Senior Restaurant Manager - Premium Mediterranean Restaurant (Pre-Opening)

An opportunity has arisen for a polished, hands-on Senior Restaurant Manager to join a premium, high energy contemporary Mediterranean restaurant opening at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. The venue is part of an international multi-brand hospitality group with deep South African and Australian roots, and this is a pre-opening appointment - a rare chance to help shape a new restaurant from day one. Reporting to the General Manager, you will act as second-in-command, deputising fully in their absence and owning day-to-day floor operations, team performance and guest experience across the dining room, bar and private dining. This is a senior floor-leadership role for an operator who thrives during high-volume service, sets the tone for the team on the ground, and takes full ownership of the guest experience and shift-level commercial performance. Responsibilities • Lead service from the floor across dining room, bar and private dining, maintaining a highly visible presence during peak periods. • Deputise for the General Manager, taking full accountability for the restaurant during their absence. • Anticipate and resolve operational issues before they impact the guest experience. • Support recruitment, onboarding and training of the front-of-house team ahead of and beyond launch. • Assist in implementing SOPs, service sequences and readiness checklists ahead of opening. • Build relationships with regular guests and VIPs, ensuring a personalised and memorable experience. • Handle guest feedback and service recovery with judgement and professionalism. • Monitor shift-level sales, labour and cost performance against targets. • Own and analyse the restaurant's P&L on a regular basis - tracking revenue, cost of sales and labour trends, identifying variances early and supporting the General Manager in driving corrective action. • Support the General Manager on rostering, productivity and controllable cost management. • Coach and develop supervisors and team members, embedding the group's Ubuntu culture. • Manage rosters, briefings and performance standards across shifts. Requirements • A minimum of 3–4 years' experience as a Restaurant Manager (or Senior Assistant Manager) within a busy, premium restaurant environment in South Africa. • Proven ability to lead service from the floor in a high-volume operation. • Strong understanding of premium dining service standards. • Demonstrable commercial awareness: comfortable with sales, labour, cost of sales and P&L analysis. • Strong emotional intelligence and coaching ability, with a track record of developing front-of-house teams. • Floor-led, energetic and calm under pressure, with a genuine hospitality mindset. • Fluent English, spoken and written. • Experience with pre-opening operations is advantageous. • Must hold the right to work in South Africa. Benefits • Salary: ZAR 32,000 – 42,000 gross per month, depending on experience. • Duty meal provided on shift. • Uniform provided. • 30 days annual leave. • Permanent, full-time contract, 6 days per week. • The opportunity to open a new premium venue with an international multi-brand group. • Further benefits to be confirmed during the recruitment process. Additional Information The desired start date is 16 September 2026, so candidates who are immediately available or on a short notice period are strongly preferred. This is an in-country appointment: candidates must already hold the right to work in South Africa, and must be based in, or able to relocate to, Cape Town.