Restaurant General Manager

White Labs Brewing Co. in Asheville blends the science of fermentation with the culinary arts, pairing delicious beers with fermented foods. Founded by White Labs Yeast and Fermentation, the brewery is known for high-quality, innovative craft beer. By splitting batches of beer at the fermentation stage with different yeast strains, we create variations of each beer, highlighting both classic and novel yeast strains through distinct taste profiles and a scientific experience.

About the role

Reporting to the Vice President, the General Manager is responsible for managing and enhancing the customer experience at White Labs Brewing Co. (WLBC) in Asheville and supporting White Labs’ external-facing initiatives. This role ensures sales goals are met through food, beer, merchandise, and yeast sales, oversees day-to-day front-of-house operations, and works closely with the Chef to support back-of-house operations. The General Manager partners with the Head Shift Lead to maintain consistent leadership on the floor while retaining full accountability for overall performance, staffing, financial outcomes, and adherence to company policies and standards.

Responsibilities

• Operations:
  • Defines, implements, and revises operational policies and guidelines for WLBC Asheville, ensuring consistent execution across daily operations.
  • Establishes SOPs for Asheville front-of-house (FOH) and works with the Chef in overseeing back-of-house (BOH) operations.
  • Evaluates and ensures food and labor costs align with company objectives.
  • Complies with all federal, state, county, and municipal regulations (including North Carolina ABC laws) pertaining to health, safety, and labor requirements.
  • Oversees staff training in operational processes and standards, ensuring consistency through the leadership team.
  • Ensures a clean and safe working environment by maintaining facilities and enforcing cleaning and maintenance standards.
  • Maintains accurate keg and merchandise inventory through inventory systems.
  • Collaborates with other departments on R&D projects, including product development.
• Hospitality:
  • Creates and maintains a high-level culture of hospitality for both staff and guests.
  • Proactively resolves potential guest concerns or issues.
  • Develops a steps-of-service program focused on creating unique, educational guest experiences.
  • Supports guest service standards, quality, and efficient operations, including serving or beertending during peak periods.
  • Maintains visibility into daily service execution through regular partnership with the Head Shift Lead.
  • Oversees White Labs tour programs in Asheville and collaborates with leadership to align with company educational goals and marketing messages.
  • Partners with the Event Coordinator to ensure reservations, private bookings, and special events are effectively scheduled.
  • Collaborates with brewing, education, and marketing teams to coordinate beer releases, product details, and staff communication for events and promotions.
  • Ensures WLBC marketing, advertising, and promotional activities are reflected in customer interactions.
• Food Service: (in collaboration with Asheville Chef)
  • Ensures food quality meets company standards.
  • Manages kitchen inventory and develops daily par levels.
  • Provides input on menu creations and updates.
• Administration and Financials:
  • Contributes to financial planning for Asheville operations.
  • Develops and oversees yearly plans for revenue growth and increased traffic, partnering with the Event Coordinator on events and promotions.
  • Oversees labor strategy and makes recommendations based on business or seasonal changes.
  • Researches, creates, and implements processes to maintain cost of goods.
  • Manages inventory forecasting and purchasing needs within allocated budget.
  • Maintains inventory levels and establishes guidelines for product ordering and receiving.
  • Manages daily, weekly, and monthly inventories for accuracy.
  • Ensures invoices are coded correctly and forwarded to accounting.
  • Manages daily sales reports, analyzing errors and making corrections as needed.
  • Handles cash and credit card deposits per company procedures.
  • Follows procedures for accepting and handling all payments (cash, credit card, promotions, discounts).
  • Processes and reconciles month-end reports.
  • Reviews and submits payroll (including tips) for WLBC staff.
• Supervisory:
  • Provides leadership and direction for the Asheville FOH team, including the Head Shift Lead, Servers, and Event Coordinator, and partners with the Chef on BOH leadership.
  • Responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, and performance evaluation of FOH staff and the Event Coordinator, partnering with the Chef on BOH hiring and development.
  • Manages scheduling and staffing of the Asheville FOH team and Event Coordinator.
  • Fosters a positive team environment through effective communication, engagement, and leadership.
  • Handles performance management, employee relations, and disciplinary actions, with support from the Head Shift Lead.
  • Conducts regular meetings with WLBC teams.

Requirements

• Must be 21+ years of age.
• Bachelor’s degree in Restaurant/Hospitality, Business Management, or related field preferred.
• 5 years of supervisory experience in a full-service restaurant, bar, or brewery tasting room.
• Knowledge of brewery operations and the craft beer industry.
• Budgeting and P&L experience required.
• ServSafe certification required (or ability to obtain within 2 weeks of hire).
• Cicerone Certified Beer Server certification required (or ability to obtain within 3 months of hire).
• LEAD certification a plus.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) or Google Workspace.
• Working knowledge of Toast and 7Shifts highly preferred.
• Working knowledge of Asana and NetSuite a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
• Customer-focused and deadline-oriented.
• Exemplary customer service skills and ability to interact professionally with staff and guests.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in cross-functional teams.
• Ability to adapt to changes in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong leadership skills, including mentoring, motivating, and leading a restaurant team.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
• Ability to travel periodically as business needs require.

Physical Demands

• Less than 50% of time spent conducting sedentary work; workstation or office may be available.
• Noise level may be disruptive due to kitchen and customer seating areas.
• Requires walking or standing for more than 50% of the workday.
• Lifting up to 50 pounds maximum, with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects up to 25 pounds.
• Work takes place in a restaurant environment with moderate noise levels.
• Occasional travel required.

Benefits

• Health insurance (medical, dental, vision).
• Long-term disability insurance.
• Flexible spending account.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Paid time off and paid holidays.
• Milestone rewards.
• Tuition fee reimbursement.
• Supplementary benefits through partner vendors, including:
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
  • Wellness incentives.
  • Financial fitness programs.
  • Discount tickets program.
  • Merchandise and festival discounts.
• Training and professional development.
• Company events and team-building activities.

Direct reports: Head Shift Lead, Lead Servers, Servers, Event Coordinator, Chef (Asheville).