General Manager

CLASSIFICATION​:  Exempt

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports to the District Manager

• Direct Reports: Shift Leads, Baristas, and Food Prep Positions

About Equator

In 1995, Equator Founders Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell began their values-driven path, roasting coffee in a Marin County, CA garage. Possessing an obsessive commitment to green coffee sourcing and unparalleled roasting expertise, Helen and Brooke have committed over 28 years to sustainable and fair trade coffee practices all in the name of creating a remarkable coffee experience for consumers. Today, Equator Coffees is a retail and wholesale coffee roaster and coffee farm owner with eleven retail cafes throughout California—from Marin County to San Francisco to Oakland to Los Angeles and beyond. Throughout the years, Equator Coffees has spearheaded industry-leading sourcing and roasting practices, and has forged progressive partnerships with Michelin-starred chefs, specialty grocers, tech campuses, and more.  Women-owned, LGBTQ-founded, and an early adopter of Fair Trade certification, Equator Coffees is the first California coffee roaster to achieve B Corp Certification.

Position Summary 

The Café General Manager is responsible for leading the entire cafe team to providing an exceptional coffee experience for the customer. In order to be successful in this position, you must have a passion for the mission and values of Equator Coffees and want to share that passion with your team and the greater community by being a leader within the café. 

Key Responsibilities

• Sets a standard of conscientiously hiring, training, developing, and retaining employees

• Continuously develops self and team

• Inspires and creates a positive environment 

• Communicates regularly with team, provides positive and constructive feedback, and holds quarterly team meetings 

• Create timely and complete schedules, taking the business and employees needs into consideration

• Completes payroll accurately and submits it within the proper time frame

• Models hospitality and is in service to the customer

• Acts to resolve customer concerns and is always looking for ways to make the experience better 

• Monitors, coaches, and encourages team members to exceed the customer’s expectations through the team’s execution of the operations, processes, recipes, and knowledge

• Know all products, including ingredients, quality consistency positioning, and signage with the ability to answer questions that might come up from staff or customers

• Completes required inventories and accurate ordering in the proper time frame 

• Manage the store’s financial performance and costs to include accurate cash controls and product ordering 

• Completes the weekly financial corporate requirements accurately and in a timely manner

• Is relentless in finding ways to drive sales and create new customers

• Monitors Key Performance Indicators and is always looking for areas to improve 

Compensation

• Competitive Salary

• Attainable bonus structure

• 100% Employer Covered Premium Medical Insurance 

• Group Dental & Vision Insurance Plans Available

• Employer Covered Life Insurance Premium

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - Healthcare, Commuter and Dependent Day Care

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Physical and Mental Health, Financial, and Legal Coaching available at no cost to the employee

• Paid Time Off 

• 8 Equator observed holidays per year for eligible employees (including MLK Day)

• 1 paid volunteer day per year

• Paid time for voting on election day and for reflection on Juneteenth

• 401K - Employee eligible after 1 year of employment

• Free coffee

Qualifications and Requirements

• Demonstrates a passion for coffee and inspires it in others

• Management experience in specialty coffee, retail, hospitality and/or customer service is required 

• Experience managing a profitable & operationally sound single café/restaurant preferred 

• Must maintain current state issued SERVSafe Manager Certificate

• Experience recruiting, hiring, and managing staff 

• Strong leadership skills with professional maturity  

• Proven ability to understand and execute on an organization’s goals and objectives

• Enjoys working on a team and collaborating as a team player 

• Leadership, relationship, team building, and conflict management skills 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills - both oral and written 

• Must be able to exercise independent judgment and decision-making skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines 

• Experience reviewing financial reports and meeting budgets 

• Able to work full time (the work regularly demands in excess of 45 hours per week) including variable hours such as early morning, evenings, weekends, and/or holidays 

• Ability to lead change, deal with the ambiguity, and the prioritizing needed to run a fast-paced environment 

• Experience with POS touch screen, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and other computer skills 

• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred

• Minimum High School or GED 

B Corp Declaration of Interdependence

We envision a global economy that uses business as a force for good. This economy consists of a new type of corporation – the B Corporation – which is purpose-driven and creates benefits for all stakeholders, not just shareholders. 

As Certified B Corporations and leaders of this emerging economy, we believe:

• That we must be the change we seek in the world.

• That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place matter.

• That, through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.

• To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are each dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations.

This position description intends to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities. Job responsibilities can change according to the operational needs of the business. The order in which duties and responsibilities are listed is not significant. 

Equator Coffees is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, and discharge will be based on competence, performance and the business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability or any other applicable legally protected characteristics.