Management careers

There are many ways to become part of Nando’s management team, depending on your level of experience and formal education. Read through the job descriptions below, and get a feel for what’s required. If your application is successful, you’ll then need to pass our management assessment day with flying colours.

The Patrão

The main management job we recruit for is the Patrão – the name we give the general manager of our restaurants.

Patrão means head of the family in Portuguese. Although you’ll be like the father or mother of your Nandoca team, you’ll quickly realise that we don't do hierarchy at Nando's. Everyone works together and parties together. So you’ll need to be a ‘roll-up-your-sleeves and get-stuck-in’ sort of person to make the most of everything we have to offer.

As a Patrão, you will be responsible for creating the life and soul of your restaurant, and making all the big decisions to keep it profitable. You will control the finances, inspire marketing to creative heights, and hire your team of Nandocas.

You will receive plenty of help from our Central Support team and what's more, you will share in your restaurant's success through both our bonus and partnership programmes.

1st and 2nd Assistant Managers

The 1st and 2nd Assistant Managers are the Patrão's right hand men and women. They make a big contribution to the running of the restaurant. Both are management roles, with good prospects for growth and development – many 1st and 2nd Assistant Managers eventually go on to become Patrãos themselves.

The determining factors in deciding which one of the roles you're more suited for are how much experience you already have, plus how well you do at our Management Assessment Day. Of course, rewards differ slightly reflecting the fact that the 1st Assistant Manager takes on slightly more responsibility than the 2nd.

Regional Managing Directors

Our restaurants are grouped together into regions, each overseen by a Regional Managing Director. The Managing Director is personally responsible for between 6 – 12 restaurants, and takes full accountability for the profit and loss of the restaurants within their region. They're always on hand to support and guide each of the Patrãos within their specific region. These individuals have enormous responsibility, but they too are not alone as they have both formal and informal support from all the other Managing Directors, their Regional Director and the Central Support team.  

It is rare for someone who has not been part of Nando's to walk into a Managing Director role, but it is possible. From time to time we meet an individual who has the experience, attitude and skills we know make a great Regional MD. Some of our great Regional MDs have progressed to the role of Regional Director and beyond…..

We're always interested to hear from inspirational leaders who would like to join us as Regional Managing Director. To register your interest for this role, simply email us at recruitment@nandos.co.uk with your CV and we'll make sure one of the recruitment team gets in touch with you as soon as possible.