Outdoor Food Experience Team Lead

Harvest in the Gardens (HITG) — Nassau, Bahamas

Where Great Food Meets Great Experiences

Harvest in the Gardens (HITG) is a multi-concept destination where hospitality, culinary excellence, entertainment, retail, and community come together to create unforgettable experiences.

Some of our most memorable guest interactions happen outdoors—between attractions, during special events, or while families gather to enjoy everything Harvest has to offer. Every meal, snack, and non-alcoholic beverage served is an opportunity to extend our hospitality and create lasting memories.

We're seeking an Outdoor Food Experience Team Lead who leads by example, inspires excellence, and supports the daily success of our outdoor food operations while delivering genuine Harvest hospitality.

This is an opportunity for a service-driven leader who enjoys working alongside their team, creating energy, maintaining quality, and taking ownership of the operational and financial performance of outdoor food service.

About the Role

The Outdoor Food Experience Team Lead provides day-to-day leadership for outdoor food service operations while ensuring exceptional guest service, food quality, operational efficiency, cost control, and compliance with Harvest hospitality standards.

Reporting to the Food Experience Manager, you will coordinate daily outdoor food operations, coach team members throughout each shift, monitor key performance indicators, and ensure food stations consistently operate safely, efficiently, professionally, and profitably.

This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role where success is measured by guest satisfaction, service speed, operational readiness, team performance, and business results.

Why This Role Matters

Outdoor food experiences often become some of the most memorable moments of a guest's visit.

Your leadership helps create an atmosphere that is welcoming, energetic, and efficient while ensuring guests receive quality food and exceptional service without unnecessary delays.

You are also responsible for helping protect the financial health of the operation by managing inventory, controlling waste, monitoring COGS, reducing shrink, and understanding the sales performance of each outdoor food location.

Key Responsibilities

Outdoor Food Operations

• Lead the daily operation of outdoor food venues, kiosks, and service stations.

• Ensure all service areas are fully stocked, organized, and guest-ready before opening.

• Monitor food quality, presentation, portioning, and service speed throughout each shift.

• Coordinate opening, operating, shift-transition, and closing procedures.

• Maintain operational readiness during peak guest periods and special events.

• Adjust team deployment and service flow based on guest demand.

• Identify operational bottlenecks and take corrective action in real time.

• Ensure equipment, POS systems, and service stations are ready for operation.

Guest Experience

• Deliver warm, engaging, and memorable guest service.

• Maintain a visible leadership presence throughout outdoor operations.

• Resolve guest concerns professionally and promptly.

• Foster an energetic atmosphere that enhances the overall Harvest experience.

• Ensure every guest interaction reflects Harvest's hospitality standards.

• Monitor guest flow and service delivery to reduce unnecessary wait times.

• Support efficient ordering, payment, preparation, pickup, and handoff processes.

Sales & Business Performance

The Outdoor Food Experience Team Lead is expected to understand and actively manage the commercial performance of assigned outdoor food operations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Monitor daily and weekly sales performance against established targets, budgets, and forecasts.

• Track transaction counts by venue, shift, service period, and event where applicable.

• Monitor average ticket value and identify opportunities to increase guest spend through suggestive selling and product knowledge.

• Monitor sales mix and identify strong- and under-performing menu items.

• Review sales patterns to help anticipate staffing, inventory, and production needs.

• Communicate weekly sales results, trends, challenges, and opportunities to the Food Experience Manager.

• Support achievement of established revenue and profitability targets.

• Identify opportunities to increase throughput and sales during high-volume periods.

• Support promotional initiatives, event offers, and seasonal programming designed to drive revenue.

Wait Times, Throughput & Service Efficiency

• Monitor guest wait times across ordering, payment, food preparation, and pickup.

• Maintain service times within established operating standards.

• Identify and address causes of excessive wait times.

• Improve guest throughput without compromising food quality, safety, or hospitality.

• Monitor queue lengths and adjust staffing or station deployment when required.

• Evaluate operational capacity during peak periods and special events.

• Support leadership with recommendations to improve service flow and maximize transactions.

Inventory, Shrink & Waste Management

• Maintain accurate inventory levels across outdoor food venues and service stations.

• Support scheduled inventory counts and investigate discrepancies.

• Monitor and manage inventory shrink resulting from waste, spoilage, damage, incorrect transactions, theft, or operational errors.

• Track product waste and identify recurring causes.

• Ensure proper receiving, storage, rotation, and transfer of food, beverage, and operating supplies.

• Follow FIFO and established stock-rotation procedures.

• Monitor stock levels to prevent shortages while minimizing unnecessary overstocking.

• Maintain appropriate controls over high-value and high-volume products.

• Report unusual inventory variances promptly.

• Work with the Food Experience Manager, Executive Chef, and Finance to improve inventory accuracy and control.

Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

• Support management of Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) within established targets.

• Monitor portion control, recipe adherence, production quantities, product usage, and waste.

• Ensure approved recipes and portion standards are consistently followed.

• Identify practices contributing to excessive food or beverage costs.

• Monitor product yields and recommend corrective actions where necessary.

• Reinforce responsible product handling and cost awareness throughout the team.

• Support corrective action when COGS exceeds established targets.

• Partner with the Executive Chef and Food Experience Manager to protect margins while maintaining quality.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and support outdoor food team members throughout each shift.

• Reinforce Harvest service and operating standards through daily coaching.

• Conduct pre-shift huddles to communicate sales goals, promotions, service targets, event information, and operational priorities.

• Promote teamwork, accountability, professionalism, and positive attitudes.

• Support onboarding and training initiatives in partnership with the Food Experience Manager and People & Talent.

• Recognize strong performance and encourage continuous development.

• Coach team members on suggestive selling, speed of service, transaction accuracy, portion control, waste reduction, and guest engagement.

• Help team members understand how their performance contributes to guest satisfaction and business results.

Food Quality & Safety

• Ensure food is prepared, displayed, and served according to Harvest standards.

• Monitor food holding temperatures, freshness, portioning, and presentation.

• Maintain food safety, sanitation, and cleanliness throughout outdoor operations.

• Ensure compliance with applicable health and safety requirements.

• Maintain clean, organized, and safe food preparation and service areas.

• Ensure food handling procedures protect both product quality and cost control.

Cash Handling & POS Stewardship

• Follow established POS and cash-handling procedures.

• Support accurate transactions and daily reconciliations.

• Monitor transaction accuracy, refunds, voids, discounts, and other POS activity.

• Investigate or escalate unexplained variances.

• Protect company assets through responsible operational practices.

• Ensure sales are accurately recorded by service station or venue.

Event & High-Volume Operations

• Support outdoor festivals, concerts, private events, and seasonal programming.

• Coordinate efficient service during high-volume guest periods.

• Review expected attendance and prepare staffing, inventory, and production plans accordingly.

• Monitor sales, transaction counts, service times, and product availability during major events.

• Adapt quickly to changing operational demands while maintaining service excellence.

• Support post-event review of sales, waste, inventory usage, and operational performance.

• Work collaboratively with other departments to support successful events.

Key Deliverables & Performance Indicators

Performance in this role will be measured through a combination of guest experience, operational, people, and financial results, including:

• Weekly outdoor food sales

• Sales performance versus budget or target

• Average ticket value

• Transaction counts

• Transactions per service period or event

• Guest wait times

• Speed of service

• Guest throughput

• Inventory accuracy

• Stock availability

• Inventory shrink

• Waste and spoilage levels

• Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

• Food and beverage margins

• Portion-control compliance

• Cash and POS accuracy

• Product quality and consistency

• Guest satisfaction and feedback

• Food safety and sanitation compliance

• Team productivity

• Completion of required operational reporting

• Team training and performance development

The Outdoor Food Experience Team Lead is expected to understand these metrics, identify trends, explain material variances, and work with the Food Experience Manager to implement corrective actions when performance falls outside established expectations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner closely with:

• Food Experience Manager

• Executive Chef

• Full Service Restaurant Manager

• Café & Retail Team Lead

• Events & Experiences Manager

• Venue Services Manager

• People & Talent

• Finance

• IT & Systems

to ensure seamless guest experiences and strong operational performance throughout Harvest in the Gardens.

What a Typical Week Looks Like

This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role.

• 45–50%: Leading outdoor food operations, guest engagement, and service execution

• 20–25%: Coaching team members and maintaining operational standards

• 15–20%: Sales, inventory, COGS, waste, and performance monitoring

• 10–15%: Administrative responsibilities, communication, event preparation, and continuous improvement

Evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events are a regular part of this role.

You will be expected to:

• Maintain a visible leadership presence throughout outdoor operations.

• Coach team members during active service.

• Respond quickly to operational and guest needs.

• Lead confidently during high-volume periods.

• Monitor sales and operational performance throughout each shift.

• Identify and respond to wait-time, inventory, cost, and service issues.

• Ensure every guest receives genuine Harvest hospitality.

Reporting Structure

Reports To

Food Experience Manager

Works Alongside

• Executive Chef

• Full Service Restaurant Manager

• Café & Retail Team Lead

• Events & Experiences Manager

• Venue Services Manager

• People & Talent Director

• Finance

• IT & Systems

Provides Daily Leadership To

• Outdoor Food Service Attendants

• Cashiers

• Food Runners

• Food Preparation Team Members

• Beverage Attendants

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

• Two (2) or more years of experience in food service, hospitality, quick-service restaurants, concessions, or outdoor event operations.

• Previous experience providing shift or team leadership preferred.

• Strong guest service, communication, and organizational skills.

• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced outdoor environment.

• Working knowledge of POS systems, cash handling, and food safety practices.

• Basic understanding of sales, inventory management, waste, shrink, and cost controls.

• Ability to review operational data and use it to make practical decisions.

• Ability to lead by example while maintaining high operational standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading outdoor food venues, food trucks, kiosks, concessions, or festival food operations.

• Food Handler or Food Safety certification.

• Experience working in high-volume hospitality or entertainment venues.

• Experience managing inventory, food costs, waste, and shrink.

• Knowledge of inventory control and food preparation procedures.

• Experience using POS reports and operational performance data.

• Passion for developing people and delivering exceptional guest experiences.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means:

• Guests consistently receive fast, friendly, and memorable service.

• Weekly sales targets are actively monitored and supported.

• Average ticket and transaction trends are understood and acted upon.

• Guest wait times remain within established service expectations.

• Outdoor food venues remain clean, organized, stocked, and fully operational.

• Inventory is accurate and properly controlled.

• Shrink, waste, and spoilage are actively monitored and minimized.

• COGS remains within established targets.

• Food is prepared and presented consistently to Harvest standards.

• Team members demonstrate professionalism, confidence, accountability, and teamwork.

• Efficient service is maintained during peak periods and special events.

• Cash and POS variances are kept to a minimum.

• Operational and financial concerns are identified early and addressed promptly.

• Strong food safety and sanitation compliance is maintained.

• Positive guest feedback and repeat visits are encouraged through consistent service.

Work Environment & Culture

Harvest in the Gardens is a vibrant, fast-paced destination where hospitality, dining, entertainment, retail, and community come together to create memorable experiences.

We believe every outdoor interaction should reflect the same excellence, warmth, and professionalism found throughout the Harvest experience.

We value leaders who demonstrate stewardship, accountability, teamwork, humility, professionalism, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Join the Team

If you're passionate about hospitality, thrive in energetic environments, enjoy leading from the front, and understand how exceptional service and strong business performance work together, we'd love to hear from you.

Join Harvest in the Gardens and help create an outdoor dining experience where every guest is welcomed with genuine hospitality, every meal is served with excellence, and every operation is managed with care, accountability, and stewardship.