Cafe Operations Manager

Are you ready to lead a dynamic team and create a thriving cafe environment by Lehigh University? We're searching for an enthusiastic Cafe Operations Manager to take the helm and drive excellence across Saxbys' Three Pillars: Team Development, Community Leadership, and Financial Management. This is your chance to be the heart and soul of a vibrant cafe, where every day is an opportunity to Make Life Better for our guests and team members.

Who Should Apply?

We're looking for someone who is passionate about hospitality and thrives in a leadership role. If you are:

A Team Builder: You have a talent for recruiting, training, and developing a high-performing team that embodies Saxbys' values.
Guest-Centric: You are committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences and maintaining a culture of hospitality.
Operationally Savvy: You excel in managing cafe operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
Community-Minded: You love building relationships and engaging with the local community to establish the cafe as a valued partner.
Financially Astute: You have a keen eye for financial performance and are driven to achieve business goals.

Job Summary: The Cafe Operations Manager oversees a non-Experiential Learning Cafe (meaning there is no Student CEO). In these cafes, this role is the leader of the cafe and drives excellence across Saxbys' Three Pillars (team development, community leadership, and financial management) to create a thriving cafe environment. This role serves as the primary leader for all cafe operations, building a high-performing team that delivers exceptional guest experiences while achieving business goals.

What You Will Own

• Team Development: Build and maintain a high-performing team through effective recruiting, training, coaching, and development. Create a positive work environment that embodies Saxbys' values and culture of hospitality.
• Guest Experience: Conduct regular quality assurance checks, audit performance to look for and correct inconsistencies in execution, and maintain a culture of hospitality within the cafe.
• Cafe Standards: Remain up-to-date on all cafe operations in order to train and coach on all cafe roles. Make SOPs easily accessible to the team and maintain operational integrity by ensuring team members are following all listed steps. Issue Coaching & Counseling forms when necessary and conduct involuntary terminations should they be required.
• Cafe Communication: Provide regular updates to your team on new rollouts, changes in procedure, updates on policies, etc. Ensure these communications exhibit our mission to Make Life Better.
• PARS & Inventory: Ensure accuracy in inventory counts and review and approve Orders & PARS Inventory Worksheet.
• Financial Performance: Drive cafe profitability through effective management of labor, inventory, and cost of goods sold. Analyze financial data to identify opportunities for improvement and implement strategies to increase revenue and control expenses.
• Community Engagement: Develop meaningful relationships within the local community to establish the cafe as a valued community partner. Plan and execute outreach initiatives that drive brand awareness and sales growth.

Who You Will Support

• Head of Area Operations/Area Operations Manager: Provide regular updates on cafe performance, implement strategic initiatives, and collaborate on continuous improvement efforts.
• Marketing: Execute product rollouts and promotional campaigns effectively within the cafe to drive sales and brand awareness.

Who You Will Supervise

This position supervises all cafe team members.

What Success Looks Like

• Meet or exceed budgeted revenue targets
• Achieve or surpass budgeted NOI (Net Operating Income)
• 30%+ of cafe staff are Team Leads
• Maintain labor costs within budgeted percentage
• Achieve COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) targets
• Maintain guest satisfaction ratings of 4.5+ stars

Where You Excel

• Master of Prioritization
• Holds Others Accountable
• Adaptable to Change
• Confident Communicator
• Developer of Individual Contributors
• Financial Acumen

What You Have Done

• 2+ years of food service management experience, preferably at Saxbys
• Demonstrated success in team leadership and development
• Experience managing financial performance in a retail or hospitality setting (preferred)
• Track record of building community relationships

What is Required

• Support, exhibit, and promote Saxbys Mission and Core Values in all daily activities.
• Valid driver's license if required to drive
• Physical requirements:
  • Able to stand, walk, and smile for extended periods of time
  • Able to stoop and kneel
  • Push, pull, lift or carry up to 35 lbs
  • Ascend or descend ladders, stairs, ramps