Assistant Director of Food and Beverage - InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown

About Us

Do you see yourself as an Assistant Director of Food & Beverage? What's your passion? At IHG we're interested in YOU. We employ people who apply the same amount of care and passion to their jobs as they do their hobbies - people who put our guests at the heart of everything they do. And we're looking for more people like this to join our friendly and professional team.

As the world’s largest family of luxury hotels, we all take great pride in being genuine ambassadors of the InterContinental® brand. Shaped by decades of international know-how and local insights, our passion for luxury travel spans cultures and customs. Inspiring us to create warm and sophisticated experiences for those seeking a richer perspective on the world.

Each of our hotels cultivates a distinctive style and ambience where we embrace every opportunity to give our guests a personal and enriching experience. If you’d like to embrace a wider world of experiences and opportunities, we’d like to welcome you to the world’s most international luxury hotel brand.

InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown is located in the Wilshire Grand building, standing 73 stories tall in the core of Downtown’s historic, entertainment, financial, arts, and sports districts. Ideally placed at the heart of the revitalized, energy-charged urban center of the United States’ second-largest city, the hotel provides first-class hospitality that seamlessly intertwines with the fabric of the burgeoning Downtown area.

Role Purpose

As an Assistant Director of Food and Beverage you will work alongside the Director of Food and Beverage in overseeing the daily operations and overall performance of food and beverage outlets within the hotel, including restaurants, bars, lounges, minibar, in-room dining, and any seasonal or pop-up venues. Adherence to established policies, standards and procedures is required at all times in order to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction, quality service, compliance with corporate policies and procedures and local regulations, while meeting/exceeding financial goals. This leader ensures the delivery of exceptional service, consistent brand standards, operational excellence, and financial performance; and always follows government regulations concerning health, safety or other requirements. The Assistant Director of Food and Beverage will coordinate with the Director of Food and Beverage to achieve improved operations, overcome deficiencies, and institute necessary changes to maintain superior products and services. This Assistant Director of Food and Beverage will collaborate with cross functional teams to create memorable experiences and innovative programming that drive guest satisfaction and profitability. 

This is a highly visible, hands-on role requiring a dynamic leader with a passion for hospitality, strong business acumen, and a proven ability to lead and develop teams.

Key Accountabilities

People

• Direct everyday activities, plan and assign work ensuring you always have the right staffing numbers.
• Develop your team and improve their performance through coaching and feedback, and create performance and development goals for colleagues - recognize good performance.
• Train colleagues to make sure they deliver with compliance and to the standards we expect and have the tools they need to work efficiently.
• Recommend or initiate any HR elated actions where needed.
• Promote teamwork and quality service through daily communication and coordination with other shifts and departmental management.
• Be a champion of the mission, culture and IHG Winning Ways
• Effectively manage and minimize meal penalties
• Establish a strong leadership position throughout the hotel
• Responsible for all hotel operations related issues
• Be a curious seeker of improved processes and greater efficiencies
• Be a “go to” leader
• Manage Food and Beverage projects
• Develop and uphold service and product standards
• Be a creative problem solver

Guest Experience

• Interact with guests and outside contacts including, current and potential clients, government officials, travel industry representatives, suppliers, competitors’ local community members 
• Make sure the hotel delivers the highest level of guest satisfaction through superb guest services and amenities.
• Maintain a strong, visible presence during peak service times to support team and guest interactions. 
• Develop and implement effective service recovery procedures to drive total guest satisfaction.  Assist with and create innovative, engaging programs and promotions to enhance guest engagement and experience.
• Assist with and create and implement service standards, SOPs, and training tools that support elevated, consistent service delivery.
• Personally resolve guest concerns when escalated, ensuring swift and satisfactory resolution.

Responsible Business

• Ensure a safe and secure environment for guests, team members and hotel assets in compliance with the hotel’s or owner’s policies and procedures and regulatory requirements. Maintain relations with outside contacts.
• Act as public relations representative to raise awareness of hotel and brand in local community.
• Drive team member involvement in community organizations, activities and businesses.
• Develop and carry out action plans to be environmentally conscious by taking steps to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint.
• Perform other duties as assigned. May also serve as Manager on Duty as needed, ensuring consistent operational standards. 
• Achieve budgeted revenues, prepare monthly forecast, monitor and control food, beverage and labor costs, and maximize profitability within all areas of the food and beverage department.  Participate in the preparation of the annual departmental operating budget and financial plans that support the overall objectives of the hotel. 
• Develop, implement, and maintain local food and beverage marketing programs for the hotel; participate in and maintain system-wide food and beverage marketing programs and promotions.  Monitor local competitors and industry trends.  Review and approve menu design and concepts with the DOFB & Executive Chef.  Adhere to brand standards.
• Establish procedures and timeframes for conducting inventory.  Determine minimum and maximum stocks for all food, beverage, material, and equipment. Establish par levels and purchasing cycles for food & beverage supplies, minimizing waste and spoilage.
• Conduct routine facility inspections to maintain cleanliness, safety, and brand compliance. 
• Manage employee schedules and payroll; ensure timely reviews of time punches, meal break violations, and overtime compliance (adhering to seniority and the shift bid). 
• Recommend and initiate disciplinary, or other staffing/human resources-related actions in accordance with company rules and policies. Collaborate with the Director of Food & Beverage and People and Culture Department on potentially serious issues. 
• Monitor and evaluate service quality through guest feedback, mystery shops, and internal audits. 
• Lead and participate in regular department and pre-shift meetings to ensure communication of priorities, promotions, and service expectations.
• Maintain procedures to (1) ensure the security and proper storage of food and beverage products, inventory, and equipment, (2) ensure the security of monies, credit and financial transactions, (3) replenish supplies, inventory, uniforms, etc. in a timely and efficient manner, and (4) to minimize waste and pilferage. 
• Ensure that all food and beverage equipment, including but not limited to sinks, hoods, coolers, freezers, etc., are in proper operational condition and are cleaned on a regular basis.  Ensure that all food and beverage facilities including banquet/convention space are cleaned, vacuumed, and properly stocked according to anticipated business volume.  Notify Engineering immediately of any maintenance and repair needs. 
• May recruit, evaluate, and select entertainment for food and beverage outlets and events.

Financial

• Work alongside the Director of Food and Beverage in the development, implementation and monitoring of financial and operational plans for the hotel to ensure optimum guest satisfaction, sales potential and profitability 
• Make recommendations for capital improvements to enhance the assets of the hotel and/or company and brand loyalty.
• Control expenses and labor costs to maximize profitability across all venues.
• Drive revenue growth through upselling, promotions, and exceptional guest service. 
• Conduct regular inventory in line with established procedures; implement and manage tracking systems (e.g., Micros).

 

Key Skills & Experiences

• Bachelor’s degree / higher education qualification / equivalent in Hotel Administration, Business Administration.
• 5 years of progressive leadership experience in luxury hotel or restaurant operations in a full-service outlet or similar setting, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Type and level of experience required may vary slightly based on size and complexity of hotel.
• Must speak local language(s).
• Other languages preferred.
• Alcohol awareness certification and/or food service permit or valid health/food handler card as required by local or state government agency.

This job requires ability to perform the following:

• Carrying or lifting items weighing up to 75 pounds

• Moving about the outlet(s)

• Handling objects, products 

Other:

• Communication skills are utilized a significant amount of time when interacting with others; demonstrate ability to interact with customers, employees and third parties that reflects highly on the hotel, the brand and the Company.

• Strong guest service background

• Reading and writing abilities are utilized often when completing paperwork, ordering, interpreting results, and giving and receiving instructions.

• Mathematical skills, including basic math, budgeting, profit/loss concepts, percentages, and variances are utilized frequently.

• Problem solving, reasoning, motivating, organizational and training abilities are used often. 

• May be required to work nights, weekends, and/or holidays.

What We Offer

The salary range for this role is $120,000 to $130,000. This range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in Los Angeles, California. This is the lowest to highest pay scale we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee’s pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors including, but limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs.

**This job is also eligible for bonus pay.

In return we'll give you a competitive financial and benefits package which can include healthcare and dental coverage, disability and life insurance, and a matched 401(k) program. Hotel discounts worldwide are available as well as the chance to work with a great team of people. Most importantly, we'll give you the room to be yourself.

So what's your passion? Please click ""Apply Online"" and tell us how you could bring your individual skills to IHG.

At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to an individual's, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. This employer follows the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance and California Fair Chance Act. All qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, will be considered.

At IHG, we’ve made a promise. As one of the world’s leading hotel groups, we’re here to deliver True Hospitality for Good. Making our guests and colleagues feel welcome, cared for, recognised and respected – wherever they are in the world. Want to be part of the journey?