General Manager Cafe O Play

Urban Sprouts Child Development Center; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

403(b) Retirement Plan

Health, dental, and vision insurance (

Paid holidays

Two paid mental health days

Employee discount on Urban Sprouts ed

Job summary

Café O’Play, a mission-driven café opening as part of Urban Sprouts Child Development Center, seeks a General Manager to lead operations, hospitality, and community initiatives. The role blends people leadership with program coordination to ensure high-quality coffee, food, and guest experiences.

Located in a nonprofit setting, the GM will collaborate with the Director of Storytelling & Engagement and other leaders to build systems from the ground up and run a welcoming, family-friendly space.”

Qualifications

• Passion for specialty coffee and the ability to inspire that passion in others.
• Strong desire to serve others and lead with hospitality.
• Proven experience in hospitality management.
• Experience managing a specialty coffee shop with food service or a restaurant.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong conflict resolution and problem-solving abilities.
• Comfort with POS systems, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and related tools.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Organized, proactive, and detail-oriented.

Responsibilities

• Lead Café O’Play with a focus on hospitality and guest experience.
• Hire, onboard, train, and manage all café employees.
• Create and foster a positive, inclusive workplace culture.
• Conduct bi-annual (or annual) performance reviews.
• Lead by example on the floor during openings, closings, or shifts.

Skills

Leadership

Hospitality

Staff Training

Community Engagement

Tools

POS systems

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

Position: General ManagerLocation: Café O’Play (subsidiary of Urban Sprouts Child Development Center)Salary: Competitive and negotiable; $50,000 - $65,000; commensurate with experienceProjected Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM (projected hours of position 6:30-3:30)About Café O’PlayCafé O’Play is a new, mission-driven café opening soon as an extension of Urban Sprouts Child Development Center, a nonprofit organization rooted in community, care, and education.More than a coffee shop, Café O’Play will be a welcoming neighborhood gathering space—a place where high-quality coffee, thoughtfully prepared food, and warm hospitality come together in a family-friendly environment. Designed to support caregivers, educators, families, and community members, Café O’Play will reflect Urban Sprouts’ values of connection, creativity, and intentionality.The Cafe will be unique because it is part of a larger nonprofit, Urban Sprouts Child Development Center. We want the spirit of Urban Sprouts to shine through. That spirit emphasizes joy and play and we want our cafe to be a play-forward community gathering space. During the day, the cafe will operate like a more typical specialty coffee shop and cafe. In the afternoons and evenings, it will house separate programs, an afterschool tutoring program and a program that fights food insecurity by providing meals at no cost to children and families in need (these program will be run separately from the cafe but the GM should have a collaborative spirit and a heart for nonprofit work and community wellbeing since we are a cohesive team).The café will balance exceptional specialty coffee standards with accessibility and a joyful atmosphere—creating a space where people feel cared for, staff feel empowered, and community relationships can grow.About Urban SproutsFounded in 2009 by educator and advocate Ellicia Lanier, Urban Sprouts was created from the belief that every child deserves to be nurtured, seen, and celebrated.Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, Urban Sprouts provides a learning environment where children are viewed as capable, curious individuals who actively construct their own learning alongside educators and families. Community, collaboration, and respect are at the heart of everything we do—and Café O’Play is a natural extension of that philosophy.Position SummaryThe General Manager of Café O’Play will play a foundational role in bringing this new café to life. This position blends hospitality leadership, operational excellence, and community-building, with a strong emphasis on people—both guests and team members.The General Manager will be responsible for leading the café team with our Director of Storytelling and Engagement, establishing systems and culture from the ground up, and ensuring consistently high standards of coffee quality, service, and guest experience. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in both hands-on leadership and strategic planning, and who is excited to help shape a new concept from its earliest days.Key ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Team DevelopmentHire, onboard, train, and manage all café employeesCreate and foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive workplace cultureConduct bi-annual (or at minimum, annual) performance reviewsLead by example on the floor when needed, including opening, closing, or shift coverageOperations & AdministrationCreate weekly staff schedules at least two weeks in advanceEnsure appropriate staffing levels during all operating hoursPlace and manage weekly vendor ordersSubmit bi-weekly payroll accurately and on timeTrack, manage, and report monthly inventoryMonitor sales, labor, and key performance metricsMaintain POS backend programming and menu updatesMenu, Quality & Guest ExperienceEnsure consistent, high-quality coffee and food standardsMaintain a strong focus on hospitality and guest satisfactionAddress guest feedback and resolve concerns professionally and thoughtfullyFacilities & ComplianceEnsure all equipment and facilities are clean, safe, and in proper working conditionCoordinate maintenance and repairs as neededMaintain a current state-issued SERVSafe Manager CertificationMarketing & Brand CollaborationCollaborate with Urban Sprouts leadership and marketing partners to shape:Brand voice and messagingVisual identity and guest experiencePromotions and community engagement effortsQualifications & ExperiencePassion for specialty coffee and the ability to inspire that passion in othersStrong desire to serve others and lead with hospitalityProven experience in hospitality managementExperience managing a specialty coffee shop with food service or a restaurantExcellent written and verbal communication skillsStrong conflict resolution and problem-solving abilitiesComfort with POS systems, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and related toolsAbility to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environmentOrganized, proactive, and detail-orientedReporting RelationshipsReports To: The Director of Storytelling & Engagement will serve as the direct point of contact and act as a liaison between Café O Play and the center. If the direct supervisor is unavailable, the Chief of Strategy and Institutional Advancement and the Chief Operations Officer will serve as secondary points of contact for additional support.Supervises: All Café O’Play staffBenefitsConsistent schedulePaid onboarding and training period prior to openingOpportunities to help build and shape a new café from the ground upSupportive, mission-driven nonprofit work environment403(b) Retirement Plan75% employer paid health, dental, and vision insuranceAfter one year of employment, coverage increases to 90%Paid holidaysTwo paid mental health days50% off early education and childcare at Urban Sprouts Child Development Center if you have a child or children between the ages of 0 and 5 years oldOne week of paid vacation/sick timeE04JI800ve1d409eo0c