Area Hospitality Leader

Lodge Bread Company; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Training & development

Vision insurance

Job summary

Lodge Bread Company in Los Angeles is seeking an Area Hospitality Leader to oversee two bakery café locations, ensuring consistent standards, financial performance, and guest experience. You will lead staffing, forecasting, inventory control, budgeting, and operations, partnering with location leaders to develop talent, uphold food safety, and drive profitability across both sites.

This role requires hands-on leadership, strong communication, and the ability to manage schedules, purchasing, and

Qualifications

• Multi-unit restaurant leadership experience in high-volume operation.
• On-site presence required daily at two bakery café locations.
• Strong financial literacy including P&L and budgeting.
• Ability to manage staffing, scheduling, and forecasting across two sites.
• Proven focus on food safety and health regulations.
• Excellent communication and team development skills.

Responsibilities

• Schedule planning and forecasting for two locations.
• Oversee inventory control and cost management.
• Monitor financial reports and drive profitability.
• Lead weekly management meetings and coaching sessions.
• Oversee guest relations and catering operations.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and company standards.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

P&L analysis

Organization

Health & safety

Communication

Multi-unit experience

Tools

POS systems

Google Suite

Harri

R365

TipHaus

Inventory tools

Invoicing software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Reports To: Owner / Director of Operations

Benefits

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Training & development
• Vision insurance

Position Summary

The Area Hospitality Leader (AHL) is responsible for providing strategic leadership and operational oversight for two bakery café locations, ensuring consistent execution of company standards, financial performance, and an exceptional guest experience across both operations. This role drives business results by overseeing staffing strategies, labor and cost management, budgeting, forecasting, and operational performance. The Area Hospitality Leader partners closely with each location's leadership team to develop talent, foster accountability, and maintain high standards of service, quality, and food safety. Additionally, the Area Hospitality Leader provides guidance and approval for scheduling, purchasing, and key operational decisions while ensuring critical daily functions—including ordering, labor management, inventory control, cash handling, and operational execution—are performed consistently and efficiently across every shift

Primary Responsibilities

Scheduling & Forecasting

• Review, approve, and develop weekly schedules in partnership with Head of House per location, ensuring staffing levels align with projected business demands, labor budgets, operational needs, and the organization's two-week scheduling standard.
• Lead the development and execution of weekly sales, labor, and operational forecasts by analyzing historical performance, current business trends, and future demand to drive informed staffing, purchasing, and financial decisions.
• Evaluate sales trends, seasonality, local events, and operational performance to establish and adjust inventory, ordering, and production par levels, ensuring product availability while minimizing waste and controlling costs.
• Drive accountability by coaching managers on effective schedule planning, labor management, and forecasting best practices to ensure consistent execution across both café locations.

Inventory & Financial Oversight

• Oversee inventory control and financial performance for both café locations, ensuring compliance with company standards, operational efficiency, and profitability goals.
• Conduct and reconcile End-of-Period (EOP) inventory counts, ensuring inventory accuracy, financial integrity, and timely reporting.
• Establish and maintain inventory control procedures, conducting routine audits and investigating inventory variances to minimize loss, waste, and shrinkage.
• Analyze inventory usage, sales trends, and product mix to optimize ordering, improve inventory turnover, and reduce food and beverage costs.
• Partner with leadership to establish and adjust inventory and production par levels based on sales forecasts, seasonality, local events, and business trends.
• Collaborate with vendors to ensure product quality, resolve delivery issues, and maintain adequate inventory levels to support operational needs.
• Review weekly and period-end financial reports, including Profit & Loss (P&L) statements, identifying trends, variances, and opportunities to improve profitability.
• Conduct financial planning and cost analysis by evaluating food, beverage, labor, and operating expenses, and developing action plans to improve margins and operational efficiency.
• Approve company credit card transactions, Amazon purchases, and other operating expenses, ensuring expenditures are properly documented, compliant with company policies, and within budget.
• Monitor daily sales performance and forecasts, making strategic operational adjustments to staffing, purchasing, and production to maximize revenue while controlling costs.
• Partner with senior leadership to support annual budgeting, financial forecasting, and business planning initiatives, ensuring both locations consistently achieve financial and operational objectives.

Team Leadership & Development

• Conduct performance evaluations for Crewmembers and Hourly Managers, providing meaningful feedback, setting development goals, and driving individual and team performance.
• Lead performance management initiatives by administering progressive discipline, coaching managers through employee relations matters, and ensuring timely follow-up on policy, conduct, and performance concerns in partnership with Human Resources.
• Facilitate weekly management meetings to review operational performance, financial results, staffing priorities, and key business initiatives while promoting alignment and accountability across both locations.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with SM1 and JM2 leaders to provide coaching, assess performance, support professional development, and ensure achievement of operational and financial objectives.
• Lead the selection process for management and key hourly positions by conducting second-round interviews, evaluating leadership potential, and partnering with hiring managers to build high-performing teams.

Facilities & Vendor Management

• Submit and manage shop maintenance and repair needs with approved vendors and ownership.

Guest Relations & Catering

• Monitor, respond to, and analyze guest feedback across online review platforms (e.g., Yelp, Google, and other review sites), addressing concerns promptly and identifying opportunities to enhance the guest experience and brand reputation.
• Oversee the coordination and execution of catering orders, ensuring seamless communication, operational readiness, and timely follow-up to deliver exceptional guest service and foster repeat business.
• Manage and maintain the café's Google Calendar, coordinating reservations, catering orders, special events, and operational scheduling to ensure efficient planning and clear communication across both locations.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in a multi-unit position or high-volume restaurant environment ($5 million in sales annually) in the food and beverage industry.
• Daily on-site attendance at location.
• Lifting requirements of 50 pounds. Bending, stooping, overhead lifting.
• Knowledge of financial statement analysis (P&L) and budget management.
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong leadership skills and experience managing teams.
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations in the food industry.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays, as needed.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with customers and employees.

Tools and Technology Used

• Point-of-sale (POS) systems
• Proficient in Google Suite, Harri, R365, and TipHaus
• Inventory management tools
• Order processing and invoicing software
• Email and digital communication tools
• R365 and relevant Microsoft Office suite