General Manager

General Manager: Cafe & Wine Bar
Location: SEMM
Starts: Immediately
Opening: May/June 2026
Reports to: Ownership / Director of Operations

Role Summary
The General Manager at SEMM is the primary lead of our daily operations. You are responsible for the seamless "pivot" between our two identities: a high-standard specialty cafe featuring premium third-party pastries, and a sophisticated evening wine + sool bar serving small plates. You will balance financial responsibilities (P&L, labor, and COGS) with a "floor-first" leadership style, ensuring every guest experiences the intentionality of the SEMM brand.

Key Responsibilities
1. Dual-Operation Oversight
The Cafe (Day): Oversee high-volume coffee service. Maintain quality control for our specialty coffee program and manage relationships with third-party bakery partners to ensure daily freshness, par accuracy, and aesthetic presentation.

The Wine/Sool Bar (Night): Transition the room’s energy (lighting, sound, set-up) for evening service. Oversee a focused wine/sool list and the execution of a limited small-plates menu, ensuring BOH and FOH are synchronized.

Systems & SOPs: Maintain and update the "Playbook" for opening, mid-day transition, and closing to ensure consistency across all shifts.

2. Financial & Technical Stewardship
Performance Metrics: Manage payroll, tips, and labor costs to keep EBITDA/NOI above target.

Data-Driven Agility: Utilize Square and Restaurant 365 to pull Product Mix (Pmix) and Sales reports. Use this data to adjust cafe pars, wine/sool inventory, and staffing levels based on real-time sales trends.

Inventory Management: Conduct weekly counts of coffee beans, wine, sool and dry goods. Monitor waste and theft, ensuring the total value on hand aligns with financial goals.

3. Team Leadership & Culture
Hiring & Growth: Lead the recruitment process via Culinary Agents, LinkedIn, Craigslist, NY Coffee Jobs. Create a culture of mentorship by pairing senior baristas or servers with new hires while overseeing training/onboarding.

Performance Management: Conduct monthly check-ins and formal reviews. You are the HR lead, responsible for documenting incidents and maintaining a healthy, professional workplace.

Cultural Priority: Embody and teach the SEMM brand values. A passion for Korean culture/ingredients and language is a priority, as it informs our hospitality standards, ingredients, origin and aesthetic.

4. Marketing & Public Presence
Brand Voice: Collaborate on monthly photoshoots of new cafe items or wine/sool arrivals. Provide copywriting support for Instagram and email newsletters.

Public Perception: Manage the "digital front door" by responding to reviews on Google, Yelp, and Resy with professionalism and grace.

Events: Act as the lead for event buyouts, from the initial walkthrough to the final execution (BEO management).

Requirements
Experience: 3+ years of management in specialty coffee or wine-focused hospitality.

Technical: Proficiency in Toast/Square and Google Workspace (Docs/Sheets). Experience with Restaurant 365 is a plus.

Physical: Ability to stand for long periods and lift up to 50 lbs.

Availability: Minimum 50 hours per week, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Mindset: A "Lead by Example" posture—willing to pull shots, pour wine, or bus tables whenever the floor requires it.

Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary based on experience.

Performance-based incentives tied to NOI targets.

Paid Time Off (PTO) and career growth opportunities within a growing brand.