Area Team Leader

161 717 South Seeley; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary 90k-100k

Bonus program

Insurance: Medical, Dental, Vision

401K

Paid Vacation & Holidays

Pre-Tax Benefits

Fitness Discounts

Cell Phone Stipend

EAP

Free Just Salad

Job summary

Just Salad is seeking a Senior Area Team Leader (SATL) to oversee 20+ restaurants and 2+ ATLs. Under the Zone VP you will drive labor, operations, team development, and sales while ensuring compliance with DOH and internal standards.

This role is a training path to Regional Director, with a six‑month evaluation to confirm readiness and potential extension. Expect heavy travel to stores, leadership coaching, and collaboration with HR on turnover and safety programs, aligned with Just Salad’s

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in restaurant management.
• 75% travel required.
• Manage 10+ stores and 3+ ATLs.
• Ability to work weekends.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Ability to receive and apply feedback.
• Moving equipment up to 25 pounds and navigate stairs.

Responsibilities

• Recruiting and staffing stores to ensure full staffing.
• Train, coach and develop staff members.
• Ensure stores pass DOH/internal/external audits and follow food safety protocols.
• Drive labor, operations and sales to meet KPI goals.
• Lead guest satisfaction initiatives and achieve 4-star ratings.
• Travel to stores to support teams and review turnover with HR.

Skills

Leadership

Staff development

Customer service

Travel readiness

Interpersonal skills

Feedback incorporation

Stairs navigation

Heavy equipment handling

Education

Food Handlers Certification

Job description

Under the general direction of the Zone VP the Senior Area Team Leader (SATL) will focus on developing their skills and use this as a training and steppingstone to the Regional Director position. They will oversee operations and success of 20 or more restaurants and 2 or more ATLS. They will ensure that company goals are being met, including but not limited to labor, operations, team development, and sales. The SATL will also represent Just Salad by ensuring that all stores are following operational standards and procedures. The SATL will be evaluated after 6 months to determine if they are fit for the Regional Director position or to extend their time in the SATL role. In line with Just Salad’s mission to make everyday health and sustainability possible, you will also support initiatives to reduce Just Salad’s environmental footprint.

SATL reports to: Zone VP

Daily Responsibilities

Culture

• Recruiting
• Having stores fully staffed
• Following the Hourly Interview Guide
• Opus Compliance
• Ensure that your team is being assigned the proper courses and completing them in a timely manner
• Providing additional support via Opus as needed
• People Development
• Train, coach and develop staff members
• Identify leadership growth
• Create a succession plan by developing SRTLs and ATLs to support growth
• Ensure proper disciplinary action is being taken when needed with support from HR
• Conduct store visits as needed to support your team
• Employee Turnover
• Travel to the stores they oversee
• Partner with HR to review turnover numbers for your area by department, position, and store

Consistency + Connection

• Food Safety
• Ensuring your stores pass all their DOH, internal, and external audits
• Ensure all food safety protocols are being executed correctly
• DOH and food safety compliance must be met
• Store Upkeep
• Completing Daily Chex
• Guest Connection
• Work with the team to ensure your stores are at or above 4 star ratings
• Guest Complaints
• Implement a plan of action to reduce these
• SST – same store transaction growth
• Hitting a KPI of 3% + SST YoY

Financials

• Store EBITDA at 22%-24% or above
• Ensure your stores are at this EBITDA percentage
• Food and Labor Management
• Total labor 27% or below
• Direct labor
• Management labor
• Taxes + Benefits
• Food Costs + Paper
• SSS: Same Store Sales
• Achieving 4% on SSS YoY
• Workers’ Compensation
• Ensuring that work injuries are reported in a timely manner to HR with completed C2 paperwork
• Working with Ops Services to implement safety guidelines as needed
• Payroll
• Ensure managers follow payroll deadlines

Job Requirements

• Minimum 5 years in restaurant management, preferably quick service
• 75% travel required
• Food Handlers Certification
• Manage 10+ stores and 3 or more ATLs
• Consistently travel/visit all stores in your area
• Moving equipment weighing up to 25 pounds
• Moving continuously throughout a shift
• Ability to navigate stairs
• Exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills
• Ability to receive and apply feedback
• Availability on weekends

Benefits

• Annual Salary $90,000 - $100,000 - Salary dependent on experience. Eligible to participate in the corporate bonus program
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Voluntary Long-Term Disability, Hospital Insurance, Accidental Insurance, Life Insurance + AD & D
• Eligibility to participate in 401K
• Paid Vacation and Holidays
• Pre-Tax Benefits (FSA, HSA, and Commuter Benefits)
• Fitness Discounts
• Cell Phone Stipend
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free Just Salad while working

About Us

Just Salad is a fast-casual restaurant chain with a mission to make everyday health and sustainability possible. The brand serves craveable, accessible, plant-centric meals made with homemade dressings, prepped-daily produce, from-scratch recipes and fresh, flavorful ingredients. Guests can choose from over 15 chef-designed salads, wraps, warm bowls, market plates, soups and smoothies, including classic offerings and rotating seasonal favorites. Empowering customers to “Eat with Purpose,” Just Salad is a Certified B Corporation and home to the world’s largest restaurant reusable program, as well as the first U.S. restaurant chain to carbon label its menu and offer a Climatarian menu category. The company was founded in 2006 and has over 100 locations across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Washington D.C.