General Manager (Chicago Suburbs - Bench)

General Manager (Patrão)

Being a Patrão at Nando's means bringing heat, heart, and soul into the restaurant every single day. You create a place where Nandocas feel safe, inspired, and confident; where customers feel the warmth of hospitality; and where the local community feels the impact of our purpose of Changing Lives. At the center of it all, you nurture a culture rooted in Pride, Passion, Courage, Integrity, and Family — and you lead with the spirit of Ubuntu: 'I am because we are.'

As the Patrão — the head of the family — you own the full life of the restaurant. You grow people, elevate the brand, strengthen commercial performance, and build partnerships within your community. You don't just run a business; you build futures and change lives.

You lead with an annual business horizon and full unit ownership — people, brand, commercial, and operations. You set the vision and rhythm for 14 Brilliant Shifts, care for the R&M budget, guide local marketing and community partnerships, and turn strategy into daily execution that guests and Nandocas can feel.

Your key focus areas and responsibilities include:

• People — Grow, Inspire, and Lead the Restaurant Family
• Brand — Fire Up an Unforgettable Nando's Experience
• Commercial — Grow the Business with Balance and Purpose
• Changing Lives — Create Impact Beyond the Restaurant

You make strategic and operational decisions for the unit, set standards and governance, and approve hiring, performance actions, and spend within guardrails — escalating high-risk issues appropriately.

You own end-to-end food safety and health & safety, licensing, and audit performance. You protect people and financial integrity — from ER escalations and safeguarding daily controls and compliance training — creating a legally safe and beautiful restaurant.

Core outcomes and measures include:

• Happy Nandocas: engagement and growth; a diverse, capable bench of future leaders.
• Happy Customers: consistent brand touchpoints, hospitality excellence, guest advocacy, and shopper outcomes.
• Happy Leadership: P&L delivery, GP improvement, waste reduction, and labor productivity. You ensure invoices are paid on time, credits received, equipment is maintained, and PM's done on time.
• Changing Lives: inclusive hiring, community impact plans, and demonstrable sustainability actions.

Key interfaces include Assistant Patrão and managers; Area/Managing Director; People Partner/HR; Finance; Facilities; Supply Chain; Marketing; Community partners; local authorities.

What makes a Patrão distinct:

Translates strategy into an executable plan; builds a resilient, values-led culture; delivers results and improves KPIs year-on-year.

Leading in the Nando's Way:

You blend having fun, making money, and changing lives. You put people first. You live Ubuntu with humility and courage. You bring your best self, and you make decisions like an owner — keeping things simple, protecting the guest and the frontline, and building a sustainable future together.

What you bring:

• 4- 6 years of restaurant management experience, including shift and team leadership
• Proven ability to run all aspects of a restaurant (people, food, operations, safety, sales)
• Demonstrated success delivering KPIs (sales growth, labor control, food quality, audits)
• Experience hiring, training, and developing Nandocas and Assistant Patraõ
• Experience managing inventory, ordering, prep, and food safety routines
• Track record of leading peak shifts and resolving guest issues
• Experience executing brand standards and maintaining a safe, compliant Casa
• Education / Certifications: High school diploma or equivalent; SERV Safe Manager required; Allergen Awareness & Alcohol Safety certifications where applicable

Physical requirements include:

• Able to independently lift up to 50lbs for an extended period of time
• Must be able to walk and/or stand for 8-10 hours per day
• Hand-eye coordination
• Reaching, bending twisting, stooping
• Pushing and Pulling
• Lifting overhead
• Must be able to climb stairs in restaurants that have multiple levels

Nandos North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.