Cafe General Manager

brcr; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Health benefits

Free coffee and cafe discounts

Ongoing training and development

Leadership development path

Job summary

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in San Diego is seeking a General Manager to lead our cafe operations and drive excellence in service and quality. You will develop people, maintain exceptional standards, and foster a culture of continuous improvement with a team that shares a commitment to our values.

The role focuses on people development, operational excellence, and meeting sales goals while managing shifts and labor.

Qualifications

• Experience leading cafe staff and high-level customer service.
• Strong communication across departments and teams.
• Ability to manage inventory, scheduling, and labor costs.

Responsibilities

• Lead cafe operations and model exceptional customer service.
• Coach, train, and hire cafe staff, including keyholder decisions.
• Create and manage weekly schedules based on sales trends.
• Collaborate with ROM to meet sales goals and labor targets.
• Develop employee development plans and lead staff meetings.
• Oversee hiring and interviews for cafe positions.

Skills

Multi-tasking

People management

Communication

Fast-paced work

Problem-solving

Punctuality

Delegation

Results-driven

Cash handling

Interviewing

Labor management

Disciplinary processes

Job description

General Manager – Bird Rock Coffee Roasters

Location: San Diego (Point Loma), CA

Employment Type: Full-Time (35-40 hours/week)

Reports To: Regional Operations Manager

About Bird Rock Coffee Roasters: Since 2006, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters has been serving San Diego the best possible coffee while supporting farms socially, economically, and environmentally. We're more than a coffee company – we're a community of people committed to quality, genuine customer service, integrity, and continuous improvement.

The Opportunity: We're looking for a General Manager who's ready to step into cafe leadership and help drive our business forward. This isn't just about managing shifts – it's about developing people, maintaining excellence, and building something meaningful alongside a team that genuinely cares about what they do.

What You'll Do

• Exemplifies customer service expectations as a role model for other staff members
• Displaying continued curiosity in coffee and serving an exceptional product
• Initiating inclusive coffee conversations with team members
• Accurately take inventory to place orders while being mindful of the cost of goods
• Coach and train all cafe-level team members
• Hire entry-level barista positions with full authority (Keyholder and above require ROM approval)
• Conduct interviews for all cafe positions
• Create and manage weekly schedules based on sales trends and labor allowances
• Lead corrective action conversations and implement disciplinary measures
• Troubleshoot problems swiftly using the correct channels
• Clear, positive, and proactive communication with team members, customers and vendors
• Collaborate with the ROM to meet sales goals and manage labor within targets
• Create development plans for employees in order to grow their skills
• Perform the second day training for new hires
• Lead staff meetings with intent
• Collaborate with the Retail Operations Manager to host events
• Finding coverage for any uncovered shifts
• Manages high productivity and results for the company and customers (including proper delegation, and cutting hours if necessary)
• Communicating with the maintenance team when equipment is not functioning properly
• Displaying an enthusiasm and desire to meet and exceed objectives

What We're Looking For

Required skills

• Multi-tasking skills
• People management & communication skills
• Excellent communication between all departments and staff members
• Ability to maintain composure in a fast-paced environment
• Problem-solving skills
• Punctual and dependable
• Delegating tasks for efficiency
• Drive for results
• Cash handling skills
• Interviewing and hiring experience
• Employee scheduling and labor management skills
• Experience with corrective action and disciplinary processes
• Supervisor Experience (2-3 years)

Preferred qualifications

• Cafe/food service experience (2-3 years)
• Retail/customer service experience (4 years)
• Specialty coffee knowledge (1-2 years)
• Management experience (1+ years)
• Previous hiring and interviewing experience
• Scheduling software proficiency

You’ll Thrive Here If You:

• Care deeply about coffee quality and attention to detail
• Communicate directly, kindly, and authentically
• Want to understand the business, not just run shifts
• Lead with curiosity and a growth mindset
• Value building real relationships with your team and guests
• Take pride in creating excellent experiences

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation
• Health benefits (for eligible positions)
• Free coffee (obviously) and cafe discounts
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Clear leadership development path

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.