Restaurant Manager (Chicago Bench Positions)

Restaurant Manager

As Restaurant Manager, you make the restaurant feel brilliantly consistent, human, and alive— You show up where it matters most, on the floor, with the team – setting the tone for service and bringing calm, confident direction to every moment while, protecting the Nando's experience and keeping the whole operation humming. You set the tone for service, coach in the moment, uphold standards without compromise, and grow confidence and capability shift after shift—so guests feel the warmth of our hospitality every time.

Lead a safe, smooth, standard of tight operation that delights guests and develops people. Translate plans into daily execution, use insight to make smart decisions fast, and create an inclusive environment where everyone can do their best work.

Operates as an in-restaurant leader of leaders, ensuring the restaurant is prepared before peaks; standards are upheld throughout service, and handovers set up the next team for success. Alternates between leading the floor and picking up critical stations to protect speed, quality, and atmosphere.

Opening

• Review Manager Communication Log (MCL), staffing line up, catering orders, and the day's forecast; validate previous inventory and complete prep/production sheets.

• Complete safe count; assign cash drawers; order change; prepare chicken cook sheet (where applicable).

Shift Changeover

• Reconcile AM monies and the safe; validate production and station readiness; walkthrough; document MCL handover notes.

Closing

• Final walkthrough; set next day catering; closing inventory; reconcile cash; validate timekeeping; run end-of-day reports; update the MCL.

Cash & Security (when supervising)

• Practice responsible cash management: floats, safe counts, deposits, cashier check-outs, refunds/voids/discounts per policy; safeguard keys, secure doors, set alarms; follow escalation protocols.

Key Focus Areas & Responsibilities

People — Lead, Coach, and Build Belonging

• Lead in the Nando's Way: Model Pride, Passion, Courage, Integrity, and Family; grow culture through daily behaviors and decisions.

• Communicate Brilliantly: set clear expectations, run motivating briefs/meetings, give timely feedback, flex style to the person and the moment.

• Recruit, Onboard & Develop: support interviewing, onboarding, and station sign offs; coach on SOPs; build cross training plans; strengthen the buddy system; grow future Shift Leads.

• Manage People Processes: ensure fairness and consistency; support ER basics; ensure required documentation is complete and filed correctly.

• Wellbeing & Safety: monitor energy and breaks; de-escalate conflict; keep the environment psychologically and physically safe.

Brand — Protect the Nando's Experience

• Deliver Consistent Standards: Conduct travel paths; uphold critical touchpoints (atmosphere, quality, speed) across all channels.

• Hospitality & Recovery: role model warm welcomes/fond farewells; table touches/check backs; resolve issues with empathy and judgment; escalate per process.

• Channel Management: keep eating primacy while maintaining takeaway and delivery standards; coach accuracy to reduce missing items.

Commercial — Sales, Labor, and Profit

• Drive Sustainable Sales: connect the team to daily/weekly targets; apply simple, approved local tactics in line with guidance.

• Use Insights to Decide: read and react to forecast; align deployment and breaks to flow; coach leaders to use dashboards and act on trends.

• Optimize Profit: manage portion control and waste ("cook less, more often"); protect speed/quality; handle daily financial processes to standard.

Operations — Food Safety, Stock, Cleanliness

• Food Safety & Compliance: enforce hygiene; complete daily/weekly logs (temperatures, labels, hot holds); manage allergy orders; escalate food safety complaints appropriately.

• Stock & Production: Set production to forecast; accept deliveries accurately; rotate stock; maintain portions; reduce waste with coaching and daily checks.

• Cleaning & Maintenance: lead daily/weekly cleaning schedules; ensure appropriate PPE; log and escalate maintenance issues; adjust service flow when issues arise.

Changing Lives — Community, Planet, Opportunity

• Create Belonging: judgment free team environment; celebrate strengths; build confidence; live "Family."

• Planetary Goals: reinforce recycling/energy routines; ensure oil recycling and waste processes are followed on shift.

• Community Actions: follow local partnership processes (e.g., food donation programs) and share wins to inspire participation.

Level & Decision Rights

• Scope & Span: Owns the day-to-day restaurant operation—scheduling/roster execution, onboarding, ER support, stock and cleaning routines, and customer recovery.

• Decision Authority: Leads tactical and operational decisions for service, deployment, and standards; supports ER cases; implements weekly plans; escalates higher risk/enterprise issues to Patrão/MD as required.

• Risk & Compliance Exposure: Daily/weekly audit readiness; food safety, H&S basics, license postings/incident documentation; protects brand and legal posture on shift and across the week.

• Time Horizon: Daily → weekly (turning the plan into consistent execution and KPI delivery).

Governance, Risk & Compliance

Own the restaurant's audit cadence (daily/weekly routines) and compliance posture: food safety, H&S basics, licensing visibility, incident documentation; support ER processes and escalate high-risk issues promptly.

Leading in the Nando's Way

You bring the spirit of Ubuntu into action—leading collaboratively, challenging with heart, and uplifting those around you. You blend having fun, making money, and changing lives; communicate brilliantly; support change with positivity; and role-model Pride, Passion, Courage, Integrity, and Family.

What You Bring (Knowledge, Skills & Experience)

• 2–3 years of restaurant management experience (fast casual, QSR, or full service)

• Demonstrated ability to lead full shifts, including deployment, breaks, and peak-time operations

• Proven experience delivering KPIs (sales, labor, food quality, audits, speed of service)

• Experience hiring, onboarding, and training team members

• Documented experience managing inventory, ordering, prep, and food safety routines

• Proven ability to resolve guest issues and support team conflict resolution

• Experience maintaining compliance with food safety, health department, and brand standards

• Track record of developing team members into new roles or certifications

• Education / Certifications: High school diploma or equivalent; Serv Safe Manager (or market equivalent), Allergen Certification and alcohol service certifications where required.

Nandos North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.