Executive Assistant (Job ID: HOWSAM1EA)

About the Client:

The client is an established, highly successful 6-location restaurant group based in San Diego, California. Led by its hands-on Founder & Owner, the group operates with a lean, efficient leadership team that oversees brand marketing, personnel, store operations, and labor strategy across all locations.

Operational Mindset & Culture:

• Tech-Forward & AI-Driven: Modern and systems-focused, actively leveraging tools like Claude to automate operations and analyze performance data.
• Strategic Growth: This new role bridges store operations with executive management, introducing high-level administrative, financial, and tech support directly to the Founder.
• Structured & Secure: Values clear processes and strong digital security (e.g., phased system access, password managers, virtual cards) to ensure smooth remote collaboration.

About the Role:

The Executive Assistant (EA) to the Founder is a high-impact, full-time remote role designed to serve as the operational right hand to the owner of a multi-location restaurant group (6 locations based in San Diego, CA). As the first-ever EA hire for the business, this role bridges operational logistics, maintenance oversight, quality assurance, SOP development, and social media outreach.

The ideal candidate is a tech-fluent, Spanish-speaking go-getter who understands restaurant realities, excels at building structured systems out of raw tasks, and approaches work with flexibility.

Core Focus & Evolution

• Immediate Focus (SOP Development & Franchising Readiness): Documenting standardized operational procedures (SOPs) across all departments to prepare the group for future franchising.
• Maintenance & Vendor Management: Serving as the central point of contact for store-level maintenance issues, tracking equipment health, dispatching contractors, and creating a permanent troubleshooting library.
• Operational QA & Audit Checklists: Partnering with leadership to build interactive checklists in Jolt and conducting random audits across stores to ensure operational excellence.
• Marketing & Communications Admin: Handling routine Instagram administrative tasks, content scheduling, and direct message (DM) outreach to local San Diego influencers and partners.
• AI & Systems Integration: Using Claude / Claude Workspaces daily to automate administrative workflows, draft communications, and maintain data dashboards (e.g., tracking labor and overtime trends via Toast POS).
• Future Scope (Phase 2): Expanding into bookkeeping support, payroll preparation, and higher-level financial administration as operational trust is established.

Key Responsibilities

1. SOP Documentation & Franchising Readiness (Primary Focus)

• Standardize, write, and organize operational SOPs across maintenance, operations, and training to build a comprehensive library for future franchising.
• Collaborate with internal leadership (e.g., Giang) to convert raw training packets, checklists, and documents into structured SOPs and digital Jolt operational packets.

2. Maintenance Logistics & Incident Response

• Act as the primary contact for store-level maintenance calls across all 6 locations.
• Track equipment logs, monitor service requests, and coordinate with external contractors for rapid repair resolution.
• Document every resolved issue into an accessible SOP library (e.g., handling fryer breakdowns, HVAC issues, or plumbing failures).

3. Operational Quality Assurance & Spot Checks

• Conduct routine random photo/data audits on the Jolt platform to ensure store managers and staff are accurately completing daily operational tasks (e.g., verifying photo submissions for restroom cleanliness).
• Perform unannounced audit phone calls to all 6 restaurant locations at random times (e.g., weekday afternoons or weekend shifts) to test staff responsiveness and phone pickup times.

4. Social Media & Influencer Outreach

• Execute routine Instagram administration and content scheduling.
• Conduct direct message outreach to local influencers, community managers, and potential partners.
• Ensure consistent brand messaging and repetitive marketing admin workflows across channels.

5. AI Tools & Dashboard Systems

• Utilize Claude / Claude Workspaces daily to automate repetitive admin, organize unstructured operational data, and draft routine communications.
• Maintain operational dashboards tracking key location metrics, including overtime trends and labor pulled from Toast POS.

6. Financial Administration (Phase 2)

• Gradually support bookkeeping, payroll preparation, and financial tracking under the supervision of internal accounting as trust and performance history build.

Qualifications & Non-Negotiables

Must-Haves & Non-Negotiables:

• Fluent Spanish Speaker (Required): Must be able to communicate fluently and easily with kitchen staff, store managers, and personnel.
• Restaurant Industry Background: Prior experience working in or closely with restaurant/retail operations, including familiarity with industry vocabulary and concepts (e.g., HVAC units, grease traps, line equipment, POS flows).
• Weekend & Urgent Response Availability: Flexible mindset with the ability to handle urgent issues or emergency calls outside standard hours (e.g., Saturday night equipment failures).
• Schedule Flexibility: Ability to manage a flexible ~40-hour work week adapted around changing owner and store needs rather than strict 9-to-5 desk hours.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• Business Degree: A degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or a related field to support future bookkeeping, branding oversight, and data reporting.
• AI & Software Savvy: Hands-on experience or fast adaptability using AI prompting tools (Claude), task engines (Jolt), and point-of-sale systems (Toast POS).
• Proactivity & Critical Thinking: Exceptional problem-solving skills with a self-starter attitude—able to turn loose ideas and chaotic problems into clean, repeatable SOPs.

Phased Onboarding & Security Protocols

Because this role handles sensitive operational and financial data, onboarding follows a structured, phased approach to access:

• Phase 1 (Initial Setup): Communication channels, task management, vendor scheduling, and AI workspace integration. Password access is managed securely via password management software.
• Phase 2 (Financial Integration): Phased introduction to internal accounting systems, managed using virtual, low-limit spend cards and supervised platform access. Full financial administration access is unlocked as trust and performance history are demonstrated.