General Manager

Phoenix Recruitment Limited; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 446,000 - 781,000; Full time

Job summary

Phoenix Recruitment Limited seeks an experienced General Manager/Operations Manager for a 300+ seater family-style restaurant in Durbanville, Cape Town. You will lead front- and back-of-house operations in a high-volume setting, ensuring a consistent guest experience and strong team performance.

Responsibilities include overseeing restaurant, bar and kitchen, managing rosters and budgets, monitoring food quality, and maintaining health, safety and liquor-service standards.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a General Manager or Operations Manager in a busy restaurant.
• Experience managing a large-capacity, high-volume operation, preferably family or pub-style.
• Understanding of kitchen operations and service coordination.
• Knowledge of front-of-house and bar operations.
• Strong financial skills including food-cost analysis and budgeting.
• Experience managing stock, purchasing and supplier relationships.
• Strong leadership including recruitment, training and performance management.
• Knowledge of POS systems and cash controls.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
• Hands-on and able to make decisions under pressure.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends and public holidays.

Responsibilities

• Oversee front- and back-of-house operations including the restaurant, bar, and kitchen.
• Maintain an active presence during trading to ensure a consistent guest experience.
• Coordinate kitchen and service teams for quality and efficient service.
• Manage reservations, seating and service flow during peak periods.
• Handle guest feedback and resolve complaints professionally.
• Ensure equipment and facilities are maintained and operational.
• Recruit, train, schedule and manage staff across departments.
• Plan rosters according to trading demands and labour budgets.
• Manage staff performance and disciplinary processes.
• Lead team briefings and maintain clear communication and service expectations.
• Analyze food cost, gross profit and labour cost; investigate variances and implement corrective action.
• Manage budgets, expenditure and profitability.
• Oversee cash control, daily cash-ups and POS procedures.
• Manage stock control, ordering, stocktakes and supplier relationships.
• Monitor stock rotation, wastage and losses.
• Prepare weekly management reports covering financial and operational performance.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, hygiene and liquor-service requirements.
• Maintain high cleanliness standards throughout the restaurant, bar and kitchen.
• Support promotions and events that encourage repeat business while maintaining a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere.

Skills

GM experience

Operations mgmt

Team leadership

Budgeting

Food & kitchen ops

FOH & Bar ops

POS/Cash control

Staff training

Problem solving

Shift flexibility

Tools

POS systems

Job description

300+ Seater Family Style Restaurant in Durbanville, Cape Town is looking for an experienced, hands-on General Manager / Operations Manager to lead their team. The successful candidate will take full responsibility for front-and-back-of-house operations in a high-volume environment, ensuring a consistent guest experience, effective team management and strong financial performance.

Duties

Restaurant Operations

• Oversee all front-and-back-of-house operations, including the restaurant, bar and kitchen.
• Maintain an active presence during trading, observing and managing service to ensure a consistent guest experience.
• Coordinate kitchen and service teams to maintain food quality, presentation and efficient service.
• Manage reservations, seating and service flow during peak periods.
• Handle guest feedback and resolve complaints professionally.
• Ensure equipment and facilities are maintained and operational.

Team Management

• Recruit, train, schedule and manage staff across all departments.
• Plan rosters according to trading demands and labour budgets.
• Manage staff performance, disciplinary processes and development.
• Lead team briefings and maintain clear communication and service expectations.

Financial & Stock Control

• Analyse food cost, gross profit and labour cost, investigate variances and implement corrective action.
• Manage budgets, expenditure and overall restaurant profitability.
• Oversee cash control, daily cash-ups and POS procedures.
• Manage stock control, ordering, stocktakes and supplier relationships.
• Monitor stock rotation, wastage and losses.
• Prepare weekly management reports covering financial and operational performance.

Standards & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with health, safety, hygiene and liquor-service requirements.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness throughout the restaurant, bar and kitchen.
• Support promotions and events that encourage repeat business while maintaining a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a General Manager or Operations Manager within a busy restaurant.
• Experience managing a large-capacity, high-volume operation, preferably in a family or pub-style environment.
• A solid understanding of kitchen operations, including food preparation workflows, service coordination and kitchen controls.
• Strong knowledge of front-of-house and bar operations.
• Sound financial skills, including food-cost analysis, gross profit management, labour control and budgeting.
• Experience managing stock, purchasing and supplier relationships.
• Strong leadership skills, including recruitment, training, scheduling, performance management and disciplinary processes.
• Good knowledge of POS systems, cash controls and management reporting.
• Excellent communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.
• A hands-on approach and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends and public holidays.