Job description

Job Location:

Avani Victoria Falls Resort

At Avani, we’re all about finding that perfect balance — between cool and kind, design and function, service and privacy. We’ve built our hotels and resorts around this philosophy: vibrant social spaces that vibe with the day, stylish rooms that simply work, and honest, locally inspired food. We embrace an upbeat service culture that genuinely respects the art of hospitality.

With a growing portfolio across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Australia, Avani is a brand on the move. If you take real pride in the little things — and believe that a warm welcome and a genuine smile make all the difference — you’ll fit right in here.

The Assistant Food & Beverage Manager supports the Food & Beverage Manager in leading the daily operations of all restaurants, bars, lounges, banqueting, in-room dining, and other food and beverage outlets. The role ensures exceptional guest experiences through operational excellence, financial discipline, quality assurance, and effective team leadership.

Business Planning & Strategy

• Support the Food & Beverage Manager in developing the departmental strategic and operational plans.
• Assist in preparing and managing the annual departmental budget.
• Contribute to achieving departmental revenue and profitability objectives.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity and guest preferences to recommend new concepts and improvements.
• Support promotional campaigns and seasonal food and beverage initiatives.
• Participate in forecasting, budgeting and business planning meetings.

Food & Beverage Operations

• Oversee the daily operation of all restaurants, bars, lounges, banqueting and in-room dining.
• Ensure all outlets consistently achieve company and brand operating standards.
• Support smooth coordination between Service, Culinary, Stewarding and Purchasing departments.
• Ensure service excellence through visible leadership during operational periods.
• Drive guest satisfaction by maintaining exceptional service standards.
• Monitor outlet performance and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure all opening, operating and closing procedures are followed.
• Resolve guest concerns promptly and professionally.
• Promote innovation in service delivery and dining experiences.

Financial Performance

• Maximise departmental revenue and profitability.
• Monitor daily sales performance and identify opportunities to increase revenue.
• Control labour costs through effective scheduling and productivity management.
• Monitor food, beverage and operating costs.
• Reduce waste through effective inventory and stock management.
• Analyse departmental financial reports and implement corrective actions where required.
• Support inventory counts and stock control processes.

Guest Experience

• Ensure guests consistently receive personalised and memorable dining experiences.
• Maintain high standards of hospitality and luxury service.
• Engage with guests to obtain feedback and build loyalty.
• Respond effectively to guest complaints and recover service where necessary.
• Promote upselling opportunities across all outlets.
• Monitor guest satisfaction scores and implement action plans for improvement.

Menu & Beverage Management

• Support the Food & Beverage Manager and Executive Chef in menu planning and development.
• Coordinate menu engineering initiatives to optimise profitability.
• Assist in developing beverage programmes and wine lists.
• Ensure menu pricing remains competitive and commercially effective.
• Work closely with suppliers to source quality products.
• Stay informed of emerging culinary and beverage trends.

Sales & Business Development

• Actively promote Food & Beverage outlets to hotel guests and external customers.
• Generate new business opportunities through networking and referrals.
• Support banquet and event sales initiatives.
• Promote special events, themed evenings and seasonal promotions.
• Maximise outlet occupancy and average spend.
• Collaborate with Sales & Marketing on promotional campaigns.

Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management, Hotel Management, Food & Beverage Management or related field.
• Full Grade 12 Certificate certified by ZAQA (Zambia Qualifications Authority)
• WSET or equivalent wine certification.
• Food Safety and HACCP certification.

Experience

• Minimum 4–6 years’ experience in Food & Beverage operations.
• At least 2 years in a supervisory or management role within a luxury hotel, resort or international hospitality brand.
• Experience managing multiple Food & Beverage outlets.
• Strong knowledge of restaurant, bar, banqueting and in-room dining operations.
• Experience with POS systems and inventory management software.

Personal Effectiveness

• Highly organised and detail-oriented.
• Calm under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Flexible and adaptable in a fast-paced environment.
• Results-driven with a continuous improvement mindset.

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