Business Manager

Full-Time  ·  Los Angeles, CA  ·  Reports to Executive Director, Tiyya Foundation

ABOUT FLAVORS FROM AFAR

Flavors from Afar is a culinary social enterprise operating in support of and in partnership with the Tiyya Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting refugee and immigrant communities in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Launched in East Hollywood as a restaurant in October 2025, Flavors from Afar trains and employs refugees and immigrants in the culinary arts, celebrating East African, Middle Eastern, and Indigenous cuisines through a restaurant, catering, cultural events, and culinary experience model. We are looking for an exceptional operator to help us grow our social enterprise.

THE ROLE

The Business Manager is the operational and financial backbone of Flavors from Afar and the Tiyya Foundation. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for the day-to-day success of the restaurant and the relationship between the social enterprise and the foundation. You will partner closely with Executive Director and owner Meymuna Hussein on restaurant operations, sales and marketing, finance and accounting, compliance, and organizational alignment. The right person brings both the discipline of a numbers-driven operator and the commitment of a community-centered leader.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations & Guest Experience

  • Oversee all front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) operations to ensure a consistently excellent guest experience

  • Manage daily opening and closing procedures, service standards, and floor operations

  • Maintain all health, safety, and food handling certifications and ensure ongoing compliance with LA County Department of Public Health requirements

  • Manage restaurant facilities, equipment, and vendor relationships

People & Team Development

  • Recruit, hire, onboard, and train FOH and BOH staff, with an emphasis on refugee and immigrant workforce development

  • Build and manage weekly staff schedules to balance operational needs and labor costs

  • Lead regular team check-ins; provide coaching, performance feedback, and corrective action as needed

  • Foster a respectful, inclusive, and high-performing team culture

Financial Management & Reporting

  • Own the monthly P&L; deliver financials within 10 business days of each month-end

  • Oversee bookkeeping, accounts payable, and cash handling; maintain accurate records

  • Track and manage cash flow on a rolling basis; flag risks and opportunities proactively

  • Prepare monthly and quarterly financial forecasts and variance analyses

  • Ensure timely repayment of all loan obligations and compliance with the Flavors from Afar and Tiyya Foundation’s MOU

  • Deliver quarterly milestone reports to investors

Menu & Purchasing

  • Partner with Head Chef Meymuna Hussein on menu planning, pricing, and seasonal updates - anchoring decisions in cost-of-goods (COG) analysis and sales data

  • Manage grocery procurement and inventory to minimize waste and control food costs

  • Negotiate supplier pricing and maintain vendor relationships

Strategy & Funder Relations

  • Drive Flavors from Afar toward financial sustainability, defined as consistent quarterly net income under the MOU cost framework

  • Support the Executive Director in funder communications, reporting, and relationship management

  • Identify operational improvements, revenue opportunities, and cost efficiencies

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Required

  • 3–5+ years of restaurant management or food service management experience, including P&L ownership

  • Demonstrated ability to manage a full restaurant operation - FOH, BOH, staffing, scheduling, and financials - simultaneously

  • Strong financial literacy: comfortable reading a P&L, building a forecast, and managing to a budget

  • Experience hiring, training, and developing hourly and supervisory staff

  • Working knowledge of food safety regulations and health department compliance (ServSafe or equivalent preferred)

  • Proficiency in Toast restaurant POS systems, scheduling tools, and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace

  • Excellent communication skills - written and verbal - with the ability to engage funders, community partners, and kitchen staff with equal effectiveness

Preferred

  • Experience working in a nonprofit, social enterprise, or mission-driven food business

  • Familiarity with QuickBooks or similar accounting software

  • Background in workforce development, immigrant services, or refugee communities

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Base Salary

$70,000 – $80,000 / year, depending on experience

Employment Type

Full-time, exempt

Health Benefits

Medical coverage; dental and vision where available

Paid Time Off

10 days PTO + federal holidays

Meals

Complimentary staff meals during shifts

Mission

Direct contribution to refugee and immigrant economic integration in Los Angeles and Orange County

HOW TO APPLY

Send a résumé and a brief note (no more than one page) describing your restaurant management experience and why this role interests you to: hae-sin@acaciapartners.co. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. 

hae-sin@acaciapartners.co