Front of House Manager

Job Details: Location: Woodside Racquet Club Management - Westwood, KS, Position Type: Full Time, Salary Range: Undisclosed, Summary Description

Under the direction of the Director of Food + Drink, the Front of House Manager is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and execution of all Front of House operations at Woodside, including Earthbar, Indoor Bar, Pool Bar and Snack Bar. The FOH Manager leads and develops the Front of House leadership team, oversees staffing and operational performance and ensures consistent execution of Woodside’s service, beverage and hospitality standards. As a highly visible, hands-on leader, the FOH Manager works closely with the Director of Food + Drink, Executive Chef and department Supervisors to deliver operational excellence, achieve financial objectives and provide an exceptional member experience across all Food + Drink outlets.

Duties / Responsibilities

Front of House Operations

• Manages the day-to-day Front of House operations across Earthbar, Indoor Bar, Pool Bar and Snack Bar, overseeing outlet readiness, service flow, opening and closing procedures and overall operational execution through the Earthbar, Bar and Pool Deck Supervisors
• Maintains a highly visible, hands-on presence throughout Food + Drink operations, particularly during peak service periods, supporting the leadership team and employees and ensuring an exceptional member experience
• Ensures all Front of House outlets are appropriately staffed and positioned to meet business volume, seasonal demand and service expectations
• Partners closely with the Executive Chef and Kitchen leadership to ensure effective communication and coordination between Front and Back of House operations
• Oversees the operational execution of Food + Drink components for club events and functions, including staffing, service flow, setup and breakdown and coordination with other departments
• Establishes and maintains standards for cleanliness, organization, stocking, safety and presentation across all Front of House outlets and ensures supervisors have processes in place to verify consistent execution
• Identifies operational challenges and implements timely solutions to maintain service continuity, quality and adherence to established department procedures

Beverage Program

• Manages the day-to-day execution of Woodside's beverage program across all applicable Food + Drink outlets, ensuring consistency, quality and adherence to standards established by the Director of Food + Drink
• Partners with the Director of Food + Drink on the development and implementation of seasonal beverage menus, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic offerings, promotions and new product introductions
• Maintains strong working knowledge of wine, spirits, beer, cocktail craft and current beverage trends and applies that knowledge to continually elevate the member experience
• Oversees beverage preparation and service standards, including recipe adherence, portion control, presentation, speed of service and product quality
• Works closely with the Earthbar and Bar Supervisors to ensure bartenders and service employees are properly trained on beverage knowledge, recipes, suggestive selling and refined service standards
• Oversees responsible alcohol service practices and ensures employees are appropriately trained and compliant with applicable laws, regulations and club policies
• Oversees beverage inventory and controls, including product levels, rotation, waste and inventory counts, and implements appropriate controls to minimize product loss and protect inventory integrity
• Maintains productive supplier relationships, coordinates product needs and deliveries and resolves service or product issues as necessary

Leadership & Team Development

• Directly manages, coaches and develops the Earthbar, Bar and Pool Deck Supervisors, establishing clear expectations and holding each leader accountable for the performance, engagement and development of their respective teams
• Partners with supervisors to develop staffing plans and schedules that align labor resources with business volume, seasonal demand, service expectations and established labor targets, while ensuring effective management of daily staffing, attendance, call-offs and shift coverage
• Leads recruiting, selection and onboarding efforts for Front of House employees in partnership with supervisors and Human Resources, with particular focus on seasonal staffing needs
• Ensures consistent training and ongoing development across Front of House operations, including hospitality and service standards, beverage knowledge, responsible alcohol service, POS procedures, safety and applicable health standards
• Conducts performance evaluations for direct reports and ensures supervisors consistently provide ongoing coaching, recognition, performance feedback and appropriate corrective action to their teams
• Conducts regular meetings with the Front of House leadership team to communicate priorities, review operational performance, reinforce service standards and identify opportunities for improvement

Member Service

• Delivers exceptional hospitality by consistently reinforcing Woodside's service standards, monitoring service execution and providing real-time coaching to supervisors and employees when opportunities for improvement are identified
• Maintains a highly visible presence throughout Food + Drink outlets, building relationships with members and proactively identifying opportunities to enhance their experience
• Responds to member questions, concerns and service issues with professionalism, urgency and sound judgment, ensuring appropriate service recovery and follow-up
• Ensures Front of House teams are knowledgeable about current menus, promotions, events and club offerings so they can confidently communicate with and assist members
• Regularly communicates member feedback and service trends to the Director of Food + Drink and recommends operational improvements when appropriate

Administrative & Financial

• Manages Front of House labor and operating expenses within established budgetary guidelines, monitoring performance and working with supervisors to adjust staffing and deployment based on business volume, seasonal demand and financial objectives
• Manages beverage cost of goods sold (COGS), including pour costs, product usage, waste and other controllable expenses, identifying and addressing variances from established targets
• Oversees ordering, purchasing and inventory controls within established guidelines, ensuring accuracy, appropriate inventory levels, proper product storage and rotation and timely reporting
• Ensures appropriate controls are maintained across Front of House operations, including POS accuracy, discounts, voids, cash handling and product loss, and routinely reviews activity to identify and correct discrepancies
• Reviews Front of House financial and operational performance with the Director of Food + Drink and develops action plans to address identified opportunities
• Ensures accurate and timely completion of payroll, timekeeping and employee documentation in partnership with supervisors and Human Resources and ensures Front of House operations comply with applicable health, safety, alcohol service and regulatory requirements
• Coordinates with Facilities and other support departments to address equipment, maintenance, technology and operational needs affecting Front of House operations
• Participates and fulfills all requirements set forth in the Continuing Education Curriculum (Woodside University) Program
• Evaluates and disciplines personnel where appropriate; maintains a working knowledge of Woodside policies regarding handling of staff and related issues; works to administer prompt, fair and consistent corrective action for any and all violations of company policies, rules and procedures
• Complies with Club’s employee handbook manual, departmental policies and procedures and with all applicable federal and state employment laws
• Completes all other duties as directed/assigned

Qualifications: Job Standards

Any combination of education and experience providing the required skill and knowledge is qualifying.

Typical qualifications would be equivalent to:

Skills

• Polished, refined hospitality skills with a strong understanding of luxury service standards and a commitment to delivering an exceptional member experience
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to communicate effectively with members, guests, employees and Club leadership
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop and motivate both Supervisors and frontline employees
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize, delegate and manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced, seasonal environment
• Strong judgment and problem-solving skills with the ability to resolve member and employee concerns with professionalism, poise and discretion
• Ability to work independently, take initiative and make sound operational decisions while maintaining alignment with the Director of Food + Drink
• Strong working knowledge of wine, spirits, beer and cocktail craft, with the ability to train and develop employees to refined beverage and service standards
• Ability to effectively lead and engage both permanent and seasonal teams through significant fluctuations in staffing and business volume
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, point-of-sale (POS) systems, restaurant management software and other applicable business technology

Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of Front of House and beverage operations within a private club, luxury resort, hotel or similarly high-end hospitality environment
• Current knowledge of local and national beverage trends, bar service practices and evolving member preferences
• Comprehensive knowledge of alcoholic beverage service, responsible alcohol practices and applicable health, safety and regulatory requirements
• Deep understanding of refined, high-touch hospitality and service standards appropriate for a luxury private club environment
• Strong knowledge of Front of House operational best practices, including service flow, staffing, beverage execution, inventory controls and POS procedures

Licenses/Certifications

• Valid Driver’s License - or reliable transportation to and from work and on occasion miscellaneous work-related trips of short duration
• WSET’s, Cicerone Certification or any other applicable certification
• Compliant with all health and safety regulations as governed by the State of Kansas, Johnson County and the City of Westwood

Special Requirements

• Regular and predictable attendance is required
• Access to personnel and financial data and ability to keep information confidential
• Flexible and changing working hours – must be available per business needs including evenings and weekends
• Extended hours (beyond 45) required during high season (May - September) – generally schedule will vary as needed, particularly for special events, promotions, etc.
• Ability to consistently move throughout the facility
• Ability to move 20 pounds on a regular basis, up to 50 pounds on occasion
• Visual acuity for computer work
• Ability to type on keyboard up to 20% of time
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in written form
• Ability to reach, bend, stoop, etc.

Working Conditions

• Ability to move about the property occasionally which includes movement between buildings and around pool area in extreme hot (or cold) weather conditions
• Hazards may include, but are not limited to, minor cuts, slipping and tripping