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Upper Lakes Foods
Assistant General Manager
Career Insights for Restaurant / Food Service Manager
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Based on Minnesota data
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What they do
A Restaurant or Food Service Manager oversees daily operations at a restaurant or an institution that serves meals such as a college or hospital. Hires, trains and supervises food service workers, manages meal and work schedules, supervises supply orders, food preparation and the quality of food and service, and monitors compliance with health regulations.
$59,618 / year median in Minnesota
+7% projected growth
Job Description
Build Strong Teams Great operations start with great people. You'll recruit, onboard, coach, and develop employees while creating a workplace where safety, accountability, and teamwork come first. You'll mentor supervisors, encourage professional growth, and foster a culture where everyone understands how their contributions support the success of the company. Your ability to motivate others will help build engaged teams that consistently deliver exceptional results. Deliver Outstanding Customer Experiences Our customers depend on us every day, and you'll play an important role in earning their trust. Working closely with sales, warehouse, and transportation teams, you'll help ensure every customer receives exceptional service. You'll address concerns quickly, monitor service performance, and look for opportunities to continually improve the customer experience while supporting business growth and customer retention. Drive Operational Excellence Success in food distribution requires precision. You'll help oversee inventory management, warehouse operations, transportation, and distribution activities while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Through data analysis, operational reporting, and performance metrics, you'll help guide decisions that improve productivity without compromising quality or service. Champion Food Safety and Compliance Protecting our customers and employees is one of our highest priorities. You'll help ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, OSHA, HACCP, FSMA, DOT, and all applicable food safety and workplace regulations. From safety training and audits to quality inspections and facility compliance, you'll help maintain the high standards our customers expect. What You'll Be Responsible For Support the daily operation of warehouse, transportation, and distribution activities. Ensure accurate receiving, storage, inventory control, and product delivery. Monitor inventory levels and partner with purchasing to minimize shortages and excess inventory. Improve operational processes that increase productivity and customer satisfaction. Supervise warehouse, transportation, and administrative team members. Recruit, onboard, schedule, coach, and evaluate employees. Foster a positive, customer-focused, and safety-first culture. Serve as acting General Manager when needed. Build strong customer relationships and resolve service concerns. Partner with sales teams to exceed customer expectations. Monitor KPIs, budgets, expenses, and operational performance. Identify cost-saving opportunities while maintaining service quality. Maintain accurate operational records and reporting. Promote compliance with food safety, transportation, and workplace regulations. Support quality assurance initiatives and facility inspections. Build strong working relationships throughout the organization and within the communities we serve. Perform additional leadership responsibilities as assigned. What You'll Bring EducationExperience High School Diploma or equivalent required. Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered. 3-7 years of management experience in food distribution, logistics, warehouse operations, or supply chain management. 5+ years of experience with distribution center operations and DOT regulations. 3-5 years of supervisory experience in a distribution center environment. Experience managing warehouse operations, inventory, and transportation. Working knowledge of FDA, USDA, OSHA, FSMA, HACCP, DOT, and other regulatory requirements. Skills for Success We're looking for someone who: Leads with confidence and integrity. Develops and motivates high-performing teams. Communicates effectively with employees, customers, and leadership. Uses data to make sound business decisions. Thrives in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Solves problems with urgency and professionalism. Is proficient with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), ERP systems, and Microsoft Office. Preferred Qualifications Experience in multi-temperature food distribution. HACCP certification or food safety training. Bilingual communication skills. Experience with route optimization and transportation management systems. Where You'll Work Your time will be split between the office and our distribution facility. This role includes walking warehouse floors, interacting with employees, climbing stairs or ladders when necessary, and occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds. You'll work around warehouse equipment, varying temperatures, and may occasionally travel to customer locations, company facilities, or meetings. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Why Upper Lakes Foods? Upper Lakes Foods is the largest independent wholesale food distributor in Minnesota, proudly serving customers from our facilities in Cloquet, Minnesota; Northfield, Minnesota; and Janesville, Wisconsin . For decades, we've partnered with independent restaurants, healthcare facilities, schools, and national foodservice organizations throughout the Upper Midwest.