General Manager in Nottingham

General Manager

Nottingham | Full Time | Competitive Salary + Performance Bonus

About KINU

KINU is a contemporary Japanese restaurant in the heart of Nottingham city centre, combining exceptional food, cocktails and hospitality in a beautifully designed setting.

We’ve built something we’re incredibly proud of, but we’re only getting started.

We’re now looking for an ambitious General Manager to take ownership of the day-to-day operation of KINU. This isn’t simply about running shifts; it’s about leading people, growing the business, improving performance and helping shape the future of KINU.

If you’re commercially minded, passionate about hospitality and enjoy building high‑performing teams, we’d love to hear from you.

The Role

As General Manager, you will have full responsibility for the day-to-day operation of KINU.

You’ll lead every department, ensuring our guests receive exceptional service while delivering strong commercial performance across the business.

Working closely with the founders, you’ll have the autonomy to make decisions, develop the team and continually improve the business. We want someone who treats KINU as if it were their own.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & People

• Lead, coach and inspire the front‑of‑house team.
• Recruit, onboard and develop exceptional people.
• Build a culture of accountability, professionalism and outstanding hospitality.
• Carry out performance reviews, probation reviews and disciplinary procedures where required.
• Ensure every team member understands and delivers the KINU standard.

Commercial Performance

• Take full ownership of the restaurant’s financial performance.
• Manage labour, food and beverage costs against agreed targets.
• Analyse weekly trading performance and implement improvement plans.
• Deliver sustainable sales growth while protecting profitability.
• Prepare concise weekly KPI reports for the founders.

Business Development

• Build relationships with local businesses and corporate clients.
• Drive private dining, corporate events and group bookings.
• Create and deliver an annual promotional calendar.
• Identify new opportunities to increase revenue.
• Work proactively to grow KINU’s reputation within Nottingham.

Operations

• Oversee the daily running of the restaurant.
• Produce labour‑efficient rotas and manage holiday scheduling.
• Manage ordering and stock control across the kitchen, bar and all operational supplies.
• Maintain supplier relationships and negotiate where appropriate.
• Oversee opening, closing and cash reconciliation procedures.
• Ensure the restaurant and equipment are maintained to the highest standard.

Compliance

• Take ownership of all Food Safety, Health & Safety and licensing compliance.
• Maintain all EHO documentation and statutory records.
• Ensure the restaurant is always inspection‑ready.
• Manage operational maintenance and ensure issues are resolved promptly.

Guest Experience

• Own the guest experience from start to finish.
• Resolve complaints professionally and proactively.
• Monitor guest feedback and online reviews.
• Continually improve service standards and consistency.
• Create memorable experiences that keep guests coming back.

About You

We’re looking for someone who thinks like an owner.

You’ll be commercially aware, highly organised and confident making decisions independently. You’ll understand that exceptional hospitality and strong financial performance go hand in hand.

You’ll have:

• Previous General Manager or Senior Assistant General Manager experience in a quality restaurant environment.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience managing P&L performance.
• Experience controlling labour, food and beverage costs.
• Experience leading, motivating and developing hospitality teams.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• A proactive mindset with a genuine desire to improve and grow the business.
• Experience managing premium bar operations, cocktails, wine and spirits is advantageous.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Performance bonus
• Pension
• 28 days holiday
• Staff meals on shift
• Staff discount
• Genuine autonomy and responsibility
• The opportunity to grow with an ambitious independent hospitality business

This Role Is For You If…

• You enjoy building businesses, not just maintaining them.
• You naturally spot opportunities to improve performance.
• You lead by example and hold people accountable.
• You care as much about guest experience as you do about commercial results.
• You take ownership, make decisions and thrive with responsibility.

If you’re looking for a role where you can genuinely make an impact and help shape the future of an ambitious independent restaurant, we’d love to hear from you.