General Manager

Job Description:

General Manager

Description

The Board desires a General Manager with considerable retail, bar/hospitality management experience who will: 

• Enthusiastically establish and maintain an organizational culture of trust, high employee morale, and accountability; cultivate unity across the organization’s Board, its warehouse, stores, and administrative functions while successfully balancing operational and clientele needs.
• Actively foster open communication and meaningful engagement across the organization, building cohesive relationships with staff, customers, Board members, and the diverse communities Orange County ABC serves.
• Strategically support operational efficiency through budget evaluation and management, strengthen internal operations, utilize best-practices in increasing sales, and work to proactively ensure the organization’s long-term sustainability in a changing retail and regulatory environment.
• Positively reflect the mission, reputation and values of the Orange County ABC Control Board in day-to-day responsibilities, serving as a highly visible leader who demonstrates integrity, professionalism, accountability, and ethical judgment while building credibility with employees, customers, Board members, and community stakeholders.

The successful candidate is a demonstrated people-focused leader – well respected by employees and stakeholders and known for active-listening, expressing empathy, and being approachable, and empathetic. The next General Manager has significant product knowledge and understanding of mixed beverage operations, NC ABC legislative environment and constraints, risk management best practices, trends within the alcohol industry, and is an effective problem-solver who is flexible and adaptable under pressure.

This is not simply an operational management role—it is an opportunity to shape the future of a respected public enterprise and unite stakeholders around the Orange County ABC's mission of responsibly controlling the sale of spirituous liquor, returning profits to law enforcement, alcohol education, and the Orange County General Fund while providing excellent service in customer friendly, modern, and efficient stores.

About Orange County Government:

Orange County government is a highly collaborative and forward-thinking organization, governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners. The commissioners are elected to four-year terms by district and at-large in partisan elections. The County’s mission is to serve as a visionary leader in providing governmental services valued by its community, beyond those required by law, in an equitable, sustainable, innovative, and efficient way. The County’s FY 25-26 budget of $435M ($312M General Fund) supports its nearly 1,200 FTEs across 27 departments.

Orange County’s Strategic Plan, adopted in 2024, rallies community leaders and members to ensure Environmental Protection and Climate Action, Healthy Community, Housing for All, Multi-modal Transportation, Public Education/Learning Community, and a Diverse and Vibrant Economy. The county’s vision—a community known as diverse, inclusive, and healthy, working together to strengthen the community and enhance the quality of life for all residents—is evidenced through the progress and development of this strategic plan.

About the ABC Board and Position:

The Orange County ABC Board is an independent local governmental entity responsible for the retail sale of distilled spirits throughout Orange County. Governed by a five-member Board of Directors, the organization operates nine retail stores and one warehouse serving the communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, Mebane, and Durham. Guided by a mission to responsibly serve the community through controlled alcohol sales, exceptional customer service, and sound financial stewardship, Orange County ABC returns profits to support local law enforcement, alcohol education programs, and the County’s General Fund.

Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the General Manager is responsible for the overall administration and management of Orange County ABC's operations, including retail sales, warehouse operations, financial management, inventory control, and strategic planning. The General Manager leads a team of 37 full-time and 18 part-time employees and oversees the organization’s $30M budget. View the organization’s recent performance audit report here. As the Board works to address budget shortfalls due to declining sales throughout the industry and legislative challenges, the next General Manager will play a key role in strengthening the organization's financial position. Evaluating and recommending changes to reduce organizational expenses while maintaining a skilled and valued workforce will be necessary for this position.   

Orange County’s next ABC General Manager will ensure that the organization’s human resources, training, security, and safety protocols, processes and procedures align with state laws and regulations and best support the organization and its employees. Skilled in human resources management, the General Manager creatively and strategically recruits and retains employees in a competitive job market. The Orange County ABC General Manager is also tasked with lease management for the organization’s stores including but not limited to lease negotiation and administration, property management, renovations and new construction. This customer-service minded professional consistently demonstrates fairness and equity across diverse people groups – from customers, to staff, Board and other stakeholders.