Competitive triathletes and passionate bakers, Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald left their careers to open a small bread shop in New York City in 1995 — Levain Bakery.
One day, they baked a BIG chocolate chip walnut cookie as energy for triathlon training. At Levain, a batch of these 6-ounce cookies flew off the shelves, and an icon was born. The cozy shop on West 74th Street became a neighborhood favorite and a destination for epicurious visitors from around the world, hungry for “the cookie.”
From the start, Pam, Connie and team baked everything fresh on-site each day, donating the day’s leftovers to charity — and we still do, nearly 30 years later. Today, Levain has bakeries across the country (with more to come!), plus ecommerce gift boxes to treat cookie lovers in every state.
Every day, we strive to embody our company’s five core values:
- Welcome All- We are all in it together
- Work Hard and Be Kind- We pull our weight, we do our best, and take care of each other
- Lead with Heart- We operate with empathy and integrity
- Rise Up- We take initiative to make things better
- Savor It- We are present and find the fun!
THE ROLE: DISTRICT MANAGER (MULTIPLE LOCATIONS)
District Managers oversee several retail bakeries, possibly in multiple regions. They help to drive employee loyalty, consumer love, and growth, and deliver the warm, fun, and kind Levain Bakery experience to everyone who walks in the door. District Managers are a core member of our team and work cross-functionally with finance, marketing, human resources, as well as outside vendors. *MUST HAVE multi-unit oversight experience*
What you’ll do:
People & Development
- Develop a cohesive team of General Managers and staff in the bakeries. Inspire the team to work together towards achieving the common goals of
- the business and bring our core values to life in the bakeries every day.
- Facilitate appropriate daily coaching and one-on-ones with General Managers to solicit opinions and input regarding all aspects of the operation and be able to communicate that feedback to the executive team in real time.
- Continually assess the status of current management teams, developing action plans to address any issues. Always look at people from within for potential promotions and works with those individuals to motivate and promote development and succession plans.
Recruiting & Hiring
- Monitor and ensure that appropriate staffing levels are established and maintained and remain aware of any changes which may impact staffing needs.
- Partner with People Team to recruit and hire high-quality salaried and hourly employees.
- Partner with the Training Team to ensure that each new employee receives appropriate training.
Customer Service
- Constantly view the bakery from the customer’s perspective and challenge key leaders to always do the same.
- Ensure the management team and team members are continually focused on giving amazing service with zero tolerance for poor service.
- Ensure all online review platforms (Yelp, TripAdvisor etc.) ratings remain best in class.
Quality of Operations
- Ensure that each store in its region is operating at or above standards.
- Instill in each store’s management team an expectation to maintain high standards in all areas of safety, cleanliness, hospitality, execution, food and coffee production and sanitation.
- Ensure that a safe and clean environment is the norm, and all products and equipment are being handled properly.
Sales and Profit
- Demonstrate a strong and tactical performance in managing the financial health of the bakeries and ensure that each store meets and exceeds budgeted financial goals.
- Monitor and maintain all cost control centers: Analyze monthly Profit and Loss statements and use them to develop, implement and follow through on accurate plans.
- Work with the General Managers to develop each store’s annual budget: Ensure keen oversight for all aspects of purchasing, storage and inventory within each store.
- Monitor trends in all areas from sales, costs, cover counts, etc. and proactively report on such trends and variances to further develop cost savings programs.
- Work with all key stakeholders, develop and manage a set of relevant KPIs (SSS, Gross Profit, Yelp scores, etc.) that help manage and drive the business.
- Work with the management teams in each region to increase guest counts, daily sales, operational profitability and help cultivate a loyal local customer base.
Requirements:
- Minimum 3-5 years multi-unit management experience
- Management in a food or retail establishment
- Ability to work nights and weekends
- Ability to travel frequently, travel up to 3 days per week
What we’re looking for:
- Demonstrated ability to effectively lead, communicate, train, and work independently
- Adaptability and flexibility; you recognize that in the food industry, anything can and will happen and you’re able to calmly troubleshoot issues
- Effective problem-solving and decision-making abilities
- Collaborative spirit and commitment to Levain’s core values: you’re a team player and willing to lend a hand or elevate those around you. You add your own individuality to an already positive and uplifting work environment. A good sense of humor doesn’t hurt either!
Abilities:
- Lift/push 10-50 pounds, including overhead
- Walk/stand on your feet for a 10-hour shift (excluding ½ hour break); walk up and down stairs in select locations
- Work an average of 50 hours weekly
- Read and communicate in English, including on the phone and in writing
- Utilize basic computer skills (Email, Microsoft Word)
Compensation:
$110,000-$140,000 plus 20% bonus potential
Benefits:
- Health, Vision, Dental Insurance
- Employer-funded Healthcare Reimbursement Account
- 14 Weeks Fully Paid Parental Leave
- Three Weeks of Paid Time Off
- 401K with 3.5% Company Match
- Additional supplemental benefits: Commuter Benefits, Employee Assistance Program, Bike-Share Reimbursement
- Cookies, of course.