybody needs something at once.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who wants more than another restaurant management job. We want people who want to learn the business, develop a team, take real ownership, and keep growing.

If that sounds like you, we'd like to meet you.

Why You'll Like Working Here

We want PepperJax to be a place where good people can build something.

You'll work alongside your General Manager and restaurant leadership team while developing the skills to take on greater responsibility. You'll have opportunities to coach employees, make decisions, solve problems, and learn what it takes to successfully lead a restaurant.

Our Core Values aren't supposed to be words hanging on a wall. They're how we expect our leaders to operate:

People First — Take care of your team and your guests. Build relationships, communicate clearly, coach people, and create an environment where people want to work.

Grit — Restaurant leadership isn't always easy. We want leaders who stay engaged, solve problems, jump in when they're needed, and follow through.

Quality Always — Take pride in the details. Great food, a clean restaurant, strong service, food safety, and consistent execution all matter.

What You'll Own

As an Assistant Manager, you'll help your General Manager lead the restaurant and will be trusted to run the business when the GM isn't there.

That means you'll:

• Lead shifts and keep the restaurant running with urgency, accuracy, and consistency.
• Work alongside the team and step into service when needed.
• Coach, train, and develop Crew Members, Certified Trainers, and Shift Leaders.
• Create a great guest experience and address problems when something isn't right.
• Maintain PepperJax standards for food quality, food safety, cleanliness, hospitality, and restaurant readiness.
• Help manage labor, workflow, staffing needs, and shift performance.
• Support hiring, onboarding, training, and retention.
• Hold yourself and others accountable while treating people with respect.
• Identify problems, make decisions, and communicate with your General Manager.
• Help build a team capable of delivering consistently great shifts.

You aren't expected to stand in the office and manage from a distance. PepperJax leaders lead from the floor.

You'll Probably Be Great Here If You...

You don't need to have everything figured out on Day One. But there are some things we can't teach.

We're looking for someone who:

• Naturally takes ownership instead of waiting for someone else to fix things.
• Likes developing people and helping others get better.
• Can give clear feedback and have accountable conversations.
• Keeps their composure when the restaurant gets busy.
• Notices when standards start slipping and does something about it.
• Understands that leadership means jumping in, not just giving directions.
• Can balance taking care of people with delivering results.
• Wants feedback and is interested in continuing to grow as a leader.
• Gets what restaurant leadership requires, genuinely wants the responsibility, and has the capacity to handle it.

That's our version of finding the right person for the right seat.

What We're Looking For

You must be 18 or older and able to work a full-time restaurant leadership schedule, including a mix of opening, closing, mid, weekend, and other shifts based on the needs of the restaurant.

Previous restaurant leadership experience is strongly preferred. We're especially interested in people who have experience leading shifts, coaching employees, maintaining operational standards, and working in a fast-paced restaurant environment.

You'll also need reliable transportation and the ability to travel to another restaurant when business needs require it. This position requires successful completion of applicable background and motor vehicle record checks.

The job is active and hands-on. You'll regularly stand and move throughout the restaurant and may need to bend, reach, kneel, twist, push, pull, and lift or carry up to 50 pounds.

What You Get

Working at PepperJax comes with more than a title.

Full-time team members have access to benefits including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off
• A free meal during your shift
• Holiday closures
• 401(k) with employer match after one year for eligible employees age 18+
• Training and leadership development
• Opportunities to grow within PepperJax and Weis Restaurant Group

And if you want to keep moving, Assistant Manager doesn't have to be the finish line.

Our restaurant leadership path can take you from:

Crew Member - Shift Leader - Assistant Manager - General Manager - Multi-Unit and District Leadership

We want to develop leaders who are ready for what's next.

Think You'd Be a Good Fit?

If you care about people, aren't afraid to work hard, take pride in doing things right, and want the opportunity to become a stronger restaurant leader, we'd like to hear from you.

People First. Grit. Quality Always.

Come see what you can build at PepperJax Grill.