Shift Leader - Sweetgreen

Sweetgreen; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tips (location dependent)

Competitive wages

Shift leadership path

Health benefits (part-time & full-time

Paid time off

Free meal

401(k)

Merch Shop

Job summary

Sweetgreen is seeking a Shift Leader to guide the team, support daily restaurant operations, and bring our mission to life—building healthier communities by connecting people to real food.

You’ll lead with confidence, energy, and accountability, manage pace and priorities, coach teammates, and ensure food safety and hospitality across every shift. A clear path to General Manager within 2 years is highlighted.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in restaurants, retail, or hospitality.
• Ability to coach and develop team members to elevate service and standards.
• Strong focus on hospitality, food quality, and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead shifts with a hospitality-first mindset, ensuring every guest feels welcomed and heard.
• Keep service running smoothly by managing pace, priorities, and execution across the floor.
• Jump in on any station as needed, modeling strong performance and teamwork in real time.
• Coach and support team members to elevate service, food quality, and operational standards.
• Uphold food safety, accuracy, cleanliness, and organization throughout every shift.
• Communicate clearly, solve problems quickly, and stay calm under pressure during high-volume moments.

Skills

Leadership experience

Team coaching

Customer service

Operational excellence

Job description

A Healthier Future Starts With You!

Every great shift runs on strong leadership. As a Sweetgreen Shift Leader, you help guide the team, support daily restaurant operations, and bring our mission to life — building healthier communities by connecting people to real food.

You lead with confidence, energy, and accountability — helping team members succeed, delivering first-in-class hospitality, and keeping the operation running smoothly during every shift.

Join our movement to rewrite the future of fast food and grow your own future too! Top performing Shift Leaders have a clear path to General Manager within 2 years.

What You’ll Actually Do

• Lead shifts with a hospitality-first mindset, ensuring every guest feels welcomed, cared for, and heard
• Keep service running smoothly by managing pace, priorities, and execution across the floor
• Jump in on any station as needed, modeling strong performance and teamwork in real time
• Coach and support team members to elevate service, food quality, and operational standards
• Uphold food safety, accuracy, cleanliness, and organization throughout every shift
• Communicate clearly, solve problems quickly, and stay calm under pressure during high-volume moments

The Role is a Great Fit If You

• Have leadership or supervisory experience in restaurants, retail, or hospitality
  
• Care deeply about hospitality, food quality, and operational excellence
  
• Enjoy motivating others and building a positive team culture
  
• Stay organized, level-headed, and solutions-focused under pressure
  
• Want to grow into restaurant management and long-term leadership roles
  
• Take pride in being accountable, dependable, and detail-oriented

The Perks

• Tips* (subject to location and role)
  
• Competitive wages
  
• This role is a key step toward Shift leader and Manager opportunities
  
• Medical, dental, and vision options for part-time and full-time team members*
  
• Paid vacation, wellness time, and parental leave*
  
• Free meal every shift
  
• 401(k)*
  
• Team Member Merch Shop - earn and buy custom Sweetgreen gear
  *Depending on eligibility

Minimum Requirements

• Meet all physical requirements for all roles within the Shift Leader career path, including the Kitchen Lead and Team Member roles
• 1+ year of experience in a Shift Leader or Supervisor role
• Experience in fast-paced environments - restaurant, retail, or hospitality
• Ability to coordinate multiple tasks while maintaining operational standards
• Ability to speak, read, write, and understand the primary language(s) of the work location
• Must be able to work at least 30 hours per week
• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Must be authorized to work in the United States

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 across our restaurants and support center so everyone can be part of the movement. When you join Sweetgreen, you not only invest in your own future but also help create spaces where food, people, and purpose come together.

Sweetgreen provides equal opportunities for everyone who works for us and everyone who applies to join our team, without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, any service, past, present, or future, in the uniformed services of the United States (military or veteran status), or any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law

California residents: Review our applicant privacy notice HERE.

Sweetgreen participates in the federal government's E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility. To learn more about the E-Verify program, please click HERE.

To request an accommodation as permitted by law, click here.