General Manager

Open House London Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

The Italian Greyhound, part of Open House London Ltd, is seeking a General Manager who combines exceptional hospitality, commercial thinking and inspiring leadership. You will shape the guest experience and drive the restaurant's standards with the team.

You'll own the business performance, forecast labour and margins, develop managers, grow events and weddings, and nurture a culture where great service and great results go hand in hand.

Qualifications

• Proven GM experience in premium hospitality.
• Experience leading high-quality environments where service matters.
• Strong commercial instinct with P&L influence.
• Hands-on operator who is present with the team.
• Experience growing events, private dining or weddings.
• Confident people leader with recruitment and coaching experience.
• Autonomy and decisive ownership.
• Calm under pressure and well-organised.

Responsibilities

• Lead from the floor, set pace, energy and standards every day.
• Own the restaurant's commercial performance: forecasting, labour, margins and cost control.
• Develop managers and coach the team with regular feedback and clear expectations.
• Grow weddings, events and private dining opportunities.
• Maintain high standards across food, drinks, service and presentation.
• Preserve and live the restaurant's culture.

Skills

General Manager experience

Premium hospitality

P&L management

People leadership

Recruitment & coaching

Autonomy

Calm under pressure

Job description

£70,000 annual (including service charge + KPI bonus scheme TBC)

48 hour contract (working 5 out of 7 days)

Some restaurants are simply places to eat. We believe The Italian Greyhound should be somewhere people genuinely want to spend time.

We're looking for a General Manager who can bring together exceptional hospitality, commercial thinking and inspiring leadership. Someone who understands that the atmosphere guests experience is built long before the first table sits, through the culture, standards and ambition of the team behind it.

This is a role for someone who is genuinely 360°. You're just as comfortable leading a packed Saturday night service as you are presenting a monthly P&L. You enjoy developing people, spotting opportunities, delivering exceptional events and treating the business as if it were your own.

Above all, you understand that great restaurants aren't built by choosing between people or performance. They come from getting both right.

What you'll own

The guest experience

You'll lead from the floor, setting the pace, energy and standards every single day. You'll know your regulars, create memorable experiences for first-time guests, and ensure every service reflects everything The Italian Greyhound stands for.

The business

You'll have complete ownership of the commercial performance of the restaurant. Forecasting, labour, stock, margins, cost control and profitability won't be reports you simply review—they'll be levers you confidently use to drive the business forward.

You'll build confident managers who don't simply follow instructions—they think, lead and make great decisions. You'll coach, challenge and develop your team through regular feedback, meaningful conversations and clear expectations, creating an environment where people genuinely grow.

Weddings, events & memorable occasions

From intimate celebrations to full wedding receptions and exclusive private dining, this is one of the restaurant's biggest commercial opportunities and it's yours to grow. You'll work with sales, kitchen and marketing to deliver every event flawlessly, chase down enquiries, and create occasions guests still talk about months later.

Standards

Whether it's food quality, drinks, service, compliance or presentation, you'll create standards that are consistently exceptional—not because you're watching, but because your team genuinely believes in them too.

Culture

You'll be a custodian of our culture, bringing it to life through the way you lead, coach and support your team every day. Culture isn't something written on a wall—it's something lived every day.

What we're looking for

• Proven experience as a General Manager, or an exceptional Deputy General Manager or Operations Manager ready for the next step.
• Experience leading high-quality, premium hospitality environments where service genuinely matters.
• Strong commercial instinct with the ability to understand and influence every area of the P&L.
• A hands-on operator who enjoys being present with the team as much as analysing the numbers behind the business.
• Proven experience growing a private dining, events or weddings business, from enquiry to execution.
• A confident people leader who is comfortable managing recruitment, coaching, succession planning, performance conversations and employee relations with fairness and confidence.
• Someone who thrives with autonomy, enjoys making decisions and takes real ownership for results.
• Calm under pressure, naturally organised and able to inspire confidence in both guests and teams.

The Italian Greyhound is part of a small, founder-led collection of independent restaurants where every venue has its own personality, but all share the same belief: Joy Built In, not bolted on. You'll work closely with the founders and senior leadership, with the freedom to shape the restaurant, influence decisions and make a genuine impact, working with talented people who care deeply about hospitality and want to build something exceptional together.

If you're looking for a role where your ideas matter, your leadership genuinely shapes the business, and your success is recognised, we'd love to hear from you.