Restaurant General Manager

ABOUT FOUNDERS ARMS

Founders Arms is a new modern neighbourhood pub and restaurant opening in October 2026 at Founders Quarter, Pinelands, Cape Town - inspired by the best British pubs, but built for this neighbourhood. It's not a themed English or Irish pub, a sports bar, or a fine-dining room: it's a confident, food-led local institution where guests can drop in for a quick beer, an after-work drink, a family lunch, a full dinner, a Sunday roast or a big match, without the venue feeling built for only one of those things.

The venue spans an internal restaurant, bar and an integrated external deck and garden area, with capacity for around 80 covers in normal trading and up to 110-120 at busy periods, and includes a dedicated children's play area. At the heart of the kitchen is a coal-fired planetary rotisserie - a genuine piece of theatre and the anchor of the food offer, alongside mussels, oysters, bar snacks, pub classics and a proper Sunday lunch. The drinks programme covers a focused range of draft and packaged beer, an approachable wine list served by the glass and carafe, and simple, well-made cocktails.

Founders Arms is intended to become a long-term anchor tenant and social centre at Founders Quarter, and we are looking for someone with real energy and initiative to help bring that vision to life, working closely with a founding ownership team who bring direct experience across property, hospitality, restaurants, finance and brand development.

THE ROLE

The General Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Founders Arms, leading the front-of-house team and working closely with the Head Chef and owners to deliver an outstanding, consistent guest experience across every daypart - weekday lunches, after-work drinks, family dinners, Sunday lunch and major sporting events. The owners intend to provide strategic, commercial and governance oversight rather than run the venue day-to-day, so this role carries genuine authority and accountability across service, staffing, controls, guest experience and financial performance.

This is a rare opportunity to shape a venue from its first day of trading and grow with it, working hand-in-hand with an experienced ownership team rather than inheriting someone else's system or culture. You will have direct access to the owners and a genuine say in how the concept develops - including the opportunity to be involved in pre-opening planning, recruitment, systems, supplier selection and training ahead of launch.

The right candidate will be given real autonomy and genuine responsibility, with a profit-share or performance-linked incentive structure agreed after a successful probation period of 6-12 months.

You will lead a front-of-house team of approximately 10 people at launch.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations

• Manage the day-to-day running of the restaurant and bar, ensuring smooth, efficient, and consistently high-quality service across all trading periods (lunch, after-work, dinner, live sport and Sunday lunch)
• Oversee opening and closing procedures, and review daily trading reports and reconciliations
• Manage stock levels, ordering, and supplier relationships in collaboration with the Head Chef, including the beer cellar and keg system
• Ensure full compliance with South African health, safety, and liquor licensing requirements
• Coordinate logistics for Sunday lunch and live sporting events, including extended-hours planning and staffing, while keeping the venue feeling like a proper neighbourhood pub rather than a sports bar outside of major matches
• Manage the internal restaurant, external deck/garden and children's play area as a single, integrated space

People Management

• Recruit, onboard, train, and develop front-of-house staff
• Build a team culture that is warm, professional, and guest-focused, in keeping with a brand that is welcoming, confident, sociable and grounded in its neighbourhood
• Compile staff rosters and manage scheduling, including weekend and public holiday cover
• Conduct performance reviews and manage staff welfare in line with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act

Financial Management

• Monitor and manage labour costs, wastage, and operational expenditure against budget
• Monitor real-time trading data, track margin performance, and generate operational reports for the owners
• Oversee the point-of-sale and payment system, including sales monitoring, reporting, and first-line troubleshooting

Guest Experience

• Set and uphold the standard for guest service across all touchpoints, ensuring the room has energy without being unnecessarily loud, and that food remains a priority even during busy drinking or sporting periods
• Resolve guest complaints promptly and professionally
• Actively seek guest feedback and use it to drive continuous improvement and repeat trade
• Ensure the children's play area is kept safe, clean, and well supervised as part of the family-friendly offer

Marketing and Community

• Support the owners in developing and executing the Founders Arms social media presence and local marketing
• Build relationships with the local community, Founders Quarter tenants, and repeat customer base
• Use operational insights to support scheduling, content planning, and business decision-making

REQUIREMENTS

Character and personality matter to us more than a perfect CV. We're just as interested in candidates with less formal experience who bring the right energy, instinct and presence as we are in more experienced candidates - the qualifications and experience below are a guide, not a checklist.

Qualifications and Experience

• A diploma or degree in Hospitality Management, Business, or a related field is an advantage (NQF Level 5 or above), but not essential for the right candidate
• Experience in a supervisory or management role within a restaurant, bar, or hospitality environment is preferred; we're equally open to candidates with less experience who show strong leadership potential and character
• Demonstrated experience managing a team and running a shift independently
• Experience working with point-of-sale or restaurant management systems
• Knowledge of South African liquor licensing legislation and OHSA compliance requirements

Skills and Attributes

• Natural leadership presence and the ability to motivate and develop a team
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a genuine warmth toward guests and colleagues
• High levels of energy, resilience, and the ability to perform under pressure during busy service periods
• A self-starter who takes initiative and ownership without waiting to be directed
• Financial literacy and comfort working with budgets, targets, and performance data
• Solid computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace
• Comfort with social media platforms and a basic understanding of digital marketing
• Flexibility to work weekends, public holidays, and late evenings during sport events

WHAT WE OFFER

• A competitive, market-related salary
• A profit-share or performance-based incentive scheme linked to revenue and operational targets, to be defined after a successful probation period
• Real autonomy to help build and run a venue with the full support of an engaged, experienced ownership team
• A high-profile opening in a new development with strong community interest
• Ongoing training, mentorship, and professional development

HOW TO APPLY

Send a CV and a short covering letter (no longer than one page) to Sign in to view email

Applications close 30 August. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a first interview, followed by a 2nd round of interviews before a final decision. We will be in touch with shortlisted candidates within two weeks of the closing date.