Assistant General Manager

Assistant General Manager

Assistant General Manager

Location: Suzu Cincinnati • Madisonville, Cincinnati, OH 45227

Status: Full-time • Salaried • Exempt

Schedule: Nights, weekends & holidays; peak-service presence required

Reports To: General Manager

Direct Reports: Hosts • Servers • Server Assistants

Coordinates With: Bar Manager • Chef de Cuisine • Sushi team

The Role

Suzu is built on omotenashi: anticipatory, wholehearted hospitality that reads the guest before they ask. The Assistant General Manager turns that standard into a consistent nightly operation by leading the floor, coordinating service across the dining room, bar, and kitchen, protecting the intimacy of the Suzune' omakase counter, and developing a confident FOH team. This is a floor-first leadership role for someone who reads a dining room instinctively, moves with calm urgency, and leads from the middle of service.

What You'll Own

Service Leadership

Run nightly service as the senior manager on the floor: set sections and floor plans, direct pacing, and coordinate the dining room with the bar and kitchen.

Lead Suzu's signature service moments, including tableside presentations and the coursing of family-style and omakase menus, so they land with precision and warmth.

Partner with the sushi team on the Suzune's omakase counter, protecting its rhythm, intimacy, and sense of occasion.

Monitor every section for service, food quality, timing, and table maintenance; resolve breakdowns before they become guest problems.

Own guest recovery with judgment and generosity, documenting issues and following through when additional resolution is needed.

Team & Culture

Support the GM in recruiting and hiring; lead day-to-day training, scheduling, and development of hosts, servers, and server assistants.

Maintain the FOH training matrix and certify team members on menu knowledge, beverage, allergens, service standards, and responsible alcohol service.

Lead or co-lead pre-shift meetings that align the team on reservations, VIPs, menu changes, service priorities, and daily standards.

Coach in the moment, document performance appropriately, and reinforce accountability with consistency and respect.

Product Fluency

Know every dish, ingredient, allergen, preparation, and service story, and ensure the FOH team can explain them accurately.

Carry a working command of the sake, wine, and cocktail programs so beverage and floor move as one.

Operations & Numbers

Manage FOH labor to plan and maintain disciplined controls for cash handling, comps, voids, discounts, and breakage.

Optimize OpenTable reservations, waitlists, table turns, PPX flow, and guest pacing to protect both the guest experience and kitchen capacity.

Own opening and closing standards, side work, dining-room readiness, and accurate manager checklists and shift notes.

Compliance & Safety

Uphold Ohio alcohol-service requirements, health-code and food-safety standards, and company policies; keep required team certifications current.

What Success Looks Like

First 30 days - knows the menu, service standards, systems, and FOH team; independently leads defined segments of service.

By 60 days - owns the floor for full services, maintains the training matrix, and consistently executes scheduling, pre-shift, and closing routines.

By 90 days - service pacing, team accountability, and guest recovery run to standard without the GM in the room, with clear progress in guest feedback and FOH consistency.

What You Bring

Required

4+ years of progressive FOH experience in full-service, upscale, or fine dining, including at least 2 years in a management role.

A genuine feel for hospitality as a craft: you notice the guest before they ask.

Command of service pacing, floor management, and guest recovery under pressure.

Experience with OpenTable and Toast, or comparable reservation and POS systems.

Ohio-eligible responsible alcohol-service and food-safety certification, or the ability to obtain required certifications before opening.

Preferred

Experience in Japanese fine dining, including omakase or counter service.

Working sake literacy (Sake Professional or WSET Sake a plus) and comfort with wine service.

Familiarity with Japanese dining culture and service etiquette; conversational Japanese is a plus.

Pre-opening experience, including recruiting, training, and establishing operating routines before launch.

Physical & Schedule

Regular availability for nights, weekends, and holidays, including peak services.

Ability to stand and move throughout full shifts and lift up to 30 lbs, with reasonable accommodation where required.

Compensation details: Yearly Salary

PIec51b063fc2e-

Full-Time