General Manager

sweetgreen Store + Field Leadership - Internal; New York (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary + 20% bonus

Paid vacation

401(k) program

Paid family leave

Greens and Sweetgreen swag

Impact on team and community

Collaborative team culture

Career development path

Job summary

Sweetgreen Head Coach (General Manager) leads a store team to deliver exceptional guest experiences through data-driven insights and healthy community focus. You will balance people, operations, and business performance while maintaining food safety and high standards.

This role includes coaching, budgeting, scheduling, and utilizing technology to optimize profitability. You will drive a culture of inclusion, hire and develop talent, and ensure brand-aligned experiences across all shifts in a

Qualifications

• 3+ years in food service with at least 2 years in hands-on management.
• Experience hiring, training, and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong financial acumen including budgeting, scheduling, and cost control.
• Data-driven mindset with a focus on operational improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the store by balancing people, operations and business performance.
• Coach talent, optimize operations with technology and guest experience.
• Maintain food safety, cleanliness, and equipment standards.
• Drive sales and profit through strategic planning and scheduling.
• Operate and support all systems, troubleshoot issues, ensure smooth daily operations.
• Perform duties spanning roles from Shift Leader to Team Member as needed.

Skills

People leadership

Operations management

Financial acumen

Data-driven decisions

Food safety

Team coaching

Hiring & development

Adaptability

Collaboration

Process optimization

Education

ServSafe Manager Certification

Job description

As a Head Coach (General Manager), you're the leader, strategist, and mentor of your store. You'll inspire your team, drive operational excellence, and deliver exceptional guest experiences using data-driven insights to build healthier communities through real food.

What You’ll Do

Lead your team by balancing people, operations, and business performance. Build an inclusive culture while coaching talent, using technology to optimize operations and drive profitability. Maintain high standards of food quality, safety, and cleanliness while adapting to a dynamic environment.

Essential Functions

• People + Team Leadership: Lead the full employee lifecycle while fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and inclusion. Ensure compliance, deliver timely feedback, and develop a strong, diverse talent pipeline.
• Food Safety + Operations: Maintain high standards for food safety, cleanliness, and equipment maintenance, resolving facility, supply, and food quality issues while prioritizing team safety.
• Customer Experience: Deliver clean, hospitable, and brand-aligned experiences, acting on guest metrics and making data-informed business decisions.
• Financial + Business Acumen: Drive sales and profit by analyzing reports, managing costs, executing strategic plans, and creating effective schedules aligned with business goals.
• Systems, Process + Technology: Operate and support all systems, troubleshoot issues, and prioritize daily operations to ensure smooth business and guest experiences.
• Execute Head Coach Career Path Duties: Perform all essential functions outlined in the Assistant Coach role, including those from the Shift Leader, Kitchen Lead, and Team Member roles.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Experience in high-volume, fast-paced restaurants.
• Hands-on experience with local, organic, and sustainable products
• ServSafe Manager or Regional Manager Food Safety Certification
• Tech-savvy and comfortable using digital tools for operations, reporting, and team communication
• Strong financial acumen: managing budgets, labor, and P&L effectively
• Proven experience hiring, coaching, and developing high-performing teams
• Exceptional adaptability and problem-solving in fast-paced, dynamic environments
• Data-driven mindset with curiosity to identify and implement operational improvements
• Commitment to operational excellence, hospitality, and team engagement
• Experience in fast-casual or retail operations is a plus
• Meet all physical requirements of all roles within the career path of the Head Coach including Assistant Coach role, Shift Leader, Kitchen Lead, and Team Member.
• 3+ years in food service, with at least 2 years in hands‑on management
• Experience hiring, developing, training, and motivating team members
• Skilled in planning, managing, and forecasting financials, labor, and inventory
• Hands‑on experience managing and optimizing processes in a fast‑paced environment
• Proven ability to lead and mentor teams collaboratively

What Perks You’ll Get

• Competitive base salary + 20% bonus potential
• Paid vacation + wellness time
• 401(k) program
• Paid family leave
• Complimentary greens and Sweetgreen swag
• Opportunities to impact your team, community, and business
• A collaborative team that lives our core values
• Clear career path for personal and professional development

Who We Are

Sweetgreen is a national restaurant brand dedicated to building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Since 2007, Sweetgreen has reimagined fast food to be fresh, flavorful, and rooted in relationships with farmers and communities. As we grow, we are committed to developing our people in our restaurants and at our support center, so that everyone can be part of the movement. When you join Sweetgreen, you not only invest in your own future but help create spaces where food, people, and purpose come together.

Salary range for this role:

Starting salary range based on experience

$80,000 - $100,000 USD

This job requires you to be 18 years old or older.

Having a valid ServSafe/Food Handler Card is a required condition of employment.

Have you ever worked for sweetgreen in the past?

We have a different process for internal candidates. Please indicate if you are a current employee so we can share the next steps with you.

Federal law and our policies, as a condition of employment, require employees show proof of legal eligibility to work in the United States.

Have you read and do you agree to the Application Arbitration Agreement linked below?

During the interview process, we may collect personal information, including the video recording itself (“sensory data”), your name and other identifiers, work experience and other employment‑related information, as well as any other personal information you include in your recorded responses. You are free to block or cover your video camera: we only consider your oral responses. We’ll use this information to evaluate your application, to administer and improve the interview process, and for other recruiting‑related purposes. We will also use artificial intelligence (“A.I.”) tools in assessing your fitness for the position by analyzing your responses to see how well you align with the key traits and other criteria listed in the job description. These tools are designed to help us administer and improve the interview process; however, people ultimately make hiring decisions. We will retain your personal information during the application process (or employment relationship, if you join our team) and thereafter, as permitted or required by applicable law. We don’t sell or disclose any applicant’s personal information for advertising purposes. California residents can find more information on how we collect and handle your personal information in our Privacy Notice for California Candidates.