Bench General Manager

Equator Coffees; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Free coffee

Employee discount

Healthcare benefits after 60 days

401K with company match

Job summary

Equator Coffees in Burlingame is seeking a Bench General Manager who will shadow current store leaders and prepare to manage a home store and its team. You’ll focus on hiring, training, and developing staff under guidance from the District Manager, while cultivating a positive, collaborative store culture.

The role emphasizes scheduling, payroll accuracy, and achieving financial targets. You’ll work closely with leadership to drive sales, monitor KPIs, and identify opportunities for improvement,

Qualifications

• Passion for coffee and ability to inspire others.
• Experience managing a profitable, operational single café/restaurant.
• Current state SERVSafe Manager Certificate.
• Experience recruiting, hiring, and staff management.
• Strong leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Hire, train, and develop store team under guidance of district leadership.
• Create schedules balancing business and staff needs.
• Oversee payroll accuracy and operational controls.
• Drive sales and monitor KPIs with the District Manager.
• Provide excellent customer service and maintain store standards.

Skills

Management experience

Leadership skills

Staff recruitment

Communication skills

Budgeting and payroll

Spanish bilingual

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

POS touch screen

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

POSITION: Bench General Manager - Retail Cafe - Burlingame

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports to the District Manager
• Direct Reports: Shift Leads, Baristas, and Food Prep Positions

COMPENSATION: $72,000 to $75,000 Annual Salary

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, Equator has committed over 30 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 twelve 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 and Regenerative Organic certifications, Equator Coffees is the first California coffee roaster to achieve B Corp Certification.

Position Summary

The Bench Manager position is a unique opportunity to embark on a journey of learning and growth, with the ultimate goal of managing a designated home store and its team. This role involves shadowing existing store managers, working closely with the District Manager, and immersing oneself in the key responsibilities that define our brand's commitment to excellence. The Bench General Manager is entrusted with conscientious hiring, training, and employee development, all under the guidance of seasoned managers. Fostering a positive environment and effective communication within the team are skills cultivated through hands‑on experience and mentorship. The Bench General Manager learns the art of creating schedules that harmonize with business and employee needs, mastering accurate payroll management, and promptly addressing customer concerns. With a focus on financial performance, this role involves working closely with the District Manager to drive sales, monitor Key Performance Indicators, and consistently identify areas for improvement. The Bench Manager role is a dynamic learning experience, instilling a passion for our brand and a commitment to leadership that will shape the successful management of a future home store and its team.

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

Compensation

• Available to all employees
• Commuter Benefits - pre-tax parking and transit
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Physical and mental health, financial and legal coaching available at no cost to the employee
• Free mental health app subscription
• Employee discount on merchandise, coffee gear, and at Equator cafes
• Continuing coffee education classes
• Free coffee
• Paid Time Off for voting on Election Day
• After 60 days as an employee at Equator
  • Healthcare Benefits (for full-time employees working over 30 hours per week)
  • 100% employer‑covered premium medical insurance
  • Voluntary Insurance Plans - dental, vision, long-term disability, pet, and supplementary life insurance
  • Employer covered life insurance premium
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - healthcare and daily dependent care
• After 90 days as an employee at Equator
  • Holiday Pay after 90 days of employment. Eight Equator‑observed holidays per year
  • Paid Time Off with tenured increases for full‑time employees
  • 1 paid volunteer day per year
• After six months as an employee at Equator
  • 401K with up to a 4% company match on employee contributions

Compensation will be commensurate with experience.

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.