Restaurant Manager - Chicago (South Loop)

About the role

At Nando’s, we want to be the most loved restaurant brand in North America, sharing the spirit of Nando’s PERi-PERi with everyone who chooses to access it. As Restaurant Manager, you make the restaurant feel brilliantly consistent, human, and alive—You show up where it matters most, on the floor, with the team - setting the tone for service and bringing calm, confident direction to every moment while, protecting the Nando’s experience and keeping the whole operation humming.

Responsibilities

Your Purpose: Lead a safe, smooth, standard of tight operation that delights guests and develops people. Translate plans into daily execution, use insight to make smart decisions fast, and create an inclusive environment where everyone can do their best work.

• Operate as an in-restaurant leader of leaders, ensuring the restaurant is prepared before peaks; standards are upheld throughout service, and handovers set up the next team for success.
• Alternate between leading the floor and picking up critical stations to protect speed, quality, and atmosphere.
• Lead opening and closing procedures, including reviewing communication logs, staffing lineups, and completing safe counts.
• Practice responsible cash management, including floats, safe counts, deposits, and refunds/voids/discounts per policy.

Key Focus Areas

• People: Lead, Coach, and Build Belonging - model Pride, Passion, Courage, Integrity, and Family; grow culture through daily behaviors and decisions.
• Brand: Protect the Nando’s Experience - deliver consistent standards, conduct travel paths, and uphold critical touchpoints.
• Commercial: Drive Sustainable Sales - connect the team to daily/weekly targets, apply simple, approved local tactics, and optimize profit.
• Operations: Food Safety, Stock, Cleanliness - enforce hygiene, complete daily/weekly logs, manage allergy orders, and escalate food safety complaints.
• Changing Lives: Community, Planet, Opportunity - create a judgment-free team environment, celebrate strengths, and build confidence.

Qualifications

• 2-3 years of restaurant management experience (fast casual, QSR, or full service)
• Demonstrated ability to lead full shifts, including deployment, breaks, and peak-time operations
• Proven experience delivering KPIs (sales, labor, food quality, audits, speed of service)
• Experience hiring, onboarding, and training team members
• Documented experience managing inventory, ordering, prep, and food safety routines

Skills

• Ability to lead, coach, and develop team members
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and prioritize tasks
• Knowledge of food safety and health department regulations

Physical Requirements

• Able to independently lift up to 50lbs for an extended period of time
• Must be able to walk and/or stand for 8-10 hours per day
• Hand-eye coordination, reaching, bending, twisting, stooping, pushing, and pulling
• Must be able to climb stairs in restaurants that have multiple levels