General Manager

Reports to: CEO · Leads: Assistant General Manager, Floor Managers & Front-of-House TeamABOUT CHAMPERSChampers Social Club is SoHo’s boutique Champagne bar and all-day café, pouring a curated selection of bubbles alongside delicious bites. We blend an upscale, high-energy atmosphere with approachable luxury, a curated Champagne and cocktail program, and a highly stylized guest experience. Champers is part of Festive & Co, a family of retail and hospitality concepts that includes Feste, led by husband-and-wife team Brenna Gilbert and Andrew McCaughan. Our leadership brings decades of experience from LVMH, Anthropologie, URBN, USHG, and Shake Shack. But what we’re proudest of is simpler: people come back. A glass at the bar, dinner with friends, or a night to celebrate, we want every guest to feel like a regular.

THE ROLE: We’re looking for an experienced, hospitality-obsessed General Manager to lead Champers Social Club. You’ll own the restaurant from end to end: the guest experience, the team, the beverage program, events, and the P&L. You’ll report to our CEO, lead our Assistant General Manager, Floor Managers, and front-of-house team, and partner with our Director of Culinary Operations to run one seamless restaurant. This is a floor-first leadership role. You’ll be present for peak service, set the tone at pre-shift, and know our regulars by name, while building the systems, training, and culture that keep Champers consistent and growing. The right person is obsessed with Champagne and sparkling wine, has a strong taste level, and thinks both creatively and analytically, with a proven record of driving sales and profitability. WHAT YOU'LL DOLeadership & Guest Experience

• Lead the Restaurant: Be the face of Champers: present on the floor during peak service, setting the pace, reading the room, and stepping in wherever guests or the team need you.
• Pre-Shift: Make sure every pre-shift runs on time and in our four-step format: the numbers, a steps of service focus, the daily drill, and housekeeping and energy.
• Guest Experience: Own the quality of hospitality, service, food, and beverage, and keep raising the bar on what makes a visit memorable.
• Regulars & VIPs: Build relationships with regulars and VIPs, turn new guests into regulars, and handle guest feedback and recovery personally.
• Ambience: Keep the room right at all times, from lighting and temperature to music and presentation. Business & Financial Performance
• P&L: Own the restaurant P&L: sales, labor, cost of goods, and controllable expenses. Build the budget with the CEO and deliver against it.
• Sales Growth: Grow revenue through check average, beverage sales, events, and new guests, and partner with leadership on promotions and seasonal programming.
• Labor & Payroll: Oversee scheduling against volume and labor targets, approve payroll, and manage the tip pool accurately and in line with policy.
• Reporting: Share weekly results with the CEO, including sales, covers, labor, cost of goods, and guest feedback, with clear actions to hit targets.
• Cash & Controls: Own cash handling, comps, voids, and nightly reporting, and make sure every manager follows our closing and cash-drop procedures. Beverage Program
• Champagne, Wine & Cocktails: Own the beverage program, from the wine list, flights, and cocktails to pricing, costs, and inventory, partnering with our purchasing team.
• Wine Education: Make sure every Server can deliver our flight scripts, and lead tastings and wine training with the AGM and Senior Bartenders. Events & Private Dining
• Event Sales: Oversee event and large-party sales, from inquiry and proposal to booking, and grow our private event business.
• Execution: Make sure every event runs flawlessly, aligning with the Director of Culinary Operations on menus, staffing, and timing. Team & Culture
• Hiring: Recruit and hire a front-of-house team that reflects the energy and hospitality of Champers, and keep a proactive talent pipeline.
• Leadership Development: Coach and develop the Assistant General Manager and Floor Managers, and build the next generation of Champers leaders.
• Training: Own our training system, including the FOH Training Manual, chapter quizzes, training plans, and daily checklists, and hold every team member to our training levels.
• Performance: Set clear expectations, hold regular check-ins, and lead performance reviews so every team member has a path to grow.
• Culture: Build a positive, collaborative culture across front and back of house, with clear communication before, during, and after service. Operations & Compliance
• Standards: Make sure opening, closing, and DOH walkthrough checklists are completed and signed off every day.
• Compliance: Keep Champers compliant with NYC Department of Health standards, liquor laws, labor laws, and the policies in our Employee Handbook.
• Facilities & Vendors: Manage maintenance, repairs, and key vendor relationships so the restaurant is always guest-ready.
• Kitchen Partnership: Partner with the Director of Culinary Operations on menu, service, timing, food cost, and guest feedback. WHAT YOU BRING
• 5+ years of restaurant management experience, including 2+ years as a General Manager or Assistant General Manager in an upscale or high-volume restaurant
• Deep knowledge of Champagne, sparkling wine, and beverage, with a strong taste level (WSET or Court of Master Sommeliers certification a plus)
• Proven ownership of a restaurant P&L, with a record of growing sales and managing labor and cost of goods
• Hands-on experience with payroll, scheduling, POS, and reservation systems (Toast and Resy a plus)
• Working knowledge of NYC Department of Health and liquor regulations, and an NYC Food Protection Certificate (or the ability to get one)
• Warm, decisive leadership, with excellent written and verbal communication
• Flexibility to work nights, weekends, and holidaysWHAT WE OFFER
• Salary range: $95000-105000 based on experience
• 401(k), with eligibility to enroll immediately
• Pre-tax stipend toward personal health insurance after 90 days
• Team dining discount at Champers and team discount at FestePHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Stand and walk for up to 8 hours or the length of a full shift
• Lift and carry up to 25 pounds
• Navigate stairs safely and regularly throughout the shift