Job Description

Restaurant General Manager

Vida Plena is an innovative hospitality group founded in Lisbon in 2018, dedicated to making our guests and team feel truly at home. We pride ourselves on delivering warm, blissful experiences, fostering a diverse and inclusive atmosphere, serving top-quality fresh food, and providing exceptional service.

The Role

Javá is a single venue that needs a General Manager who is fully embedded in its daily operations while carrying full accountability for the business behind it. This is a hybrid role: a strong, visible presence on the floor and behind the bar, paired with the ownership over scheduling, team leadership, budgets, and HQ alignment. You lead by example, balancing day to day execution with the structure and consistency that let Javá keep growing.

Your Key Responsibilities

Venue Leadership & Guest Experience

• Maintain a strong, consistent presence on the floor and bar, especially on key days, peak shifts, and events, staying close to service flow, guest needs, and real time priorities.
• Guarantee the execution of Javá's brand standards, operational policies, and service rituals across floor and bar, keeping product consistency, ambience, and communication aligned throughout each shift.
• Foster a culture of hospitality that delivers a consistently strong, memorable guest experience, actively engaging with guests and supporting the team during peak hours.
• Align with the Head Chef on menu execution, food quality, service timing, and kitchen workflows.
• Ensure proper opening and closing procedures: venue readiness, team briefings, floor and bar setup, stock and equipment checks, handovers, and end of day documentation.
• Ensure the venue complies with health, safety, and sanitation standards, monitoring HACCP protocols and enforcing hygiene practices.

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, train, coach, and develop a high performing team aligned with Vida Plena's values, providing regular feedback and fostering a positive, accountable work environment.
• Manage team scheduling from planning to publication, ensuring shifts are well organized and aligned with business levels, key moments, and events, with real time adjustments to protect service flow.
• Control absences in the HRIS and review team clock in and clock out records ahead of payroll dates, ensuring accuracy, fairness, and timely follow up.
• Lead onboarding and induction of new joiners, performance management and reviews, vacation planning, and active input on contract renewals.

Operational Efficiency & HQ Collaboration

• Implement and refine operational processes to improve efficiency while maintaining Javá's standards.
• Ensure clear, proactive communication between venue operations and HQ teams.
• Contribute insights and feedback to optimize venue performance and guest satisfaction.

Financial Oversight & Cost Management

• Monitor financial KPIs and manage budgets to optimize profitability.
• Identify cost saving opportunities across inventory, labor, and operational expenses.
• Support data driven decision making with financial analysis and reporting.

What We Expect From You

• International Experience: 10+ years in hospitality, including at least 3 years as a General Manager with full accountability for floor and bar operations in a high volume, guest focused venue.
• Strong FOH and BOH coordination, comfortable leading busy services, events, and high pressure operational moments with calm, structure, and presence.
• Solid understanding of team management, scheduling, HRIS routines, and payroll related processes.
• Financial and business acumen: experience with budget management, KPIs, labor scheduling, and cost control.
• Inspiring, decisive leadership style, able to motivate and align a diverse team.
• Strong sense of brand standards, service consistency, and guest experience.
• Strong planning, organizational, and problem solving skills, with the adaptability to lead under pressure.
• Solid understanding of HACCP, health and safety, sanitation, and operational standards.
• Fluent in English; Portuguese or other local language skills are a plus.

First 100 Days

• Immerse: get to know Javá's culture, team, and rhythm through hands on presence on the floor.
• Collaborate: build strong relationships with the Javá team, HQ departments, and the Leadership Team to establish alignment and trust.
• Operational Deep Dive: build a clear picture of Javá's strengths, challenges, and opportunities through on the ground presence and team conversations.
• Team Empowerment: step in as the hands on leader, mentoring the team, identifying high potential talent, and building a culture of accountability and growth.
• Quick Wins: identify and act on immediate opportunities to elevate service, streamline operations, and boost team efficiency, setting a proactive tone from the start.

What's in For you?

At Vida Plena, you're not just taking a position; you are joining a community that values joy, respect, and a collective pursuit of excellence. If you're prepared to bring your expertise, passion, and innovation to our team, we're excited to welcome you into our fold.

• A salary that respects your work — competitive pay from day one
• Performance that pays off— team performance bonus and fair tip distribution, because great service deserves real recognition
• A schedule that respects your time — no split shifts and, whenever possible, consecutive days off, giving you proper time to rest and recharge
• Enjoy the experience yourself— group discounts for you and your guests across all our venues
• Wellbeing is a priority — a mental health partner and weekly activities on us, from yoga and boxing to meditation, keeping you energised on and off the floor
• Celebrations that bring us together— regular team-building events and group parties, because the best teams also know how to have fun
• Room to grow — be part of an expanding hospitality group with internal mobility and career progression opportunities.