Ugly Dumpling Supervisor Job – Linden, NJ – 661 W Edgar Rd
Now Hiring: Restaurant Supervisor – Shift Leader & Manager-in-Training | Ugly Dumpling
Job Title: Restaurant Supervisor | Shift Supervisor | Floor Leader | Manager-in-Training
Location: Ugly Dumpling (Dine-In & Grab & Dip Locations)
Reports To: General Manager / Managing Partner
Job Type: ☒ Full-Time Only (no part-time for this role)
Pay Range: $20.00 – $25.00 per hour (based on experience) + tip pool eligibility
FLSA Status: ☐ Exempt | ☒ Nonexempt
About the Role: The GM’s Right Hand
At Ugly Dumpling, our Supervisors are the glue that holds every shift together. You are trained to perform every role in the restaurant — from folding soup dumplings in the back to shaking bubble tea behind the bar. But your real job is leadership. In the General Manager’s absence, you will direct daily operations, enforce company standards, and keep the team running like a well-oiled wok. If you’re a natural leader who thrives on the floor, loves developing people, and can handle the heat of a dinner rush while keeping your cool, you’re ready to step into our management track.
Why Join Ugly Dumpling as a Supervisor?
- Industry-Leading Pay: $20.00 – $25.00/hour + tips (supervisors are included in tip pools at most locations).
- Clear Career Path: Supervisor → Assistant General Manager → General Manager → Managing Partner.
- Master Every Station: You’ll be cross-trained in FOH, BOH, bubble tea, and production.
- Free Meals: Enjoy our famous dumplings, bao, and noodles on every shift.
- Stable Full-Time Hours: Consistent scheduling with day, evening, and night shifts available.
- Leadership Development: We invest in training you to become a future GM.
Supervisor: Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Your daily responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):
- Shift Leadership: Supervise and coordinate hourly team members during your shifts — ensuring adherence to standard procedures and maintaining service quality in alignment with GM guidelines.
- Operational Execution: Execute operational plans in collaboration with the GM; optimize crew member assignments (who works where and when) for efficient service delivery.
- Food Safety Enforcement: Ensure hourly team members follow quality standards, SOPs, and food safety regulations throughout their shifts — no shortcuts, no exceptions.
- Cleanliness Standards: Implement procedures (guided by GM) to maintain cleanliness and uphold hygiene standards in the dining area, restrooms, kitchen, and bar.
- On-Shift Support: Provide real-time guidance and support to hourly team members — aid in decision-making, resolve conflicts, and maintain a positive, professional work environment even during the rush.
- Guest Engagement: Actively engage with guests — address inquiries, respond to feedback (both positive and negative), and ensure exceptional customer service standards as directed by the GM.
- Speed & Quality: Maintain fast, accurate service while ensuring every product (food and drink) is consistent with Ugly Dumpling’s quality and presentation standards.
- GM Absence Coverage: Lead team members and direct all daily operations of the restaurant in the General Manager’s absence, including:
- Supervising and training employees on the floor
- Opening and closing the store securely (alarms, locks, cash)
- Ensuring all food preparation is complete for each shift change
- Managing employee breaks, shift changes, and time-off requests
- Completing shift summary reports (sales, labor, inventory issues, guest incidents)
- Restaurant Standards: Make sure the restaurant is up to company standards with regards to cleanliness, neatness, and customer accessibility — no cluttered entryways, clean windows, organized POS area, stocked restrooms.
Supervisor: Requirements & Qualifications
What you’ll need to succeed in this role:
- Experience: Previous supervisory, lead, or key holder experience in a restaurant, fast-casual, or food service environment (1+ year preferred).
- Cross-Training Ability: Willingness to learn (and master) every role: line cook, cashier/host, bubble tea specialist, bartender, and production team member.
- Leadership Presence: Ability to direct, coach, and correct team members professionally and respectfully — no yelling, no favoritism.
- Problem-Solving Under Pressure: Quick thinking when things go wrong (sick employee, equipment failure, angry guest).
- Food Safety Knowledge: Working knowledge of ServSafe principles or willingness to become certified within 30 days of hire.
- Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication — you can write a shift report that actually makes sense and debrief the GM clearly.
- Guest-Focused Mindset: You genuinely care about customer experience and can turn a complaint into a comeback.
- Physical Requirements: Ability to stand/walk for extended periods, lift up to 30 lbs, and work in a hot/humid kitchen environment.
- Schedule Flexibility: Must be available for day, evening, night, and weekend shifts — including opening and closing responsibilities.
- Reliability: Must have reliable transportation to commute to our in-person location (no remote work).
Shift Availability Requirements
- Day Shift (Required): Morning prep, lunch service, opening duties (as early as 8:00 AM)
- Night Shift (Required): Dinner rush, closing duties, shift reports (as late as midnight)
- Overnight Shift (Preferred): Occasional deep-cleaning, inventory overnights, or equipment maintenance (not required but a plus for advancement)
What Success Looks Like as Our Supervisor
- Your shifts run smoothly even when the GM is not there — no emergency phone calls, no chaos.
- Team members respect you, not fear you — they come to you with problems before they escalate.
- Guest complaints drop by 25%+ on your shifts compared to baseline.
- Your shift reports are accurate, timely, and actually useful for the GM’s decision-making.
- You can run any station in the restaurant better than the person you’re supervising.
- Labor and food costs stay within targets on your shifts.
About Ugly Dumpling: Our Story
From a modest street snack to a statement dish representing Chinese culinary culture on the world stage, the history of Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) resembles the tale of an ugly duckling turning into a swan. At Ugly Dumpling, our commitment is to go beyond its boundaries and cultivate a new gastronomic journey — with the most authentic flavors of Chinese cuisine blended with contemporary creativity and a little extra imagination.
Inspired by the bustling food streets of Shanghai and the rich history of family cookbooks of old and modern Chinese cuisine, we are dedicated to reimagining those most favored local recipes by curating new, exciting, and playful experiences for our diners today. Whether it’s at our dine-in locations or our “Grab & Dip” fast-service spots, Ugly Dumpling invites you to join us in the world of exciting authentic flavors re-imagined.
Work Environment & Physical Demands
- Work Location: In-person (must be able to reliably commute)
- Standing/Walking: 90% of shift (you’ll rarely sit)
- Lifting/Carrying: Up to 30 lbs frequently (cases of oil, bags of rice, supply boxes, bus tubs)
- Temperature Extremes: Work near hot ovens, steamers, woks (up to 90°F+) and walk-in coolers/freezers (as low as -10°F)
- Noise Level: High (busy restaurant with music, sizzling woks, conversation, dish machine)
- Hazards: Hot surfaces, sharp knives, slippery floors — PPE and safety protocols provided
Key Competencies for Success
- Emotional Intelligence: Read the room — know when to push and when to support.
- Delegation: You can’t do it all yourself — trust your team.
- Accountability: Hold yourself and others to the same high standards.
- Adaptability: Every shift is different — roll with it.
- Coaching Mindset: Correct behavior, not character.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
Ugly Dumpling fully complies with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws by providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information (including family medical history), or any other legally protected status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and celebrate diversity in our leadership team.
Ready to lead the shift? Apply today to become Ugly Dumpling’s next Supervisor — where every day is a chance to grow into tomorrow’s General Manager.
Ugly Dumpling is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We participate in E-Verify where required by law.