Assistant Director of F&B

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company with over $15 billion of assets under management and a global portfolio of more than 400 hotels spanning North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

With a 30-year track record as an innovator in the hospitality industry, this forward-thinking company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate continues to demonstrate success in developing a diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts, featuring contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value.

With an executive team of seasoned hospitality leaders and corporate offices worldwide, Highgate is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. www.highgate.com

The Newbury Boston at One Newbury Street, located in the premier shopping and dining neighborhood of Boston's Back Bay is an iconic property originally opened in 1927 as one of the first Ritz-Carlton hotels in the U.S. and most recently was the Taj Boston. The building was recently transformed into a 286-room luxury hotel with 16,000-sq-ft of stunning event spaces, signature dining experiences and a reimagined front entrance on Newbury Street.

This supports the hotel's Purchasing Department as part of its overall operational responsibilities. Approximately 80% of the role is dedicated to Assistant Director of Food & Beverage operational leadership, while 20% supports purchasing and procurement oversight to ensure operational efficiency and alignment with corporate procurement standards.

In this capacity, the role supports procurement operations related to to-go supplies, banquet operational supplies, and key operating equipment including glassware, china, and silverware. The position works closely with Culinary leadership and the Director of Beverage to support vendor coordination, inventory organization, and storage standards across receiving areas, walk-ins, freezers, and dry storage areas.

The role also acts as the property's liaison with the Corporate Purchasing Office, ensuring compliance with procurement guidelines, vendor programs (HSM), and sustainability initiatives. Additionally, the role supports the administration and accuracy of procurement systems such as BirchStreet, BinWise, and Provi, including vendor catalog maintenance, pricing accuracy, and order lifecycle tracking.

Ordering of food and beverage products remains under the responsibility of Culinary leadership and the Director of Beverage, while this role focuses on operational supply procurement, vendor coordination, purchasing discipline, and oversight of purchasing support functions.

* Employees must, at all times, be attentive, friendly, helpful, and courteous to all guests, managers, and fellow employees.

* Assist in supervising all F&B personnel.

* Respond to guest complaints in a timely manner.

* Assist in preparing the F&B budget and monitor department performance. Perform any necessary follow-up, including forecasting.

* Monitor industry trends, take appropriate action to maintain competitive and profitable operations.

* Work with other F&B managers and keep them informed of F&B issues as they arise.

* Keep immediate supervisor fully informed of all problems or matters requiring his/her attention.

* Assist in coordinating and monitoring all phases of Loss Prevention in the F&B department.

* Prepare and submit required reports in a timely manner.

* Organize and conduct department meetings on a regular basis.

* Monitor quality of service and product.

* Cooperate in menu planning and preparation.

* Ensure timely purchase of F&B items, within budget allocation.

* Assist in overseeing operations of the employee cafeteria.

* Ensure compliance with all local liquor laws, and health and sanitation regulations.

* Ensure departmental compliance with SOP's.

* Ensure the training of department heads on SOP's, report preparation, technical job tasks.

* Attend and/or conduct departmental and hotel training (CARE, One to One), etc.

* Interview candidates for front-of-house F&B positions and follow standards for hiring approvals.

* Ability to lead by example with a strong floor presence and hands-on approach to operations

* Ability to coach, influence, and hold teams accountable while maintaining a positive and professional culture

* Ensure overall guest satisfaction.

* At least 5 years of progressive experience in a hotel or a related field; or a 4-year college degree and at least 2 years of related experience as a department head or overseeing multi-outlet operations preferably in a union environment; or a 2-year college degree and 3 or more years of related experience as a department head or overseeing multi-outlet operations preferably in a union environment

* Must be proficient in Windows, Company approved spreadsheets and word processing.

* Must have knowledge of F&B preparation techniques, health department rules and regulations, liquor laws and regulations.

* Strong operational leadership background with a hands-on, floor-driven management style

* Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop leaders while driving accountability and performance

Physical requirements:

* Long hours sometimes required.

* Medium work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 20 pounds of force frequently or

constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

General Requirements:

* Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written, with all level of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service oriented manner.

* Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns raised by employees and guests.

* Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.

* Approach all encounters with guests and employees in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service-oriented manner.

* Recruit, select, train, orient, evaluate, assign, schedule, coach, counsel and discipline Restaurant and Bar staff to ensure established cultural and service standards are met. Communicate job expectations; plan, monitor, appraise and review job contributions; plan and review compensation actions and enforce policies and procedures.

* Develop and lead in the execution of a Restaurant & Bar operating and marketing strategy that is aligned with the hotel's strategy and optimizes outlet performance; increases employee and guest loyalty and engagement and maximizes financial performance.

* Coverage of floor shifts to support the operational success of the team in all F&B areas.

* Oversee personal dining and Street Bar leadership scheduling to ensure proper presence. Ensure that the Restaurant & Bar has proper coverage to meet business demands.

* Ensure that regular, on-going communication occurs in Personal Dining, Honor Bar and & Street Bar (e.g. leadership meetings; daily line-ups; departmental meetings) and attend regular operational meetings to ensure effective coordination and cooperation among departments.

* Control labor and operating expenses through effective scheduling, budgeting, purchasing decisions, inventory and cash control.

* Attend all hotel required meetings and trainings.

* Maintain regular attendance in compliance with Highgate Hotel Standards, as required by scheduling, which will vary according to the needs of the hotel.

* Maintain high standards of personal appearance and grooming, including wearing nametags.

* Comply with Highgate Hotel Standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.

* Maximize efforts towards productivity, identify problem areas and assist in implementing solutions.

* Must be effective in handling problems, including anticipating, preventing, identifying and solving problems as necessary.

* Must be able to understand and evaluate complex information, data, etc. from various sources to meet appropriate objectives.

* Must be able to maintain confidentiality of information.

* Perform other duties as requested by management.

* Maintain a warm and friendly demeanor at all times.

Leadership and Culture

* Act as a mentor and coach to outlet managers, supervisors, and emerging leaders

* Establish and reinforce a culture of accountability, ensuring clear expectations, ownership, and follow-through at all levels

* Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and development planning to support team growth and succession

* Support recruiting, onboarding, and training initiatives

* Partner with cross-functional departments including Rooms, Sales & Catering, Engineering, and Guest Experience

* Maintain clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders

Financial Responsibilities

* Support achievement of revenue, labor, and cost control targets

* Assist with labor management, scheduling, and payroll review

* Partner with culinary and beverage leadership to monitor and improve food and beverage cost performance

* Support inventory controls and purchasing compliance through systems such as BirchStreet

Operational Discipline

* Drive operational consistency by enforcing standards, procedures, and accountability across all outlets

* Support the Purchasing Department in maintaining efficient procurement operations across the Food & Beverage division.

* Oversee ordering and inventory management of to-go supplies, banquet operational supplies, and key operating equipment including glassware, china, and silverware.

* Coordinate closely with Culinary leadership and the Director of Beverage to ensure alignment between purchasing activities, operational needs, and inventory management.

* Maintain strong working relationships with vendors and suppliers to ensure timely deliveries that align with hotel receiving hours and operational requirements.

* Assist in maintaining organization, cleanliness, and operational standards within the receiving area, walk-ins, freezers, and dry storage areas during delivery and storage processes.

* Partner with the Director of Beverage to support beverage inventory processes and ensure proper organization and control of beverage storage areas.

* Provide operational oversight and support to Purchasing Agents, ensuring schedules are properly managed and payroll submissions are completed accurately and on time.

* Support the Purchasing team in maintaining procurement documentation, inventory organization, and operational discipline within receiving and storage areas.

* Follow up on service gaps, audit findings, and operational opportunities to ensure continuous improvement