Restaurant General Manager

Urgent Hire – Immediate Start Available

Location: 1364 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, including evenings, weekends, holidays, catering events and peak periods 

Reports To: Owner or Designate

ABOUT SHELLY’S INDIGENOUS BISTRO

Shelly’s Indigenous Bistro is an Indigenous-owned and operated takeout, delivery and catering restaurant providing community-based food services. Our Front of House team supports customers, order coordination, takeout, delivery and catering service.

We are committed to quality food, respectful customer service, safe operations and a welcoming workplace that supports Indigenous employment and community participation.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Restaurant General Manager is accountable for the overall day-to-day performance of Shelly’s Indigenous Bistro.

This is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced restaurant operator who understands Front of House service, takeout and delivery operations, catering and commercial-kitchen operations and can step in to cook, support production and lead service when required.

The successful candidate will work closely with the owners, Executive Chef/Head Chef, kitchen and Front of House leads, Human Resources and Finance.

They will lead staffing, scheduling, training, attendance and timekeeping oversight, payroll submissions, food and labour cost control, inventory, purchasing, customer service, catering, food safety and operational reporting.

They must be organized, decisive and consistent, with the ability to set expectations, follow through and hold the team accountable in a respectful manner.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Restaurant Operations and Service Leadership

• Lead daily operations across Front of House, kitchen, takeout, delivery, catering, community food services and special events.
• Be present and visible during service, assign work, monitor execution and resolve operational issues in real time.
• Work closely with the owners, Executive Chef/Head Chef and Front of House, kitchen, catering and delivery leads to coordinate staffing, production and service priorities.
• Coordinate Front of House and kitchen teams to maintain timely, accurate and respectful takeout, delivery and catering service.
• Open or close the restaurant as scheduled and ensure cash, POS, deposit and end-of-day procedures are completed accurately.
• Respond to customer concerns professionally and take appropriate corrective action.
• Maintain operational checklists, shift notes, incident records and management reports.

Hands-On Culinary and Food Quality Leadership

• Demonstrate strong commercial cooking and food-production knowledge and provide hands-on support during busy periods or staffing gaps.
• Understand recipes, preparation methods, line execution, portioning, plating, food holding and catering production.
• Work with culinary leadership to maintain consistent food quality, presentation, portion control and service timing.
• Ensure safe food handling, allergen awareness, sanitation, labelling, storage and FIFO rotation practices.
• Support menu planning, recipe consistency, food costing, waste reduction and production planning.

People Leadership and Accountability

• Recruit, onboard, train, schedule, coach and supervise employees in coordination with Human Resources and department leads.
• Ensure new employees receive complete orientation, job-specific training, food-safety training and ongoing performance support.
• Prepare efficient schedules that meet operational needs while managing labour costs and supporting reasonable work-life balance.
• Monitor attendance, punctuality, absences, shift coverage, break compliance and employee time records and follow up promptly on exceptions.
• Review and approve timesheets, attendance records, schedule changes and payroll information and submit accurate records to Finance by required deadlines.
• Communicate expectations clearly, address performance or conduct concerns promptly and document matters appropriately in coordination with Human Resources.
• Lead respectful pre-shift communication, staff meetings, training and follow-up on assigned responsibilities.
• Build a professional, inclusive and accountable workplace culture and lead by example in attendance, preparedness and conduct.

Financial, Inventory and Business Management

• Monitor sales, labour, food cost, waste and other operating expenses and recommend corrective action.
• Manage inventory counts, purchasing, receiving, supplier relationships and stock levels.
• Review pricing, catering requirements and operational capacity before confirming significant orders or events.
• Support budgeting, revenue growth, promotions, community partnerships and continuous operational improvement.
• Work with Finance and ownership to monitor payroll, labour costs, sales, expenses, invoices and operational performance.
• Provide accurate and timely reports to ownership on staffing, attendance, training, payroll submissions, sales, costs, incidents, maintenance and operational priorities.

Safety, Compliance and Facility Oversight

• Ensure compliance with Manitoba food safety, workplace safety, employment and licensing requirements.
• Maintain required logs, inspections, cleaning schedules and corrective-action records.
• Ensure equipment, work areas and public spaces are safe, clean, organized and maintained.
• Report and follow up on equipment, maintenance, security, pest-control and facility concerns.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum five years of progressive experience in restaurant, food-service or hospitality operations.
• Minimum two years of restaurant management, general management, kitchen management or comparable senior leadership experience.
• Hands-on commercial-kitchen and cooking experience is required. Candidates must understand kitchen workflow and be able to support food production when necessary.
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff, preparing schedules, overseeing training, monitoring attendance and timekeeping, managing performance and maintaining accountability.
• Experience reviewing timesheets or payroll information and working with food cost, labour cost, inventory, ordering, cash controls and operational reporting.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen awareness and workplace safety.
• Proven ability to remain calm, make decisions and lead effectively during busy or challenging service periods.
• Strong communication, organization, follow-through and problem-solving skills.
• Reliable attendance and flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays and catering events.
• Legal eligibility to work in Canada.

CERTIFICATIONS

• Valid Manitoba Food Handler Certificate is required or must be obtained before or shortly after starting.
• Serving It Safe certification is required where the role oversees alcohol service or must be obtained upon hire.
• WHMIS certification is required or must be completed upon hire.
• First Aid/CPR certification is considered an asset.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive hourly compensation based on directly related experience.
• Group benefits eligibility after three months of continuous employment, subject to plan terms.
• Vacation pay in accordance with applicable employment standards.
• Employee meal and discount programs, where applicable.
• The opportunity to lead and strengthen an Indigenous-owned, community-focused restaurant.

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

A three-month probationary period applies. Employment is conditional upon satisfactory completion of required onboarding documentation and, where required for the position, a satisfactory Criminal Record Check.

The successful candidate must comply with all company policies, confidentiality requirements, the Code of Conduct and the Respectful Workplace Policy.

The role requires extended standing and walking, frequent bending and reaching, repetitive hand and arm movements, work near heat and commercial kitchen equipment, and lifting up to 50 lbs, with reasonable accommodation where required.

The General Manager must be able to work effectively in a fast-paced restaurant and catering environment.

INDIGENOUS PREFERENCE

Shelly’s Indigenous Bistro is proud to be an Indigenous-owned and operated business. Preference may be given to qualified Indigenous applicants, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit applicants, in accordance with our commitment to Indigenous employment, training and economic participation.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply through Employment Hero with a current resume and a short cover letter describing your restaurant management and hands-on kitchen experience. Please include current food-safety and related certifications.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Shelly’s Indigenous Bistro is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a respectful and inclusive workplace.