At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead restaurant operations, ensuring high standards and team performance across the North region.
- Company: Join Dobbies, a historic garden centre retailer with a passion for gardens and community.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, generous discounts, pension contributions, and access to wellness resources.
- Other info: Regular travel required; embrace a dynamic role with opportunities for personal development.
- Why this job: Be part of a supportive culture that values growth, collaboration, and community impact.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset are essential; experience in hospitality is a plus.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Regional Restaurant Coach to join our Restaurant team working field-based supporting our restaurants across Scotland and the north of England, with regular travel to our Central Support Office in Lasswade.
This is a hands-on, in-store role coaching our restaurant teams to deliver brilliant customer experience, sharp operational standards, and the commercial perfomance behind both. The role sits within the hospitality team and is led by the Head of Restaurant Operations. Day to day you’ll support the Regional Manager on the ground, while working closely with the wider coach team to land the hospitality strategy consistently across the estate. It’s a role for someone who’s spent real time on the floor in branded hospitality, who knows what good coffee, good food and good service look like at lunchtime in a busy restaurant.
Responsibilities
Standards and compliance
- Drive consistent standards across the region - food safety, brand standards, and customer experience
- Use stores visits, audit checks and coaching to keep teams ahead of legal, food safety and brand requirements.
- Support seasonal menu launches, new openings and operational change programmes on the ground.
Commercial performance
- Work site by site on profit, margin, waste, labour and sales-driving initiatives.
- Review monthly performance against targets with the Head of Restaurant Operations and Regional Manager; build and follow through on action plans.
- Help teams to see the links between service, standards and the bottom line.
People and coaching
- Coaches with empathy and clarity - develop store managers and their teams while holding the line on standards.
- Build trust, motivate teams, and champion a high performance culture rooted in Dobbies values.
- Share best practice across stores and across the wider coach team.
Collaboration
- Work hand in hand with the Regional Manager and other regional support functions.
- Partners with Operations and People teams to land change well on the ground
Hospitality strategy and projects
- Support delivery of the wider hospitality strategy - translating it into clear, practical actions in the region's restaurants.
- Identify and drive cost savings - on waste, labour, supply chain and operational proces without compromising standards or guest experience.
- Lead key projects on behalf of the hospitality team, from trial to roll-out, bringing the coach team and Regional Managers with you.
Measures of success
- NPS: YOY growth across the region, driven by strong operational standards.
- EBITDA: YOY profit growth through efficient operations.
- Waste and food cost: effective controls in place across the region.
- Gross Margin: healthy margin delivery within supplier and operational frameworks.
- Audit: strong store and region audit outcomes
- People: strong manager and stakeholder feedback; visible development of the teams in your region.
Who We Are Looking For
- Coffee shop experience: hands-on time in a coffee shop environment, with a clear understanding of speciality coffee standards, throughput and front-of-house experience.
- Branded restaurant experience: multi-site or single-site experience in a branded restaurant or hospitality group, with a feel for how brand standards translate into daily operations.
- Kitchen experience: real time worked in a kitchen, with credibility on food safety, cost control, prep, and the pressures of a service.
- Strong coach: clear, direct and able to land feedback that sticks.
- Commercially literate: comfortable reading P&L, working through margin, waste and labour, and prioritising the action that moves the number.
- Methodical and organised: able to plan a region's worth of visits and follow through.
- Full UK driving licence and comfortable with regular regional travel, including occasional overnights.
- Based within the North region or prepared to relocate.
What We Offer
- Holiday – enjoy a well deserved break with 33 annual leave days per year (pro-rata for part time)
- Discount – treat yourself with generous uncapped discount across our stores with 50% off in our Restaurants, 25% off in the Garden Centre and 10% off in our food halls
- Pension – save for the future with our company contributed enhanced Group Pension Plan
- Season ticket loans – spread the cost of travel with an interest free loan
- Access to Stream – support your financial wellbeing, with ability to access earnings ahead of pay day, save for the future and financial advice
- Access to Retail Trust – seek confidential support, access to a Virtual GP, free counselling service and discounted retail rewards with our employee wellbeing platform
- Access to Dobbies Academy – continue your development with our eLearning platform and development programmes
- Study assistance – invest in your professional development with funded courses and qualifications
- The little things to keep you going through the day – free tea, coffee, and milk
- Collaborative office space – with access to our wellbeing room, learning resources and even a book swap
- Invites to our annual company conference, summer and Christmas social events
Regional Restaurant Coach - North employer: Dobbies Garden Centres
At Dobbies, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters collaboration and personal growth. As a Regional Restaurant Coach in the North, you'll benefit from generous annual leave, extensive employee discounts, and access to professional development through our Dobbies Academy, all while working in a supportive environment that values your contributions and encourages you to thrive.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Regional Restaurant Coach - North
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Dobbies' brand values and operational standards. Understanding what the company stands for will help you align your approach during interviews and discussions, showcasing that you're a perfect fit for their culture.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees in similar roles. They can provide valuable insights into the day-to-day responsibilities and expectations of a Regional Restaurant Coach, which can help you tailor your conversations during the interview process.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've driven performance in previous roles. Highlighting your experience in coaching teams, managing costs, and improving customer experiences will demonstrate your capability to excel in this position.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on industry trends and challenges within the restaurant sector. Being knowledgeable about current market conditions and competitor strategies will allow you to engage in meaningful discussions and show your proactive approach to the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Regional Restaurant Coach - North
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in restaurant operations, team leadership, and performance management. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to drive customer experience and sales growth.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, express your passion for the restaurant industry and how your values align with those of the company. Mention your understanding of operational compliance and your approach to coaching teams effectively.
Showcase Your Data Skills:Since the role involves using data and KPIs to guide decisions, include any experience you have with data analysis or performance metrics. Highlight how you've used data to improve operations or drive profitability in previous roles.
Prepare for Potential Questions:Think about how you would respond to questions regarding your leadership style, your approach to team development, and how you handle operational challenges. Be ready to provide examples from your past experiences.
How to prepare for a job interview at Dobbies Garden Centres
✨Understand the Brand Standards
Familiarise yourself with the company's brand standards and values. Be prepared to discuss how you can uphold these standards in your role as a Regional Restaurant Coach, especially in terms of customer experience and operational compliance.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached and developed teams in the past. Highlight your ability to adapt your leadership style to different personalities and challenges, as this is crucial for motivating high-performing store teams.
✨Be Data-Driven
Demonstrate your ability to use data and KPIs to guide decisions. Discuss specific instances where you've analysed performance data to identify gaps and implement action plans that led to improved profitability and operational efficiency.
✨Communicate Effectively
Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. You may need to present business strategies or influence colleagues at various levels, so being an effective communicator will be key to your success in this role.
