General Manager - Restaurant

A B O U T THE OPPORTUNITY

We are looking for a General Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of a small-town restaurant as it enters a new chapter. This is not a caretaker role. We are relaunching with a simplified menu, clearer hours, and a renewed commitment to our community — and we need a leader who will own the operation, not just manage it. The owners are silent partners. That means you will have real authority to run this restaurant well — and real accountability for the results. You will work directly alongside the outgoing GM during a structured training period, then transition fully into ownership of the role. This is the right opportunity for someone who wants to lead something genuinely, in a community that will notice the difference.

T H E HONEST CONTEXT

We believe the right candidate deserves to know what they are walking into. Here is the unvarnished version: This restaurant has reopened before. The community remembers. Rebuilding trust requires consistency — doing what we say, when we say it, for at least a full year. The previous operation ran labor and food costs higher than they should have been. The new menu is simpler by design, and the right GM will understand that discipline in these two numbers is the job. The owners are not in the building. You will not have someone looking over your shoulder — but you will have partners who are attentive to the numbers and expect regular, honest communication. The hours are intentionally limited to start (lunch weekdays, with evening and weekend expansion planned). This is a deliberate strategy, not a limitation. The right GM sees a growth runway, not a small role. If any of the above made you want to close this tab, this is not the right role for you. If it made you lean forward, keep reading.

E F F E C T I V E N E S S A REA S

We describe this role in terms of effectiveness areas rather than task lists. The tasks will vary day to day. What matters is whether you are genuinely effective in each of these six dimensions — because the restaurant's success depends on all of them.

1. Daily Operations Ownership You run the restaurant. That means you are the first one in and the last one out. You manage prep, service, cleanup, and everything that happens in between — not by delegating to others but by doing the work and setting the standard for anyone who joins the team. Opens and closes the restaurant consistently, on time, every scheduled day Maintains a clean, organized, and health-code-compliant environment without being reminded Manages the daily rhythm of prep, service, and breakdown with calm and precision Identifies operational problems early and solves them without waiting for direction

This role is NOT for you if: you need someone else to tell you what needs to be done each day.

2. Food Cost and Labor Discipline Two numbers define whether this restaurant is viable: food cost as a percentage of sales, and labor cost as a percentage of sales. You will know these numbers every week. You will understand what drives them. And you will manage them — through ordering discipline, scheduling precision, and a simple menu executed consistently. Manages food ordering to the supplier cycle — accurate quantities, minimal waste, no stockouts Schedules labor to actual sales volume, not to convenience or habit Understands portion control as a financial discipline, not just a quality standard Reports KPI results to owners accurately and proactively — including when the numbers are not where they should be

This role is NOT for you if: you have never tracked food cost or labor percentages and are not interested in learning to.

3. Community Presence and Trust Building In a small town, the restaurant's reputation is inseparable from the GM's reputation. You are not just running a kitchen — you are representing this business to people who have opinions about it, memories of it, and relationships with everyone connected to it. You will be a visible, consistent, and trustworthy presence. Engages customers genuinely — knows regulars by name, handles complaints with grace Represents the restaurant consistently with the messaging and commitment the owners have made publicly Understands that every interaction in a small town is a reputation moment — positive or negative Does not make commitments the restaurant cannot keep

This role is NOT for you if: you prefer to stay behind the counter and let the food speak for itself.

4. Systems Building and Documentation This restaurant is in a growth phase. The GM who succeeds here will not just run today well — they will build the systems that allow the business to scale and eventually run without their constant presence. That means writing things down, creating repeatable processes, and training others to the standard you set. Documents opening and closing procedures, recipes, and operational checklists Trains new staff to a written standard rather than informal demonstration Identifies inefficiencies and proposes solutions with a systems mindset Builds the kind of operation that a future employee can step into and succeed

This role is NOT for you if: you believe good operations live in people's heads and cannot be written down.

5. Partner Communication and Accountability The owners are silent partners who are not present in daily operations. Your relationship with them is built entirely on communication quality. You will provide honest, timely reporting on operations, financials, and challenges. You will raise concerns before they become problems. You will ask for input on decisions outside your authority rather than guessing. Reports weekly on sales, food cost %, and labor cost % without being asked Flags operational, staffing, or supplier problems early — not after they have compounded Distinguishes clearly between decisions within GM authority and decisions that require partner input Communicates bad news as directly as good news

This role is NOT for you if: you find reporting to owners intrusive or you prefer to handle everything independently without check-ins.

6. Adaptability in a Dynamic Environment This restaurant is expanding — in hours, in menu, and eventually in staffing. The GM who fits this role is energized by that trajectory, not exhausted by it. You will help design the expansion, hire into it, and train through it. The role you start in will look different twelve months from now, and that is by design. Approaches change as a problem to solve rather than a disruption to endure Participates actively in planning for expanded hours and menu additions Recruits, interviews, and trains new team members as the operation grows Remains effective when priorities shift, and communicates clearly when bandwidth is stretched

This role is NOT for you if: you are looking for a stable, unchanging role where the same tasks repeat indefinitely.

C O M P E N SATI O N AND GROWTH PATH

This role is structured to reward demonstrated performance and investment in the restaurant's success.

Training period: Competitive hourly rate while learning the operation alongside the outgoing GM. Duration tied to training milestones, not a fixed calendar.

Full transition: Upon completing training and assuming full GM responsibility, compensation transitions to an annual salary. Specific amount discussed during the hiring process.

Performance bonus: Quarterly bonus structure tied to food cost % and labor cost % targets. Full details provided to finalist candidates. This bonus rewards the discipline described in Effectiveness Area 2.

W H O THRIVES IN THIS ROLE

This is not an exhaustive list of requirements. It is an honest portrait of the person who will succeed here. You have managed a small business, a team, or a food service operation — and you did it by building systems, not by working harder than everyone else indefinitely. You are comfortable being the most responsible person in the building on any given day, without needing a supervisor present to perform at your best. You genuinely enjoy small-town community life — the relationships, the visibility, and the trust that takes time to build. You are honest about problems before they become crises — with yourself and with the people you work for. You find a simple operation done exceptionally well more satisfying than a complex operation done adequately. You are energized by a growth trajectory — expanded hours, a growing menu, and an operation you can build rather than inherit.

T H I S R OLE IS PROBABLY NOT RIGHT FOR YOU IF… You are looking for a large team to delegate to. This is a hands-on, primary-worker role — especially at the start. You need daily direction to know what to prioritize. The owners are not in the building. You are uncomfortable with a community that has a long memory. Small towns talk. Consistency and honesty are the only currency that matters here. You prefer a fully stable, established operation. This restaurant is in an intentional growth phase and the role will evolve. You are not interested in financial metrics. The KPIs in this role are not optional reporting — they are the core of how success is measured.

We aim to be transparent about pay. As a small business, the range shown is our good‑faith estimate, but final compensation depends on experience, skills, and role responsibilities.

Pay: $45,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Employee discount

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person

Salary : $45,000 - $70,000