The Ruby Slipper Restaurant Group Story:

Ruby Slipper Restaurant Group is one of the fastest growing restaurant groups in the Southern United States. Born from a small storefront in New Orleans’ Mid-City neighborhood, the group has grown to operate two brands with multiple restaurants (and we’re still growing!). Both Ruby Slipper Café and Ruby Sunshine put a Big Easy twist on Southern brunch classics. We believe that there’s no place like brunch. It’s not just food, or a meal, it’s a culture! A common ground, a community, a lifestyle – we’re all about #thatbrunchlife!

The Community Ambassador plays a pivotal role in enhancing the Ruby Sunshine brand by creating meaningful and experiential connections within the community. With a primary focus on driving sales, traffic, and brand awareness, this role combines elements of diplomacy, event planning, and community engagement. The Community Ambassador is an essential contributor to our mission, requiring exceptional project management, critical thinking skills, and a commitment to actively engage in the civic and business life of the communities we serve. Reporting to the Brand Marketing Manager, the Community Ambassador is instrumental in generating interest, increasing sales, and fostering goodwill within the community while elevating our reputation.

This position will:

• Drive community interest in Ruby Sunshine, our offerings, and our mission with the ultimate goal of increasing sales and traffic.
• Cultivate and nurture relationships with community groups, associations, businesses, and nonprofits to drive restaurant engagement and patronage.
• Strategically research, plan, and execute events that position Ruby Sunshine at the forefront of community life, resulting in increased restaurant traffic.
• Identify and secure partnerships that align with the Ruby Sunshine brand, boosting brand awareness and guest visits.
• Act as the face and voice of Ruby Sunshine in the community, effectively representing the brand and driving increased patronage.
• Efficiently respond to and fulfill product and service donation requests, contributing to positive brand recognition and increased sales.
• Provide comprehensive post-event reports on all major activities, including ROI and key insights, focusing on strategies to increase sales and guest visits.
• Ensure that all efforts are aligned with the brand strategy, marketing priorities, and business goals, with a primary focus on increasing sales and guest visits.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, execute, and continually update a Community Plan for each active market with a central focus on increasing sales and guest visits.
• Establish and foster strong relationships with Regional Directors of Operations and Restaurant Leadership Teams to align efforts with restaurant and marketing goals, with a core objective of increasing sales and guest visits.
• Build and nurture relationships with community groups, associations, businesses, and nonprofits to drive increased restaurant patronage.
• Manage and fulfill donation requests efficiently, strategically leveraging them to increase brand awareness and sales.
• Plan and execute a variety of events, both revenue-generating and non-revenue-generating, with a primary goal of boosting restaurant visits.
• Create Banquet Event Orders (BEO) for non-revenue generating events to ensure seamless execution and optimal patronage.
• Travel to and manage offsite and onsite events, actively increasing restaurant visits through community engagement.
• Conduct strategic research to identify new opportunities for the Ruby Sunshine brand to become an integral part of the community culture, driving increased sales and guest visits.
• Update Marketing and Restaurant Team calendars to inform them of significant local events and actively participated events to maximize restaurant traffic.
• Maintain accurate cost tracking and reporting for donations, events, and related activities to ensure cost-effectiveness and ROI.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Proven track record of 3-5 years in community outreach, business development, sales or a related role with a strong emphasis on driving sales, traffic, and brand awareness.
• Experience in the restaurant or hospitality industry is preferred, demonstrating a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in this sector.
• Previous experience in event planning and execution, including both revenue-generating and community engagement events.
• Familiarity with local community dynamics, trends, and networks to effectively build relationships and drive increased sales and traffic.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and maintain a clean driving record. Personal vehicles may be required, and a vehicle insurance waiver will need to be signed.
• Minimum Age: 21 years.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Exceptional project management skills with the ability to multitask and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to assess the impact of various initiatives on sales, traffic, and community engagement.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively represent the brand and engage with diverse community stakeholders.
• Creativity and a keen eye for detail in crafting compelling event strategies and marketing campaigns to boost sales and traffic.
• Proficiency in event planning software and tools, as well as graphic design and content creation tools.
• Strong relationship-building and networking skills to nurture partnerships with community groups, associations, businesses, and nonprofits.
• Adept at using data and analytics to track and report on the success of initiatives, including ROI and key insights.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and driven by results with a commitment to achieving and exceeding sales and traffic goals.
• Passionate and enthusiastic about engaging with the local community to promote the brand and drive sales and traffic.
• Highly motivated, self-directed, and adaptable to changing circumstances and market dynamics.
• Strong team player with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Regional Directors and Restaurant Teams.
• Civic-minded and committed to actively participating in the civic life of the communities served.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to represent the brand with integrity and authenticity in diverse community settings.

Interested? Apply on LinkedIn or via Ruby Sunshine’s job board.