Restaurant Manager jobs in South Africa

A well-established, boutique hospitality venue is seeking a hands-on Restaurant and Bar Manager to take full ownership of daily operations, team leadership, guest experience, and overall performance.

This is a floor-based role for someone who leads from the front, understands hospitality inside and out, and can balance service excellence with strong business discipline.

You will oversee the full operation, manage a small team, control costs, drive revenue, and ensure consistently high service standards.

Salary: R15 000 – R20 000 CTC + incentives.

Minimum Requirements:

• 2–3 years’ experience in a Restaurant Manager & Bar Manager, or similar hospitality management role
• Strong understanding of restaurant and bar operations (FOH & BOH)
• Proven people management and team leadership experience
• Solid financial acumen (cost control, stock, margins, cash-ups)
• Confident handling guest relations, complaints, and service recovery
• Experience with booking systems and basic reporting tools (DinePlan or similar advantageous)
• Strong organisational and admin skills
• Passion for hospitality and guest experience
• Own reliable transport
• Willingness to work rostered shifts, weekends, and public holidays
• Based in the area or willing to relocate

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operations
  • Oversee full day-to-day restaurant and bar operations
  • Ensure smooth service and consistent quality
  • Manage opening and closing procedures
  • Maintain cleanliness, presentation, and ambience
  • Monitor stock levels, ordering, receiving, and inventory
  • Oversee special orders, bulk/catering requests, and deposits
• Team Management
  • Lead, motivate, and manage a team of ±14 staff
  • Schedule shifts in line with trade and labour legislation
  • Recruit, train, onboard, and develop staff
  • Build a positive, disciplined, and accountable team culture
  • Implement ongoing training to improve service confidence and product knowledge
• Financial Control
  • Manage budgets and cost controls
  • Monitor daily sales, labour, and margins
  • Handle cash-ups, reconciliations, and deposits
  • Analyse performance and implement improvements
• Guest Experience
  • Be visible and active on the floor
  • Handle complaints and feedback professionally
  • Build relationships with regular guests and local community
  • Maintain the venue’s brand and service standards
• Compliance
  • Ensure compliance with health & safety regulations
  • Enforce responsible alcohol service
  • Maintain internal policies and procedures
  • Ensure ethical and professional operation at all times