Assistant Cafe and Retail Manager - Ferry Building

Dandelion Chocolate•San Francisco, CA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

Dandelion Chocolate is seeking an experienced Assistant Cafe and Retail Manager to support their team and enhance the guest experience at their Ferry Building Cafe. This role involves leading and supporting the team, troubleshooting daily operations, and ensuring a world-class experience for customers. The Assistant Manager will collaborate with the General Manager and team members to foster a supportive environment and create unique guest experiences. This is a full-time position starting at $28.50/hour plus tips.

Requirements

Availability and flexibility to work daytime, evening, and weekend shifts as needed for this full-time role.
At least one year of prior assistant management or leadership experience in a food, retail, or hospitality industry where world-class guest service is essential.
Experience dealing with challenging situations and maintaining a level head under pressure.
Computer skills to develop checklists and training materials, manage email, and check social media for reviews.
Ability to troubleshoot minor mechanical issues with equipment (e.g., ice machine, chocolate warmer) and interface with service professionals.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for handling guest issues, responding to emails, leading training, and building trust across departments.

Nice To Haves

A mature, team-oriented approach.
Enthusiasm for supporting the team and the guest experience.
A 'Plan B' mindset for unexpected issues like staff call-outs, stock shortages, or equipment breakdowns.
A leadership style that balances rigor with empathetic soft skills and collaborative communication.
Experience building long-standing systems like checklists, guidelines, and documentation.
Ability to understand team member motivation and help them map career paths in coffee and chocolate.
Savvy enough to know the difference between a chocolate novice and an industry expert.

Responsibilities

Maintain smooth daily operations by providing tools for team members, ensuring supplies are available, keeping the space neat and organized, auditing checklists, providing daily plans, preparing weekly deposits, assisting with payroll, and double-checking inventory, merchandising, and scheduling.
Maintain food and safety standards for health and safety compliance.
Proactively contribute ideas to optimize the space, work with the team to improve guest experiences, and streamline team operations.
Understand resources, delegate tasks, and work closely with the General Manager to ensure high levels of hospitality and minimize surprises.
Handle guest interactions, step in for operational tasks like making beverages, and manage escalated guest issues while ensuring timely order placement.
Maintain a high level of hospitality and serve as a role model for the team.
Continually look for ways to improve the guest experience and delight visitors and team members.
Create systems that could be rolled out to new locations.
Create staffing plans that optimize efficiency and hospitality.
Learn to use tools such as When I Work, Square, and SKULabs to track sales, equipment, and purchases.
Perform other tasks as necessary.