General Manager Job Description 2025
- Ensure all Maitre d’ daily tasks are accomplished, either delegated or completed by oneself
- Oversee the reservation book, ensuring optimal turns and minimal issues
- Spearhead the training of new host staff, and the training program
- Maintaining a very high standard for guest communication (in person, phone, Resy, email), setting an example for staff
- Implement new systems as needed with the goal of optimal efficiency and best guest experience
- Get to know regulars, VIP’s, and all Soigne guests
- Guest Communications / Email / Instagram
- Monitor the manager@irwin’s email address, ensure a response within 24 hours on days of general business operations (Wed-Sun.)
- Work with Maitre D’ to answer emails / phone calls from guests looking for large group reservations / dietary concerns / event inquiries / complaints (Although you may not directly answer these emails, must understand HOW to answer)
- Work with Dearest Media, social media manager, to provide content, mindful of a social media calendar + our ‘quota’ of posting per week. Promoting events as well as keeping up to date with new dishes/beverages etc.
- Delegate tasks to management team (lead server, bar manager, wine director), follow up to ensure tasks are completed and hold each person accountable to the delegated tasks + deadlines set
- Work with each member of a management team to understand their style, optimize their skills, challenge + help them grow
- Assist with distributing updated food, wine, cocktail menu notes whenever a new item is introduced (nudge the appropriate manager to complete updated notes)
- Ensure the schedule is sent out each week by Thursday so the staff has two weeks worth of schedule. Have the lead server look over to make sure it’s looking good!
- During Service
- Make sure that FOH is on task in the first few minutes of service, paying special attention to the 5-530 hour and use that time to do some light cleaning / dusting of all areas that need to be touched up on a bi-daily / weekly basis.
- Ensure that all guests are seated properly, all FOH staff are on task and working, and the general vibe of the restaurant is on point including: Music ( type and volume ), lighting and general mood.
- When there is a misstep in service please ensure that the issue is rectified at the moment and also check in about it at the end of service with the staff member/s.
- If there is a guest issue please rectify immediately and check with Chef about how to proceed regarding the issue.
- Opening day + End of Night protocols
- Management and overseeing the completion of server / bar opening / closing checklist ensuring it is all done and on task by 4:15pm to ensure enough time to finish checklist by 5:00pm
- Primary opening manager, share opening and closing responsibilities with lead server, wine director and bar manager(closing only)
- Completing the manager opening and closing checklist, keeping it up to date with added responsibilities. Please do a THOROUGH WALKTHROUGH to ensure all tables are wiped down and clean, and floor is free of all debris before the FOH staff is allowed to be finished for the evening. If items need to be cleaned, wiped, swept etc make sure that the staff is aware and they take care of it immediately. (If NOT the opening or closing manager, ensure that the person who completed the checklist).
- Active participants line up each day, bringing to the discussion any necessary service points, etc.
- Continue to build on excellent hospitality and service from our team
- Identify pinch points that need to be addressed, and when improvement is needed
- Execute plan for communicating expectations to the team in these instances + a plan for holding each person accountable to said expectations (i.e., team needs to be reminded to ensure table settings are always tight and right)
- Understand that there is always room for improvement and the journey to excellent service and hospitality literally never ends
- Ordering + Inventory (Either completing by oneself OR overseeing person who handles + follow up)
- Linens, Singer, Amazon, Coffee
- Schedule and lead quarterly ‘highs and lows’
- Cleaning all the high spots and all the low spots
- Followed by a round table + family meal situation discussing high and low points of service from previous quarter, and whatever else comes to mind
- Hiring, Firing and Onboarding including a seasonal hiring plan for the summer months.
- General management of all FOH staff, cultivating an environment where resources and tools are readily available for staff, set clear expectations, and holding all staff accountable to said expectations
- Communicate with Danielle in the Bok office
- Weekly financials / P & L for bar (Chef handles Food P & L)
- Labor cost reports and solution finding when needed
- Make sure to spend special attention to overtime / labor issues and make sure to keep the labor / revenue in mind
- Mindful of upcoming projects + action plan for completing said projects (i.e., outdoor seating, one year open dinner service, guest chef nights, etc…)
- Inspire the team, keep the vibes right, and make it nice.
General Manager — Irwin’s (Philadelphia)
Department: Front of House (FOH) • Reports to: Ownership & Executive Chef • Status: Full-time, exempt
About the Role
Irwin’s is seeking a people-first General Manager who leads through hospitality and fosters an environment of excellence—for both our guests and our team. You’ll cultivate memorable experiences, nurture a culture of respect and professionalism, and set the tone for warm, attentive service. At the same time, you’ll own the restaurant’s key business metrics—driving revenue growth, managing costs (COGS & labor), and ensuring that operational decisions always support our larger mission of exceptional hospitality.
What You’ll Own (Key Metrics)
- Revenue & Sales Mix: Weekly forecasting, cover counts, turn times, upsell programs, events/activations.
- COGS: Target food & beverage COGS; ordering discipline; invoice review; waste/comps/voids control; monthly inventory & variance analysis.
- Labor: Schedule to demand; labor % to sales, OT prevention, smart stationing, productivity targets.
- Guest Satisfaction: Resy ratings, response time SLAs, recovery & retention, VIP/regular engagement.
- Compliance & Standards: Health/safety, cash/PCI controls, opening/closing checklists, facilities upkeep.
Core ResponsibilitiesFinancial Leadership
- Build weekly sales forecasts and labor plans; run weekly P&L reviews (Chef leads Food P&L; you lead Bar/Beverage P&L and roll-ups).
- Track COGS and labor against targets; implement corrective actions (menu mix, portion control, staffing model, prep par levels).
- Monitor comps/voids/discounts daily; investigate anomalies and coach to standard.
- Own month-end inventory for beverage and joint F&B spot-checks; reconcile variances.
Reservations, Host Desk & Floor
- Oversee Resy and the book strategy to optimize turns and guest flow; set pacing and double-check VIP/soigné notes.
- Ensure gold-standard guest communications (in-person, phone, Resy, email); uphold a 24-hour response SLA Wed–Sun for manager inboxes.
- Train, schedule, and mentor maître d’/host team; iterate systems for speed and accuracy.
Service Excellence
- Lead pre-shift lineups with clear goals (86s, features, covers/turns, service notes).
- Be visible on the floor; manage vibe (music, lighting, tempo), table touches, and in-the-moment recovery.
- Close the loop post-shift: micro-debriefs, shout-outs, and notes into playbooks.
People & Culture
- Hire, onboard, and develop FOH team (lead server, bar manager, wine director, maître d’).
- Set expectations, delegate clearly, and follow up—holding the team accountable with kindness and clarity.
- Create seasonal hiring plans; coordinate with Bok/office team as needed.
- Schedule published weekly by Thu with two weeks visible; manage swaps and compliance.
Systems, Ordering & Facilities
- Own or supervise ordering for linens, smallwares, coffee, Amazon/Singer, etc.; maintain pars and vendor relationships.
- Maintain and continuously improve opening/closing checklists; conduct thorough end-of-night walkthroughs.
- Lead quarterly “Highs & Lows” deep-clean + roundtable to celebrate wins and fix pain points.
Marketing, Community & Comms
- Partner with social media (Dearest Media) on content cadence, event promotion, and menu news.
- Respond to large-party, dietary, and event inquiries; coordinate with Chef on offerings and standards.
- Nurture regulars and VIPs; keep a living notes system that travels across shifts.
Collaboration
- Work shoulder-to-shoulder with the Executive Chef on menu mix, quality, margin, and service standards.
- Coordinate special projects (outdoor seating, guest chef nights, anniversaries) with timelines, budgets, and KPIs.
Qualifications
- 3–5+ years in a high-volume, chef-driven restaurant leadership role, with direct P&L responsibility.
- Proven command of revenue management, COGS controls, and labor planning.
- Fluent with Resy, Fluent in Toast & Toast reporting, invoice/COGS tools, Excel/Sheets.
- Calm under pressure; exceptional floor presence and guest recovery instincts.
- A builder: you create systems, train teams, and leave things better than you found them.
- ServSafe Manager (or ability to obtain within 60 days); familiarity with Philly health & labor regs.
Schedule & Compensation
- Full-time; evenings, weekends, and holidays as business requires.
- Competitive salary + performance bonus tied to revenue growth, COGS, labor, guest satisfaction, and project delivery.
- Benefits package available (details in interview).
How Success Will Be Measured (Financial & Guest Experience)Financial Outcomes
- Revenue Growth & Mix: Meets/ exceeds weekly forecast; healthy RevPASH, turns, and attachment rates (wine, cocktails, dessert).
- COGS Discipline: Beverage COGS at or below target; monthly inventory variance within tolerance; waste/comp/voids tracked with corrective actions.
- Labor Efficiency: Labor % aligned to sales by daypart/season; minimal OT; schedules published on time with demand-based stationing.
- Operational Compliance: Checklists completed; cash/PCI controls clean; zero critical health/safety violations.
Guest Experience & Relationships
- Ratings & Reviews: Maintain or improve Resy/OpenTable/Google rating to ≥ .; response time SLA ≤ 24 hrs Wed–Sun.
- Repeat & VIP Health: % of repeat guests trending up; VIP/regular notes captured and used; targeted outreach to lapsed regulars.
- Service Recovery: 100% of guest issues acknowledged in-shift and closed within 48 hrs; recovery outcomes logged and trended.
- Hospitality Consistency: Pre-shift lineups run daily; table-touch goals met; “vibe” standards (music, lighting, tempo) verified each service.
- Accessibility & Care: Proactive dietary/allergy handling with documented pre-comm; large-party communication clear and timely.
Team Health (Because great service starts inside)
- Training & Growth: New-hire onboarding completed on schedule; quarterly skill refreshers delivered; cross-training goals met.
- Engagement & Retention: Positive pulse-check feedback; reduced avoidable turnover; shout-outs and “Highs & Lows” completed quarterly.
- Accountability & Communication: Delegated tasks closed on time; post-shift notes captured; playbooks updated after menu/ops changes.
Cadence & Reporting
- Weekly: Forecast vs. actuals (revenue, labor), guest feedback highlights, open recoveries, action items.
- Monthly: COGS & inventory variance, trend lines on ratings/repeat guests, staffing/retention updates, project KPIs (events, patios, activations).
Quarterly: “Highs & Lows” deep-clean + roundtable; goal refresh with updated targets for both finance and guest experience.
Compensation: $80,000 - $85,000 based on experience. Additionally, 7% -12% of base salary commisison based bonus structure.
To Apply
Send your resume and a brief note on a time you elevated guest experience/relationships (e.g., ratings, VIP retention, service recovery, community impact) and a time you moved the needle on on the financial metrics of the restaurant
