General Manager

Phase Three is opening our first Chicago taproom in Avondale this winter, with a full kitchen and private event space to follow in 2027. We need the General Manager who will open it, build its team, and make it the best room we run.

About Phase Three

Phase Three Brewing is an independent craft brewery founded in the Chicago suburbs. We're known for hop-forward hazy IPAs, a serious barrel-aged program, and taprooms in Lake Zurich and Elmhurst that guests treat as their local. We have no outside investors and no corporate parent. The owners are in the building, and the standard we hold is personal.

About the role

This is the top job in the building. You'll own the guest experience, the team, the beer and food quality, and the numbers. A year from now, success looks like this: the taproom opened on schedule with a trained team, the kitchen launched alongside our Executive Chef, private events running smoothly, staff turnover low, and labor and cost targets met. The team should know exactly what's expected of them because you set it, explained it, and lived it every shift.

What you'll own

• Culture. Hire, train, and lead the opening team. Hold every Phase Three policy consistently, starting with yourself: conduct, shift beer, comps, and closing standards. Address performance issues early, document them, and keep ownership informed in writing.

• Product knowledge and quality. Know our beer and food well enough to teach it. Run a training program that keeps every server and bartender fluent in styles, tap list changes, and menu items. Own draft quality: line cleaning, glassware, freshness, and on-time beer ordering.

• Food. Partner with our Executive Chef to launch the Chicago kitchen. Build service flow, train food runners, and hold food quality and ticket times to standard.

• Leadership on the floor. Be present during peak shifts, not just scheduled around them. Build fair schedules, staff closes properly, and lead by example when it's busy.

• Experience. Run private events from first inquiry to final invoice, with fast, clear communication. Support our Ambassador membership program and turn first-time guests into regulars.

• Operations and compliance. Manage the P&L, labor, and cost of goods. Keep onboarding, timekeeping, PTO, and Chicago and Cook County employment requirements correct and current.

What we're looking for

Required:

• 3+ years as a General Manager or Assistant GM in a full-service restaurant, brewpub, or taproom with P&L responsibility

• Prior work experience at a brewery or craft beer taproom

• A strong food background: back-of-house experience or management of a full-service kitchen program

• Experience hiring and training a team of 15 or more

• BASSET certification and a City of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Manager Certificate, or the ability to obtain both within 30 days of hire

• Availability for nights, weekends, and holidays

Preferred:

• Experience opening a new restaurant or taproom

• Cicerone Certified Beer Server or higher

• Experience with Toast POS

• Experience running private events and buyouts

What's hard about this job

Opening a location is demanding. Construction timelines move, the first months are long, and you'll be building systems while serving guests. You'll also be the standard for everyone in the building. If you're looking for a role where you manage from the office, this isn't it.

How to apply

Send your resume and a short note on why this role fits you to [email protected] with "Chicago GM" in the subject line.