We are seeking a Full Time Corporate Director of Food and Beverage to serve as a key contributor across the White Lodging Food and Beverage portfolio. In this senior F&B leadership role, you will oversee training programs, new restaurant openings, beverage development, corporate communications, and organizational strategy across a dynamic multi-property hospitality portfolio. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of proven success as a high-volume restaurant General Manager, strong P&L management skills, and a passion for developing teams and driving operational excellence. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced Food and Beverage leader ready to make a broad, strategic impact across one of the country's premier hotel and restaurant management companies.
What You'll DoTraining- Support the WLW Restaurant Manager Training Program
- Provide support, organization and mentorship for Restaurant Managers and Chefs participating in the Manager Flight Plan, holding training update calls at minimum monthly during training
- Keep all trainees on schedule and hold properties accountable for knowledge checks and statuses throughout the program
- Place new managers with appropriate trainers when one is not readily available at home property
- Oversee and support the WLW FOH and HOH Associate Training Programs
- Develop and maintain the WL Hourly Certifications for F&B associates with the Corporate Training and Development Team
- Execute quarterly training and directional meetings for Restaurant GMs with the Sr. Corp. Director of Food and Beverage
- Perform "Train the Trainer" and "White Lodging Way" training sessions in all markets annually or biannually depending on need
New Store Openings - Participate in all Restaurant Critical Path task lists and calls, assisting the property and guiding them through tasks as needed
- Participate in all Pre-Opening Training and create training materials and standards
- Coordinate and lead strategic and tactical communication with restaurant and hotel executive leadership and regional/corporate sales/F&B/marketing departments to ensure critical path milestones are being hit
- Finalize and publish online all training materials, service standards, and brand execution for future reference and accountability
- Lead the formulation of preopening orders, including but not limited to: dishware and serviceware, menu presentations, branded collateral, and uniforming; execute all orders within budget and branding guidelines
Corporate Communications & Marketing - Develop, initiate, distribute, and manage an Internal Communications cadence (newsletters, dashboards, etc.)
- Represent WL F&B in Marketing Activation Planning, Retailing, Execution as well as approval of plans
- Participate in restaurant and market-specific F&B activation strategy sessions as directed; provide on-going oversight and management supervision of annual F&B Activation Workbooks
- Offer guidance and communication to properties regarding: Pass-On Logs, Coyle Audits, and Revinate reports; guide action plans and follow up on opportunities with on-premise leaders
Beverage - Execute all Cocktail R&D and concept development in partnership with the Sr. Corp Director of Food and Beverage and VP of Food and Beverage
- Manage Beverage Inventory Management Systems, BevSpot, etc.
- Update, oversee and manage the Corporate Beverage program and maintain relationships with national vendors
- Conduct new menu tastings for beverage development, including seasonal updates and new concepts
- Oversee and manage recipe database, maintaining current records on the Intranet
- Lead cocktail counsel in developing innovative ideas and following beverage trends
Systems and Processes - Maintain all data and resources including training materials, beverage & food recipe databases, restaurant concept library, and discipline SOPs
- Participate in WLW audits alongside RVPs in each region
- Communicate and offer follow-up and action plans on WLW Audits when opportunities exist in F&B departments
- Develop and maintain continuous hotel training efforts by auditing the WLW program and providing additional training assistance
Standards - Support the RVPs and their regions to maintain all F&B standards, initiatives, and results
- Monitor Coyle Service Audits and schedule calls and action plans with leaders when low scores occur
- Visit properties falling below expectations and guide action plans and professional development for leaders to align with corporate vision and standards
- Display excellent skills in creating a professional, supportive environment for guests and F&B leaders while aiding in the improvement of guest satisfaction scores, educating and providing guidance and mentorship
- Demonstrate skills and leadership around sales growth and operational efficiency
- Other items as designated by the Sr. Corp Director of Food and Beverage and the VP of Food and Beverage
What You'll BringCompetencies - Creating a Service Reputation
- Inspiring Excellence
- Guiding Team Success
- Building Talent
- Driving Execution
- Strategic Planning
Skills - Strong ability to analyze data, diagnose issues and coach the operations team accordingly
- Strong capability in reading and analyzing Profit & Loss statements
- Excellent people management skills, including resolving conflict, leading by influence, coaching and developing and promoting teamwork
- Proven track record in leading operations to meet sales and profitability objectives
- Willingness to learn and accommodate industry changes and company directives
- Strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills, specifically ability to command respect of RVPs and Hotel GMs
- Proficiency in MS Office Suite: Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
- Flexibility to travel up to 70%
Education/Experience - Must have 5+ years of proven success in a high-volume restaurant as a GM
- Minimum 5 years Food & Beverage experience
- Level 1 Sommelier, Food Manager Certificate preferred
- Four-year degree preferred
What You Can Look Forward To - Benefits - starting day 1
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Life and disability insurance
- Paid parental leave
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- 401(k) with company match
- Vacation/Paid time off (PTO) with rollover
- Complimentary wellness tools
- Unlimited employee referral bonuses
- Leadership development & tuition reimbursement
- Discounts on hotel rooms, dining, and travel
- Growth opportunities across multiple hotel properties
