Bench General Manager

Equator Coffees; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Commuter benefits

EAP program

Mental health app

Employee discount

Education classes

Job summary

Equator Coffees is seeking a Bench General Manager for our Fort Mason cafe to learn the ropes of store leadership under the guidance of district leadership.

You will shadow current store managers, recruit and develop staff, create schedules, manage payroll, monitor sales, and help drive guest experience while pursuing a path to oversee a full home store. This role requires a passion for coffee and adaptability in a fast-paced, collaborative team.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership in retail/foodservice environments.
• Experience managing a profitable café/restaurant preferred.
• Must maintain SERVSafe Manager Certificate.
• Experience recruiting, hiring, and managing staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead, train, and develop store team while ensuring brand standards.
• Schedule, payroll, budgeting, and KPI monitoring to drive sales and customer satisfaction.
• Shadow and learn under district management toward eventual home-store leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Retail management

Staff recruitment

Customer service

Conflict resolution

Scheduling & payroll

Bilingual Spanish/English

SERVSafe Certification

Team development

Fast-paced environment

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

POS software

MS Office

Google Workspace

Job description

POSITION: Bench General Manager - Retail Cafe - Fort Mason

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

Reporting Relationships

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

Compensation

$74,000.00 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 meetdeadlines
• Experience reviewing financial reports and meeting budgets
• Able to work full time (the work regularly demands in excess of 45 hours per week) includingvariable 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‑pacedenvironment
• 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