Senior Taproom & Pizza Operations Lead

Highland Brewing Company; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 73,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Highland Brewing Company in Asheville seeks a Taproom General Manager to own guest experience, staff leadership, and financial results for the Taproom, Meadow bars, and Oscar’s Pizza project. The role combines front‑of‑house leadership with close partnership with the Head Chef to ensure a seamless operation across venues.

The ideal candidate will bring 5+ years of hospitality management, track record in high‑volume settings, and ability to lead 20+ staff including managers.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hospitality management experience in a restaurant, brewery, taproom, or entertainment venue, including 2+ years as a General Manager or Assistant General Manager
• Experience operating both food and beverage, and working closely with a chef and kitchen team
• Demonstrated success in a high‑volume, guest‑facing environment
• Experience leading teams of 20+ employees, including managing other managers
• A track record of building strong team culture, retention, and engagement
• Experience with labor management, scheduling, inventory, and P&L or budget accountability
• Experience conducting performance coaching, corrective action, and employee development conversations
• ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification, or ability to obtain within 60 days of hire
• Proficiency with POS systems, scheduling software, and MS Office or Google Workspace
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events
• Experience opening a new restaurant, kitchen, or concept
• Experience with pizza or fast-paced counter-service food operations

Responsibilities

• Be a visible leader on the floor, modeling warm, genuine hospitality and guest engagement
• Set, communicate, and uphold service standards across the Taproom, Meadow, and Oscar’s Pizza
• Serve as the ultimate escalation point for guest concerns and service recovery, and empower MODs and Ambassadors to resolve issues in the moment
• Track guest feedback and online reviews, share insights with the team, and act on trends
• Foster a welcoming, inclusive, and memorable environment that reflects Highland’s values and brand
• Partner with the Guest Experience Director to continuously elevate the experience across the brewery campus
• Lead, coach, and develop the Taproom management team: Assistant General Manager, Managers on Duty, and Beverage Lead
• Hold regular one‑on‑ones and management team meetings, and set clear goals and expectations for each leader
• Build a culture of trust, accountability, and recognition, where team members feel heard and know where they stand
• Lead hiring, onboarding, and training for Taproom leaders and Ambassadors
• Conduct performance reviews, coaching, and corrective action fairly and consistently
• Identify and grow future leaders from within the team
• Partner closely with the Head Chef and Guest Experience Director to launch and develop Oscar’s Pizza and run it alongside the Taproom as one integrated operation
• Align front‑of‑house and back‑of‑house on service flow, ticket times, ordering and pickup, menu changes, and peak‑volume planning
• Coordinate staffing, scheduling, and communication between Taproom and kitchen teams, especially for busy days and events
• Train Ambassadors on the Oscar’s menu, food and beer pairings, allergen procedures, and food service standards
• Review food sales, guest feedback, and kitchen performance with the Head Chef, and work together on improvements

Skills

Hospitality management

General Manager experience

People leadership

Guest service excellence

Budget accountability

Tools

POS systems

Scheduling software

MS Office/Google Workspace

Job description

Highland Brewing Company in Asheville seeks a Taproom General Manager to own guest experience, staff leadership, and financial results for the Taproom, Meadow bars, and Oscar’s Pizza project. The role combines front‑of‑house leadership with close partnership with the Head Chef to ensure a seamless operation across venues.

The ideal candidate will bring 5+ years of hospitality management, track record in high‑volume settings, and ability to lead 20+ staff including managers.