General Manager, Fresh Food Kitchen & Retail

About the role

The General Manager, Fresh Food Kitchen & Retail oversees operations at JustFoodForDogs locations, focusing on delivering exceptional guest experiences, driving high operational execution, and fostering a positive workplace culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead each day with a customer-first mentality, inspiring the team to find creative ways to say “yes” to guests and deliver great service.
• Model the Standard: Maintain a strong floor presence during peak hours to greet guests, ensure speed of service, and immediately handle guest feedback with empathy and professionalism.
• Foster a Positive Attitude: Ensure the team maintains a warm, welcoming, and positive atmosphere that keeps guests returning.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and regular talent benchmarking to ensure the store is optimally staffed with highly performing individuals.
• Build a transparent, collaborative, and motivating work environment. Address behavioral and performance issues promptly and respectfully through active coaching and corrective action. Provide ongoing training, intentional career growth pathing, and constructive feedback to direct reports.
• Work through your front and back-of-house teams to deliver a consistently exceptional guest experience, rooted in operational excellence to exceed sales and profitability goals.
• Oversee daily opening and closing procedures, ensuring strict compliance with brand standards, product quality, inventory control, and standard operating procedures.
• Enforce rigorous food safety, sanitation, and physical security measures, ensuring the kitchen and sales areas pass all audits.
• Manage labor schedules, control food waste, optimize supply ordering, and analyze P&L statements to drive profitability without compromising on quality or service.
• Navigate High-Volume Environments: Anticipate bottlenecks during rush periods and make quick, calculated adjustments to staffing positions or workflows.
• Adaptability: Welcome change and adapt smoothly to new corporate initiatives, product rollouts, or unexpected mechanical/facilities challenges; and can independently solve problems.
• Serve as the ultimate problem solver for interpersonal team conflicts or intricate customer complaints, resolving issues with an open mind and structured judgment.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Minimum of 2–3 years of progressive leadership experience in a high-volume quick-service or fast-casual restaurant environment (as a GM, AGM, or high-level Service Leader).
• ServSafe and Food Manager’s Card Required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong emotional intelligence and sense of team dynamics.
• Self-motivated professional who takes immediate initiative, actions feedback, possesses a servant’s heart, and continuously looks for operational improvements.
• Ability to stand, squat, and walk for extended periods, work in a fast-paced environment, and lift up to 50 lbs. Ability to work alone at times.