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Position Summary The Assistant Food & Beverage Manager supports the Food & Beverage Manager in the day-to-day operation of all food and beverage services at the Cohere Centre, with primary responsibility for retail concessions, cafés, bars, and grab-and-go outlets.

This is a hands-on operational role focused on delivering consistent guest experiences on the show floor, supervising retail staff, managing point-of-sale operations, and stepping in to support catering execution during major events. The successful candidate is comfortable running a busy service line, coaching part time and casual staff, and acting as the on-duty F&B; lead when the Manager is not on site.

Key Responsibilities

Retail Food and Beverage Operations

- Oversee the daily operation of all concession stands, retail cafés, mobile carts, and bars during events.
- Open and close retail outlets, including POS setup, stocking, and end-of-day reconciliation.
- Deploy staff across outlets based on event size, attendance patterns, and service demands.
- Monitor service speed, product presentation, and guest experience throughout each event.
- Track sales performance by outlet and shift, and flag opportunities to adjust product mix, pricing, or staffing.
- Maintain retail menus and pricing in the POS system and ensure signage is accurate and current.
- Ensure Smart Serve compliance at all bar and alcohol service points.

Team Supervision

- Supervise part-time, casual, and event-based retail staff during service.
- Deliver on-the-job training in service standards, POS operation, food safety, and Smart Serve.




- Support the F&B; Manager with recruitment, onboarding, and performance feedback.
- Build and manage retail staff schedules, adjusting to event volume and last-minute changes.
- Foster a positive, guest-focused culture on the floor and address performance or conduct issues in the moment.

Catering and Event Support

- Provide operational support to the catering team during large-scale events, galas, and conferences.
- Assist with room sets, buffet lines, bar stations, and passed service when volume requires additional leadership on the floor.
- Act as the on-duty F&B; lead in the absence of the Food & Beverage Manager.
- Coordinate with the Events and Operations teams on timing, access, service points, and event day changes.

Inventory and Purchasing Support

- Conduct event-based inventory counts for retail outlets and bars.
- Place orders for retail product, alcohol, disposables, and small wares within budget and approval limits.
- Ensure proper receiving, rotation, and storage of all retail stock.
- Monitor waste and shrinkage, and recommend corrective action to the F&B; Manager.
- Support preventative maintenance of retail equipment and coordinate service calls when required.

Reporting Support





- Support the F&B; Manager with monthly reporting and budget tracking for retail operations.
- Identify practical opportunities to improve margin through product mix, service speed, or staffing efficiency.

Health, Safety, and Compliance

- Enforce food safety and sanitation standards across all retail and bar operations.
- Ensure staff hold current Smart Serve and Food Handler certifications where required.
- Support venue emergency procedures and JHSC safety expectations.
- Maintain compliance with AGCO regulations and Ottawa Public Health requirements.

Qualifications

- 3 or more years of progressive food and beverage experience, with at least 1 year in a supervisory or lead role.
- Experience in high-volume retail food operations (concessions, quick service, stadium, arena, or convention centre service is a strong asset).
- Smart Serve Certification required.
- Food Handler Certification required.
- Working knowledge of POS systems and end-of-day reconciliation.
- Comfortable supervising, training, and scheduling part-time and casual staff in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple outlets and events simultaneously.
- Available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by the event calendar.

Preferred Qualifications

- Hospitality, culinary, or business diploma.
- Experience building and managing staff schedules across multiple outlets or shifts.
- Experience in a convention centre, arena, stadium, hotel, or large-format event environment.

📌 Assistant Food Beverage Manager (Ottawa)
🏢 Cohere Centre
📍 Ottawa