Service & Training Manager

At Heirloom Hospitality Group, our purpose is “Cultivating Relationships & Experiences through the fanatic pursuit of Hospitality." We are dedicated to creating an environment that promotes creativity, passion, and a genuine sense of community.

The Service & Training Manager will be based out of Detroit, Michigan, with travel required to each location and  to all new restaurant openings as needed. Travel may require multiple weeks at a time during new restaurant openings. This role reports to the Director of Operations. This role must embody our core values:

• Every Second Counts
• Consistently care about the smallest details
• Be kind, be happy
• Own it with pride
• Willingness to learn and teach

The purpose of the Service & Training Manager is to provide enterprise-level leadership and accountability for service standards, training systems, leadership development, and the guest experience across all Heirloom brands. In partnership with the Senior Leadership and General Managers, this role defines, teaches, and protects the Heirloom way of operating our dining rooms and bars while honoring each concept’s identity. The Manager is the hands-on expert in service execution, building durable systems, developing capable leaders and staff, and holding teams directly accountable for consistent, exceptional hospitality at every touchpoint.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Service & Training Manager will own, implement, and continuously improve the standards, systems, and talent required to deliver exceptional service across all Heirloom concepts. The following responsibilities are essential to the role but are not all-inclusive. Leadership may assign additional responsibilities in the constant pursuit of enlightened hospitality.

Service Standards & Operational Excellence

Own the Heirloom service standard and its sustained execution in every dining room and bar.

• Document, train, and audit service procedures covering preparation, service sequence, table maintenance, beverage service, pacing, payment, departure, and guest follow-up, with clear requirements for each concept.
• Collaborate with Heirloom Executive Leadership and Third Party Contractors on content development needs. 
• Maintain a visible presence during service, including nights, weekends, and peak periods. Work alongside teams, demonstrate expectations, and intervene directly to improve the guest experience.
• Evaluate every detail of the operation, including room readiness, atmosphere, uniforms, cleanliness, tools, communication, and guest awareness. Identify and resolve gaps before they become negative guest experiences.
• Conduct regular service observations and audits; assign corrective actions, owners, and deadlines, then revisit execution to verify lasting improvement.
• Ensure minimum staffing levels are in place at all times to ensure guest satisfaction. 
• Build the Manager Commitment, A.R.M. & B.L.A.S.T. and Plus 1 culture into daily service: teach teams to recognize guest cues, anticipate needs, personalize interactions, and act on opportunities to exceed expectations.
• Partner with the Events Manager and restaurant leadership to oversee the execution of important and VIP events, ensuring thorough preparation, clear team assignments, personalized hospitality, and seamless service.

Management Orientation, Onboarding & Leadership Development

Own a structured, hands-on process that prepares leaders to operate the Heirloom way.

• Develop and continuously refine management orientation and onboarding, including cultural orientation, brand immersion, training schedules, on-site shadows, practical assignments, and readiness evaluations.
• Develop Manager Training tools to hold accountable training standards and ensure timeline and results are measured for each candidate with confirmation saved of accountability measures. 
• Supported by digital tools, teach and coach incoming and existing leaders on dining room and bar operations, service standards, floor leadership, guest recovery, and team accountability.
• Train General Managers and managers to conduct effective team member orientations, deliver consistent coaching, and evaluate service proficiency through observation and practical demonstration.
• Establish clear milestones, document progress, and verify readiness before leaders assume independent responsibility. Create individual development plans and follow through on performance gaps.
• Partner with Operations and Human Resources on ongoing leadership development, management internships, succession readiness, and training for new processes and systems.

Service Training Materials, Systems & Certification

Own the complete service training system and keep it accurate, accessible, and consistently used.

• Oversee all service training manuals, SOPs, role guides, checklists, assessments, and digital resources. Maintain clear ownership, version control, and a reliable source for current materials.
• Translate brand standards into practical training for service artists, bartenders, concierges, apprentices, and other service roles.
• Create a systematic approach that ensures all training steps are followed with every member of the team. 
• Oversee the Certified Trainer program across Heirloom Hospitality brands. 
• Ensure restaurant teams prepare and deliver approved onboarding and orientation materials, including uniform, presentation, conduct, and service expectations from day one.
• Identify, certify, and develop qualified trainers at each location. Set expectations for trainer coverage, daily learning objectives, feedback, and consistent evaluation.
• Create and manage training completion, certification, and recertification systems. Require demonstrated proficiency and documented sign-off before independent service.
• Update materials and retrain teams whenever menus, beverages, technology, or operating procedures change. Track adoption and correct inconsistent execution.

Service Execution, Ambiance & Department Collaboration

Align teams and the dining environment to deliver seamless, knowledgeable, and personalized service.

• Establish and enforce ready-for-service standards through detailed dining room, bar, and front door walkthroughs; resolve gaps before guests arrive.
• Coach leaders to adjust atmosphere, pacing, and coverage as business levels change.
• Develop apprentices and reinforce clear responsibilities, accurate food delivery, presentation, table identification, and course coordination in accordance with service standards. 
• Align culinary and service teams on menu knowledge, ingredients, allergens, dietary requests, and accurate guest communication. Ensure menu study guides are updated upon menu changes. 
• Collaborate with beverage leadership on product knowledge, service technique, first-round speed, anticipatory follow-up, and thoughtful recommendations.
• Partner with Concierge to coach reservation handling, phone etiquette, guest recognition, seating, wait communication, and departure.
• Ensure clear handoffs among Concierge, managers, service artists, apprentices, and culinary teams so guest preferences, celebrations, and special arrangements are fulfilled.

Guest Relationships, Reservation Systems & Recovery

Develop lasting guest relationships and make the guest book an active tool for hospitality.

• Own standards for the accuracy and thoughtful use of guest profiles, reservation notes, preferences, celebrations, visit history, and follow-up across reservation platforms.
• Coach leaders to review upcoming reservations proactively, identify Plus 1 opportunities, assign ownership, and communicate a clear hospitality plan before guests arrive.
• Personally develop and maintain guest relationships, welcome returning guests, and coordinate meaningful experiences across concepts and locations.
• Lead and coordinate guest recovery outreach when service falls short. Listen, respond with care, arrange appropriate resolution within company guidelines, and follow through until commitments are fulfilled.
• Review guest feedback with restaurant leaders, investigate failures, identify root causes, and hold teams accountable for corrective action. Track recurring issues and verify they are resolved.
• Establish consistent follow-up and guest-book practices so preferences and recovery commitments inform future visits, while protecting guest information and using appropriate access controls.

Performance Accountability & Continuous Improvement

Turn observations, training, and feedback into measurable operational improvement.

• Set clear expectations for service leaders and trainers; provide direct feedback, document commitments, and hold individuals accountable for execution without repeated reminders.
• Use guest feedback, service audits, training results, and relevant operating data to identify patterns, prioritize improvements, and assess whether changes are working.
• Partner with Operations and Human Resources on recognition, coaching, development, and progressive accountability when leaders or team members consistently fall short.
• Build training plans that support business needs and responsible labor use, with purposeful shifts, qualified trainers, and measurable learning outcomes.
• Communicate priorities, progress, unresolved risks, and support needs to senior leadership. Model kindness, urgency, ownership, and a willingness to learn and teach.

New Restaurant Openings & Growth

Lead service training readiness and support consistent execution as Heirloom grows.

• Develop opening trainer assignments, management onboarding, and training schedules in partnership with Operations, Culinary, and Human Resources. Facilities all openings by executing Heirloom’s proven process alongside third party contracts and/or with internal teams.
• Lead hands-on mock services, and readiness evaluations. Resolve gaps before opening and remain actively involved through stabilization.
• Build systems that can scale across locations while preserving the distinct personality and service expectations of each brand.

Qualifications

• 5 or more years of progressive hospitality leadership experience, including successful multi-unit service oversight, restaurant leadership development, or training leadership in high-volume, service-driven restaurants.
• Expert command of dining room and bar operations, service sequence, guest recovery, and personalized hospitality, with the ability to demonstrate standards on the floor.
• Proven ability to build, maintain, implement, and audit training programs, SOPs, certification systems, and leadership onboarding.
• Exceptional coaching, facilitation, written communication, and interpersonal skills; able to deliver clear feedback and hold leaders accountable with kindness and conviction.
• An exceptional eye for detail, strong organization, sound judgment, and the initiative to identify gaps and follow through on solutions.
• Experience using reservation platforms, guest relationship tools, point-of-sale systems, digital training resources, and Google Workspace.
• Ability to interpret guest feedback, service metrics, training results, and labor information and translate findings into practical improvements.
• Strong collaboration across service, culinary, beverage, concierge, Operations, and Human Resources; able to preserve brand identity while reinforcing company standards.

Perks & Benefits

• Competitive pay and performance bonus
• Professional development assistance
• Employee discount and meal comp at Heirloom restaurant concepts
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance plans
• FSA and dependent care account
• Generous paid time off + Flexible scheduling

Schedule & Work Conditions 

• This is a full-time, hands-on leadership role based primarily in the restaurants, with corporate office time as needed.
• Ability and willingness to travel across Heirloom locations and work a varied schedule, including nights, weekends, holidays, and restaurant openings.
• Maintain an active floor presence through extended service periods and perform essential service duties, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.
• Professional, punctual, resourceful, disciplined, and able to thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment.