Jake's Place Manager

Role Overview

This position leads the daily operations of Jake’s Place, a community hub on a military installation providing food and beverage service, entertainment, and recreational programming. Day to day, you will coordinate staff, uphold contract and government standards, manage budgets and inventory, and respond quickly to operational or emergency issues. Your work directly supports morale and quality of life for personnel and their families, making this a mission-critical service role rather than a standard hospitality management job.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct all food, beverage, entertainment, and recreation services, aligning daily operations with mission requirements and government regulations.
• Design and enforce operational policies, service standards, and best practices that improve efficiency and meet contractual obligations.
• Lead, train, and mentor a team of service and recreation staff, fostering professional growth and consistent service excellence.
• Gather and act on customer feedback to continuously adjust menus, events, and recreational offerings for maximum satisfaction.
• Oversee financial performance, including budget preparation, cost containment, revenue targets, and responsible resource allocation.
• Manage inventory levels for food, beverages, supplies, and equipment, conducting regular reconciliations to prevent shortages or loss.
• Enforce health, safety, and environmental protocols, including food hygiene, sanitation, and emergency readiness, with documented compliance.
• Coordinate with government representatives to plan and execute events and recreational programs that meet installation goals.
• Maintain accurate operational, financial, and service records for audits and government reviews, and report metrics as required.
• Promote Jake’s Place offerings through appropriate channels to boost participation, and serve as the designated on-call manager, reaching the facility within one hour of an emergency notification.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A four-year degree from an accredited institution in business management, food service, hospitality, or a closely related field; alternatively, at least three years of general experience demonstrating practical knowledge of food, beverage, recreation, and entertainment operations.
• Five or more years of specialized experience as a middle manager in a comparable civilian commercial business, with direct responsibility for dining, entertainment, or recreation services.
• Proven ability to manage operating budgets, control costs, and hit financial targets without sacrificing service quality.
• Strong leadership background, including supervising teams, scheduling shifts, and resolving day-to-day operational challenges in high-volume settings.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with diverse customers, staff, and government officials.
• Highly organized, with demonstrated multitasking and time management abilities in fast-paced environments.
• Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation standards, and safe food handling procedures.
• Hands-on proficiency with point-of-sale (POS) systems and inventory or sales reporting software.
• Ability to obtain and maintain required certifications, including customer service, CPR, First Aid, food safety and sanitation, alcohol server intervention training, and local emergency procedures, with annual recertification.
• A valid passport with at least one year of validity remaining at the time of hire, and ability to travel internationally.
• Eligibility to obtain country-specific visas per the U.S. Department of State Foreign Clearance Guide.
• Ability to pass contract medical requirements and keep them current throughout the deployment.
• Ability to obtain and hold facility credentials and authorization required for installation access.
• Must read, speak, and comprehend English sufficiently to perform contract duties and follow installation emergency procedures.