Cafe Manager | Chicago

Blank Street • Chicago, IL

1d • $70,000 - $95,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Cafe Managers, referred to in the description as General Managers, are central to Blank Street’s success and take full ownership of their store. They train and develop team members, lead by example in facilities, product quality, and customer experience, and maintain operational standards through inventory and performance management. They also hire talent, drive business growth and continuous improvement, and may support light project work for the broader business and their professional development.

The role spends 50–70% of the week leading by example behind the bar through customer service and production of high-quality food and beverages. The manager is also responsible for staffing and scheduling, team engagement, training quality, inventory and vendor relationships, food and beverage standards, store safety and presentation, audit performance, local brand loyalty, and financial results.

Requirements

• At least 4 years of experience managing and leading single-store operations in high-growth hospitality or consumer brands.
• Full-time availability of 45 hours per week, with availability 5 days per week and on 2 peak days, usually weekend days (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday).
• Experience hiring, developing, and managing hospitality teams.
• Experience managing inventory and supply-chain ordering.
• Strong knowledge of specialty coffee, espresso, and equipment.
• Strong decision-making and multitasking skills.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills.
• Love of coffee and customer service.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in a unionized environment.

Responsibilities

• Create a motivating team culture by celebrating, training, coaching, and mentoring team members.
• Cover scheduling gaps or time off in the store schedule.
• Create and publish staff schedules in accordance with state and local labor laws.
• Review and approve timecards and paid time off requests promptly and accurately.
• Recruit talent in collaboration with the People Team.
• Oversee and validate training delivered by Shift Leads, providing feedback and coaching as needed.
• Ensure new employees complete coffee accreditations on time and in line with company standards.
• Maintain strong team engagement scores.
• Maintain food and beverage quality standards and ensure recipes are executed accurately and consistently.
• Manage ordering, vendor relations, waste, inventory counts, and compliance with the Inventory Management System.
• Spend 50–70% of the week leading by example behind the bar, serving customers and producing technically excellent food and beverages.
• Ensure the location’s safety, cleanliness, and presentation meet company policies.
• Achieve company-standard operational excellence scores through the auditing platform.
• Build meaningful relationships with neighborhood businesses and people to grow local brand loyalty.
• Champion store financial performance and peak business throughput.
• Grow average order value, meet sales goals through creative initiatives, and gain team support for shared goals.
• Meet operations and product-quality audit standards and act quickly on feedback.

Benefits

• 15 days of paid annual leave, in addition to company-observed holidays and sick time.
• Three health plan options, with full coverage available for two employee-only tiers.
• Commuter benefits.
• Parental leave.
• Bereavement leave.
• Exclusive access to the Regulars program, including free coffee, matcha, and more.
• Regular social outings with the team.
• Free Blank Street swag.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed