Assistant General Manager-Des Moines

Summary/Objective

The Assistant General Manager plays a key leadership role in delivering amazing guest experiences and consistent execution across the taproom. This position partners with the Store Director and the location’s leadership team to drive results in hospitality, team performance, and operational excellence—owning day-to-day service rhythm, coaching and development, and disciplined standards that protect quality, culture, and profitability. The AGM leads by example on the floor, builds confident teams through clear expectations and accountability, and helps create an environment where guests and teammates alike want to come back—again and again.

Core Values

Big Grove only hires and retains people who exhibit our core values. Our Core Values are:

1. Set the Tone

2. Thirst for Improvement

3. We Care

4. Practice Candor

5. Passion Driven

You will be given a culture deck explaining these core values. The goal of our culture deck is to show you who we are as a company, and then you can decide if you personally align with us and are excited to begin a career here.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Accountable for the Guest Experience: Ensure the restaurant is opened and closed with the highest standards, and that every guest has a fantastic experience from the moment they walk in until they walk out the door—through consistent hospitality, accuracy, cleanliness, and service recovery when needed.

2. Lead by Example & Set the Standard: Lead from the front during all shifts, modeling high work ethic, professionalism, urgency, and attention to detail. Set the pace on the floor, reinforce non-negotiables, and hold yourself and the team accountable to Big Grove standards.

3. Communication with Your Team: Own smooth daily service by setting clear expectations and giving direction every day. Communicate early and often—shift priorities, goals, and real-time adjustments—so teammates are prepared, confident, and set up for success.

4. FOH Team Development: Develop, train, coach, and refine FOH teammates in Big Grove values, standards, and stories. Provide ongoing feedback, recognition, and performance coaching that builds capability, consistency, and pride in the work.

5. People Management: Use Big Grove’s people and performance tools to communicate, check in, support, document, follow through, and hold teammates accountable—fairly, consistently, and with care. Resolve teammate issues quickly.

6. Event Support: Maintain a full understanding of events and demonstrate the ability to lead or support any event on-site, ensuring strong execution, guest experience, and team coordination.

7. Location Leadership & Follow-Through: Participate in location leadership meetings, discuss issues effectively and with care, and contribute insights and ideas to help Big Grove constantly improve. Complete all tasks and action items from meetings accurately and on time.

8. Accountable for Financial Performance: Partner with the leadership team to drive the financial performance of the unit. Effectively manage FOH labor, inventory, and COGS, and implement training, process improvements, and revenue-driving ideas to increase profitability and sales.

9. Cross-Department Collaboration: Foster a cohesive, productive work environment through strong communication and collaboration across FOH, BOH, and leadership—ensuring alignment, shared accountability, and consistent execution.

Competencies

• Floor Leadership & Accountability: Leads by example, sets the pace, and holds self and team to high standards.

• Coaching & Team Development: Builds confident teams through training, feedback, and performance follow-through.

• Communication & Influence: Provides clear direction, aligns cross-functional teams, and drives smooth shift execution.

• Guest Experience & Service Recovery: Creates memorable experiences and resolves issues quickly and professionally.

• Financial & Operational Discipline: Understands key drivers (labor, inventory, waste) and protects performance through consistent execution.

• Compliance, Safety & Standards: Operates with strong knowledge of safety, health, and alcohol compliance expectations.

• Adaptability & Problem Solving: Makes calm, data-informed decisions in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

• Beer & Brand Knowledge: Confident in beer styles, service standards, and storytelling to elevate the guest experience.

Be a high performing Big Grove team member with ability to look at business as a whole, communicate with all people, collaborate with all departments, work to solve organizational problems, and accomplish goals. Contribute to, communicate and exemplify BGB values, vision, standards, and culture.

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervises all Front of The House Staff. Works closely with Back of the House Leadership to ensure Big Grove is operating as a team.

Work Environment

The Assistant General Manager works in a fast-paced, customer-facing hospitality environment. The role requires flexibility to adapt to changing business needs and demands, particularly during peak service hours, events, and weekends.

• Physical Setting: Work is performed in a taproom setting, with frequent movement between front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) areas. The environment includes exposure to noise, crowds, varying temperatures (kitchen, patio, cooler), and outdoor elements.

• Pace & Demands: The position involves frequent interruptions, managing multiple priorities at once, and responding quickly to guest or staff needs. Standing, walking, and moving throughout the shift are required, often for 8+ hours at a time.

• Equipment & Systems: Regular use of POS systems, scheduling software, and basic office tools; occasional operation around restaurant equipment and event setup materials.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Mobility: Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods of time. Shifts can be 8+ hours at a time.

• Lifting/Carrying: Regularly required to lift and carry up to 25 pounds; occasionally up to 50 pounds (kegs, cases, or equipment when assisting staff).

• Reaching/Handling: Frequent use of hands and arms for reaching, handling, and operating equipment or POS systems.

• Posture: Frequent bending, stooping, climbing stairs, and balancing while moving through FOH and BOH spaces.

• Sensory Requirements: Must be able to visually observe and communicate with guests and team members; ability to hear and respond to guest needs in a loud environment.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position and hours of work/ days may vary from week to week. Hours expected to be worked are between 40+ per week. Schedules will be posted the week prior to allow time for employees to be informed of work requirements. The business is open 7 days a week during many day parts. Evening and weekends are a requirement.

Travel

Travel may be expected occasionally in this position.

Preferred Education and Experience

1. Must have 1+ years of proven success in a high volume, multi-unit restaurant/hospitality environment

2. Strong ability to analyze data, diagnose issues and suggest improvements accordingly

3. Experience managing 50+ employees desired

4. Proven track record in assisting operations to meet revenue and profitability objectives

5. Willingness to continuously learn and change

6. Ability to communicate with clarity and care

7. Must be legal drinking age

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.