Team Leader

Summary

The Team Leader is responsible for the complete operations of the restaurant during any specified Team Leader shift. Your ultimate goal is to create “Raving Fan Customers”. You will be responsible for a wide variety of tasks all to be performed with the sole purpose of exceeding customer expectations. As Team Leader, you will be also be responsible overseeing all staff to ensure the best dining experience for each and every guest. The Team Leader is a challenging management training position, designed to prepare a person for the positions of Assistant Manager, and eventually (hopefully) on to higher management. It is a position of transition, growth, and increasing responsibility. The Team Leader takes responsibility for successful restaurant operations for up to an entire day of business --from catering and dining room management to record keeping, inventory, financial and other management functions. The Team Leader is capable of supervising the restaurant and will be assigned by a manager to be “in charge” of successful operations during a specified shift. This position will be considered a “Lead” position because this person will be Leading the Team. This means taking personal responsibility for assuring the highest quality of service and food, and for assuring the safety and security of the Restaurant. In addition, other responsibilities will be assigned according to this person’s strengths.

Schedule Requirements

The Team Leader must have a very flexible schedule to accommodate as best as possible the very dynamic nature of this business. Hours can be long, and some circumstances will certainly be a challenge. The Supervisor will eventually learn to balance all of the varying and disparate needs of the business. You learn to do many things at once, and you begin to magnify the scope of your accomplishments by training and delegating effectively to members of your team. The Team Leader is expected to be available to help run the Restaurant six days per week; however, many regular staff shifts will likely be required. Also, the Team Leader is expected to be very flexible about their schedule and may be expected to work any shift and they will likely be called upon first whenever the Restaurant faces an immediate need. Since this position requires responsibility for opening and closing the restaurant, it necessarily requires a commitment to at least some opening and closing shifts per week. A typical workday can vary, but should average eight to nine hours long, for a total of 40-45 hours per week, though your work week could be longer depending on the needs of the business, and during “Season” could be as high as 50 to 60 hours per week or more.

Training

The Team Leader will immediately begin training for many of the Team Leader responsibilities, however, we expect all Team Leader to learn each position in the restaurant. We firmly believe in Management by Example, which requires you to be experienced in every aspect of each position. Training should take approximately 6-12 months; though it could be faster (or slower) depending on how fast (or slowly) a person is able to fully take on all responsibilities of the role. During the training period, management will work closely with the supervisor to ensure they gain the skills necessary to complete their training.

Recommendations for Success

• Be Exemplary! Other team members will now look to you to be the example of appropriate conduct. From seemingly small decisions (such as personal telephone use) to larger ones (such as handling difficult situations) -- you must always be conscious that you are setting the standards of conduct and etiquette. Remember that respect from your co-workers is earned by respecting them first, and setting the proper example can only increase your stature as a leader.
• Be Sensitive When Directing Others! While it is appropriate for you to direct others -- you will need to exercise your authority delicately, but firmly. Learning to lead with finesse is one of the most difficult (and critical) of all management skills. You have to be conscious of how you will be perceived by others. Some hints include:
• Always be polite! Be sure to continue to say “Please” and “Thank you”, and try to word all of your directions positively and in the form of a request.
• Always be team oriented! Reinforce your team approach by presenting a plan to your team as you delegate to accomplish a goal. If you can direct in a team-oriented manner, everyone will accept your directions more favorably.
• Know your team! Knowing your team’s skill levels and knowledge will make it easier to know how to motivate or simply approach them when directing or coaching them.

Responsibilities of the Team Leader Include

You will be responsible for

• Proper procedures for various checklists, inventories and ordering of supplies
• How to deal with restaurant emergencies and various customer issues
• Financial procedures (reports, deposits, floats, change orders, coding invoices)
• Computer data entry (entering daily sales, timecard data, etc.)
• Perform Normal Team Member Shifts and Responsibilities
• Setting the Example for All Other Staff and Being the Best at All Tasks
• Working as a Team, Able to Give and Receive Direction To and From Other Staff
• Opening and Closing of the Restaurant
• Checking All Staff Work (performing checklists, etc.)
• Making Kitchen Lists and Back-Up Lists
• Running Reports from the Register and Changing Cash Drawers
• Training New Staff
• Improving Food and Service Quality

Added Responsibilities

Different people have different strengths. As the candidate grows in the role of this Team Leader position, a variety of additional responsibilities are possible, depending on a person’s ability and initiative to learn and take on new projects.