General Manager
2 days ago
Milwaukee
Job DescriptionBenefits: • ICHRA, • Bonus based on performance, • Competitive salary, • Employee discounts Reports to: COO and CEO Direct Reports: AGM, Service Manager, Head Chef, FOH staff Collaborates with: Sales, Events, & Marketing Team; HR & Finance Team; and other GMs/managers within Cream City Concepts Role Summary Oak Barrel Public House is a high-volume bar + restaurant where hospitality comes first and standards are consistent, especially during game days, event surges, and peak weekends. The General Manager is a floor-first leader who embodies Cream City Concepts mission, core values, and operating tenets through daily execution: guest connection, team coaching, disciplined shift leadership, and brand protection. This role is the operator of the building, leading side-by-side with the AGM, Service Manager, and Kitchen Leadership to deliver strong opens, smooth service, clean closes, and disciplined controls. You also partner closely with our Sales, Events, & Marketing team to ensure events and promotions are staffed, prepared, and executed at a level guests remember. Our Leadership Commitment Arrive early and prepared. Plan, forecast, and adjust proactively to keep service smooth and teams aligned. Lead from the floor with structure, clear communication, and consistent follow-through. Coach with urgency and respect while holding standards. What Success Looks Like • Guest experience: fast, accurate service; effective recovery; consistently clean and welcoming environment, • People: stable staffing, strong retention, completed training, and clear performance accountability, • Financial performance: disciplined labor + food COGS + beverage COGS, controlled comps/voids, improved profitability, • Operational rhythm: inspection-ready standards, consistent shift execution, clean closes, and tight cash controls, • Leadership bench: capable leaders who run service without constant escalation, • Recruit, hire, onboard, train, schedule, and performance-manage FOH/BOH teams, • Establish clear standards and hold the team accountable through coaching, documentation, and consistent follow-through, • Lead daily pre-shifts, manager huddles, and post-shift recaps to drive execution and improvement, • Run structured manager and staff meetings with priorities, deadlines, and ownership, • Build and maintain a strong leadership bench and succession plan for key roles, • Maintain an always-on hiring pipeline and bench plan for critical positions, • Own the MOD schedule and ensure appropriate leadership coverage for all operating hours, peak periods, and events, • Own day-to-day operations to ensure smooth service, strong communication, and consistent standards, • Ensure SOPs are followed and improved (open/close, service standards, sidework, sanitation, cash handling), • Maintain a clean, safe, organized facility; follow through on maintenance and vendor issues, • Partner with the Head Chef to continuously refine and streamline the food menu using the existing menu framework, ensuring it stays brand-aligned, operationally executable, and optimized for speed, consistency, and margin, • Lead table touches and guest engagementespecially during peak volume, • Resolve complaints quickly and professionally; train leaders in de-escalation and recovery, • Monitor guest feedback and online reputation; execute corrective actions and service improvements, • Ensure responsible service standards and support staff on refusals and safety escalations, • Partner with the AGM to build, maintain, and evolve Oak Barrels whiskey list and cocktail program, • Ensure the program is brand-aligned, operationally executable, and profitable (pricing discipline, specs/recipes, prep systems, and staff training), • Labor: build schedules to forecasted sales; deploy effectively; control OT and inefficiency, • Food COGS: manage ordering, pars, waste, portioning, and variances; partner with BOH to reduce loss, • Beverage COGS: enforce bar controls (pars, variances, theft prevention, recipe/pour consistency where applicable), • Comps/voids/discounts: enforce policy and approval discipline; investigate patterns; coach accordingly, • Cash handling: drawer controls, safe counts, deposits, and audit readiness, • Variable costs (controllables): monitor and reduce avoidable spend (repairs/maintenance follow-ups, smallwares, disposables, linen/laundry, pest, cleaning supplies, paper goods, utilities awareness, third-party/processing fees awareness), • Maintain par levels and ordering systems that support service readiness without overstock, • Ensure invoices and receiving are verified; investigate variances and correct process breakdowns, • Enforce proper storage, rotation, labeling, and cleanliness standards to reduce waste and loss, • Own the locations operating cadence: daily checklists, weekly scorecards, and period-close readiness, • Own and report core KPIs (at minimum: labor %, food COGS %, beverage COGS %, prime cost, comp/void %, sales trends/P-mix, staffing/turnover, training completion, and guest feedback/reputation metrics) with clear action plans, • Use and drive adoption of company systems (example stack: Toast POS/reporting, 7shifts scheduling, TipHaus tip pooling, MarginEdge invoice/cost tools adjust to your final stack), • Handle light admin: scheduling, timekeeping accuracy, invoice flow, basic reporting, and follow-ups, • Own a weekly internal audit cadence covering cleanliness/organization, cash controls, comp/void discipline, bar variance checks, and service standards, • Own preventive maintenance routines and ensure timely repair follow-up with vendors, • Partner with the Sales, Events, & Marketing Manager and Coordinator to plan and execute events, promotions, and large-volume shifts, • Own day-of event operational execution: staffing plans, setups, timelines, service standards, guest flow, and team communication, • Own location-level decision-making for hiring and corrective action, staffing and schedule execution, comps/voids/discount approval discipline, cash controls, and purchasing/vendor follow-through within established policies and thresholds, • Ensure compliance with health codes, food handling, alcohol service laws, and safety procedures, • Keep the restaurant inspection-ready through training, audits, documentation, and corrective action, • 5+ years GM (or senior operator) experience in a high-volume bar and/or restaurant, • Strong working knowledge of both FOH and BOH operations, • Proven ability to lead teams, build accountability, and improve performance, • Demonstrated cost-control competency (labor, food COGS, beverage COGS, comps/voids discipline), • Organized, calm under pressure, strong communicator, and consistent coach, • Comfortable with tech systems (POS reporting, scheduling, tip tools, inventory/cost platforms), • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States, • Full-time; must be able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as business requires, • Must be available for peak business cycles including game days, major events, holidays, and seasonal surges; schedule may vary week to week Benefits and Perks Paid vacation, Simple IRA with company match, cell phone plan, free employee meals, and health insurance reimbursement. Equal Opportunity Employer / At-Will Employment Cream City Concepts is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment is at-will; duties may change as business needs evolve.