Assistant General Manager in California, Maryland at Vine Dining Enterprises

Vine Hospitality is seeking an Assistant General Manager who is ready to take real ownership of the floor and the team that runs it. This is not a #2 in title only, it is a true operating partner role for someone who wants to learn the full business of running a high-volume restaurant from the inside, while leading the day-to-day execution that defines the guest experience.

Working directly alongside the General Manager, you will be responsible for daily service execution, FOH leadership, and team development. You will run shifts with composure and command, develop hourly leaders, and contribute to the financial and operational discipline that drives the restaurant's performance. In the General Manager's absence, you are the operator.

This role reports directly to the General Manager and is a meaningful step in the Vine Hospitality leadership path. We are looking for someone with strong service instincts, genuine leadership ability, and the operational mindset to grow into a General Manager seat.

Service Leadership & Floor Execution

• Recruit, hire, train, and develop the hourly FOH team, including servers, hosts, runners, bartenders, and bussers.
• Coach in real time on service technique, professionalism, and standards without waiting for a formal review cycle.
• Conduct regular check-ins with hourly team members and contribute to performance evaluations alongside the General Manager.
• Identify and develop the next generation of FOH leaders, building bench strength for shift leads, key roles, and management.
• Hold the team to a clear, consistent standard and address performance gaps directly and professionally, escalating to the General Manager when appropriate.
• Foster a team culture rooted in accountability, craftsmanship, and mutual respect, the kind of team people want to be part of and stay on.

Operations & Business Performance

• Partner with the General Manager on labor planning, scheduling, and shift deployment to align with forecasted covers and revenue.
• Contribute to cost control across labor, supplies, and operating expenses, reading reports, flagging variances, and driving corrective action on the floor.
• Own opening and closing checklists, line checks, side work, and pre-shift readiness so the restaurant is set up to perform every shift.
• Manage inventory, ordering, and par levels for FOH supplies (glassware, linens, paper goods, sundries) in coordination with the General Manager.
• Support cash handling, reconciliation, and end-of-night reporting per company standards.

Guest Experience & Reputation

• Champion a guest-first culture, with the table-side presence to recognize regulars, recover from issues, and create the moments that earn repeat visits.
• Respond to guest feedback in real time and across digital channels, partnering with the General Manager on patterns and follow-through.
• Represent the restaurant with the professionalism and warmth that defines the Vine Hospitality brand.

Systems & Technology

• Demonstrate fluency across all restaurant technology platforms, including: Toast (POS), SpotOn, Paylocity, Margin's Edge, Ingest, and Asana.
• Use Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, Gmail, Calendar) confidently for day-to-day communication, reporting, and shift management.
• Use reporting tools to read covers, sales mix, labor, and guest feedback, and translate what you see into action on the floor.

• 3+ years of FOH management experience in high-end, high-volume restaurant environments; AGM or senior manager experience preferred.
• Strong service instincts and a hands-on, floor-first leadership style.
• Demonstrated ability to develop hourly team members and build bench strength for future leadership.
• Working financial acumen, comfortable reading P&L, labor, and cost reports, and contributing to corrective action.
• High proficiency in restaurant technology platforms and Google Workspace; willingness to learn and champion new systems.
• Clear, direct communicator who gives feedback well and receives it even better.
• Strong ownership mentality, solutions-oriented, with a bias toward action.
• Genuine passion for food, wine, and elevated hospitality.
• High emotional intelligence and professionalism in all interactions, with guests, team members, and ownership.
• Ambition to grow into a General Manager role within Vine Hospitality.

• Full-time, exempt position requiring flexibility across evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Majority of time spent in-restaurant, on the floor and engaged with both guests and team members.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment; occasional lifting of up to 40 pounds required.
• California Food Safety Certification (or willingness to obtain prior to start)
• California Harassment Prevention Training Certification (or willingness to complete prior to start)
• Authorized to work in the United States

• Base salary range: $90,000 - $100,000, commensurate with experience.
• Performance-based bonus tied to financial and guest experience targets.
• Accrued Paid Time Off.
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and long-term disability after 90 days.
• 401(k) with company match after one year.
• Dining discounts across all Vine Hospitality restaurants.
• The opportunity to step into real ownership of a high-volume Bay Area restaurant, with a clear development path toward General Manager within a growing, respected hospitality group.

Vine Hospitality is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.