Assistant Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

Dog Haus Biergarten Berkeley is a fast-casual biergarten in West Berkeley serving hot dogs, sausages, burgers, chicken, burritos, and a curated tap list. Our Assistant Manager is a working manager — on the floor during peak service, in the kitchen when the line needs help, and accountable for the smooth, safe, and profitable operation of every shift they lead. The AM partners with the General Manager and the Owner to run a tight, guest-focused operation that complies with California wage-and-hour law, the California Retail Food Code, California ABC alcohol-service rules, and the company's Employee Handbook and position-specific FOH and BOH policies. This is a hands-on, high-trust role for someone who likes solving real operational problems in real time.

• Open, run, or close shifts; complete and verify opening and closing checklists per the FOH and BOH Employee Policies & Job Responsibilities.
• Supervise and coach 3–5 hourly FOH and BOH staff per shift. Deliver direct, respectful, in-the-moment feedback. Document coaching and discipline using the bilingual Coaching & Warning Form.
• Enforce California wage-and-hour rules in real time: ensure non-exempt staff begin meal periods before the end of the fifth hour worked, take a 30-minute uninterrupted meal period (with a second one for shifts over 10 hours), take a paid 10-minute rest period for every 4 hours worked, clock in/out only under their own credentials (no buddy punching), and do not perform any work off the clock.
• Enforce POS accuracy and tip-pool integrity: every item rung in BEFORE it is poured, prepared, or served; no verbal orders; correct employee-discount documentation per the new Meal Discount Request Procedure; accurate cash-tip reporting at the end of every shift. Investigate suspected ring-in fraud or theft and escalate to the GM/Owner.
• Oversee responsible alcohol service: card any guest who appears under 30, refuse service to obviously intoxicated guests, monitor the End-of-Shift Beer Benefit rules, and verify that every staff member who serves, pours, or delivers alcohol holds current RBS certification from California ABC.
• Lead food-safety compliance: glove use, handwashing intervals (at least every 60 minutes), FIFO rotation, date-labeling, temperature logs, and immediate exclusion or restriction of any employee reporting a Cal. Health & Safety Code §113949 condition (vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever, infected wound, foodborne-illness diagnosis).
• Lead the response to health inspections by Alameda County Environmental Health and any other regulatory authority per BOH §12b and FOH §16b: stay with the inspector, acknowledge findings, fix issues on the spot when possible, assign preventive tasks with owners and deadlines, and post and review until every item is closed.
• Approve Employee Meal Discount Request Sheets in person or by text message per the Meal Discount Request Procedure. Ensure no food is rung in, prepared, or released to the kitchen until the sheet is complete and payment has been collected.
• Review the BOH Waste & Correction Reporting Sheet daily; identify training opportunities, address concealment or falsification, and use the data to manage food cost.
• Monitor ticket times (8 minutes standard / 12 minutes complex) and drive corrective action when targets are missed without operational cause.
• Manage scheduling in the Sling app: post schedules in advance, handle shift swaps and coverage requests, and ensure notifications are responded to by 10:00 PM the evening before.
• Conduct or supervise the daily bartender opening inventory in our store admin app; investigate variances.
• Receive and verify deliveries; notify the GM or Owner BEFORE any ingredient or product runs short.
• Contribute to weekly P&L review with the GM: labor cost, food cost, beverage cost, and waste. Identify trends and propose actions.
• Maintain compliance with the California Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (Cal. Labor Code §6401.9 / SB 553) and participate in annual training and incident response.
• Model professional, respectful, anti-harassment workplace conduct. Investigate or escalate any concerns of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation in coordination with the GM and Owner.
• Under California Labor Code §351, do NOT participate in the tip pool. Do not take, withhold, redirect, or otherwise share in any guest gratuity intended for service staff.

• 2+ years of supervisory or assistant-management experience in a fast-casual or full-service restaurant, with direct responsibility for staffing, cash handling, food safety, and guest service.
• Working knowledge of California wage-and-hour law (meal/rest periods, overtime, tip-pool rules) and the California Retail Food Code.
• Valid California Food Safety Manager Certification (ServSafe Manager or other ANSI-CFP–accredited certification) at hire, or obtained within 30 days of hire (Cal. Health & Safety Code §113947).
• Valid Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) certification from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at hire, or obtained within 60 days of hire (California AB 1221).
• Proficiency with restaurant POS systems and scheduling apps (Sling, Toast, or equivalents); comfort with inventory and food-cost software.
• Excellent verbal and written communication. Ability to give and receive direct feedback without taking it personally.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States (Form I-9 required at hire).
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• High school diploma or equivalent. Bachelor's degree NOT required — operational experience is what matters.

• Bilingual English/Spanish (much of our staff communication, our Handbook, and our policies are bilingual).
• Experience leading both FOH (bar service, expo, hospitality) and BOH (cook line, prep) teams.
• Hands-on familiarity with weekly P&L review, labor-cost management, food-cost management, and inventory variance analysis.
• Experience responding to county health inspections.
• Coursework in hospitality management, business administration, or culinary arts.

• Stand and walk for the majority of a 8–10 hour shift.
• Lift and carry up to 40 lbs (kegs, cases of bottles, prep supplies).
• Reach, bend, and stoop frequently; climb a step stool occasionally.
• Tolerate kitchen heat near fryers, griddles, the salamander, and the hot-dog steamer.
• Work in a fast-paced, sometimes loud environment with constant guest interaction.
• Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified candidates with disabilities, consistent with the ADA and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Contact us to request an accommodation for the application or interview process.

Dog Haus Biergarten Berkeley is an equal opportunity employer. We make employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under California or federal law.

Pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act (Cal. Gov. Code §12952) and the Berkeley Fair Chance Access to Employment Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of those laws. We do not inquire about criminal history until after a conditional offer of employment is made.

California Business & Professions Code §16600 prohibits non-compete agreements in this state, and we do not ask employees to sign any.