Assistant General Manager - Obama Presidential Center

Short Description

The Obama Presidential Center serves as a world-class destination for civic engagement, education, culture, and hospitality. We are seeking an experienced Assistant General Manager to help lead daily food service operations across this dynamic campus. This leader will partner closely with the General Manager to deliver exceptional hospitality experiences while driving operational excellence, financial performance, and team development.

The ideal candidate is an experienced hospitality professional with a proven track record of leading high-volume food service operations, developing engaged teams, ensuring food safety compliance, and creating memorable guest experiences. This role requires a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about service, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Job Summary

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner with the General Manager to oversee all aspects of daily dining, retail, and catering operations, ensuring exceptional hospitality and service standards.
• Lead, coach, and develop managers and frontline associates, fostering an inclusive, high-performing, and guest-focused culture.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate team members while supporting ongoing professional development and succession planning.
• Ensure consistent execution of food quality, presentation, cleanliness, and service standards across all operations.
• Drive operational excellence through effective labor management, scheduling, inventory control, purchasing, and cost management.
• Monitor food, labor, and operating expenses while supporting budget goals and financial performance.
• Maintain compliance with all food safety, sanitation, HACCP, and health department regulations.
• Oversee inventory management, product receiving, storage, and ordering to ensure quality and minimize waste.
• Collaborate with culinary leadership on menu planning, promotions, and service enhancements.
• Support execution of catering and special events while maintaining exceptional guest satisfaction.
• Build strong relationships with the client, guests, and cross-functional partners to ensure seamless operations and a best-in-class hospitality experience.
• Analyze operational performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement solutions that enhance efficiency, service, and guest satisfaction.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, safety standards, and all applicable regulatory requirements.
• Perform additional responsibilities and special projects as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business, Culinary Arts, or a related field preferred; equivalent professional experience considered.
• Five to seven years of progressive food service or hospitality management experience, including leadership within high-volume or multi-unit operations.
• Strong leadership skills with experience building, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated success managing financial performance, including budgets, labor, food cost, purchasing, inventory, and forecasting.
• Experience delivering elevated guest experiences in hospitality, cultural institutions, hotels, restaurants, corporate dining, or premium venues.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP standards, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience overseeing catering and large-scale events in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities.
• Outstanding communication, interpersonal, and client relationship management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and food service management systems.
• ServSafe Manager Certification or equivalent food safety certification preferred.