General Manager - Western Suburbs

Digs Dog Care•Chicago, IL

45d•$50,000 - $70,000•Onsite

About The Position

This is a General Manager position at a location in the Western suburbs of Chicago, that oversees a pet resort that offers daycare, overnight boarding, grooming & training. The General Manager is responsible for leading, mentoring, and guiding all team members to ensure smooth daily operations and deliver outstanding customer and teammate experiences. Staffing, retention, and morale all fall under this individual's responsibility, in addition to managing business outcomes such as financial performance and customer experience. The General Manager will work with the Area Manager to build an understanding of the location’s progress and develop a strategic vision for the future and is expected to be a key leader in our operations organization, collaborating with operations leadership, setting strategic goals for operational efficiency and productivity, and owning the execution of our plan relative to our annual budget/goals.

Requirements

Ability to be on-site 5 days per week
Animal care knowledge & experience
Prior experience working with animals in a professional setting and familiarity with animal behavior, handling, and basic health needs
Knowledge of health and sanitation standards for animals, including facility cleanliness and hygiene to prevent disease spread
Leadership and People Development
Experience training and supervising staff, particularly in animal handling, safety, and customer service
Ability to motivate and lead a team, with experience in setting clear expectations, providing constructive feedback, and upholding high standards of care and service. Must also be capable of handling challenging situations, including conducting termination conversations when performance does not meet Digs standards
Pet-Parent Centric Approach
Takes pride in making every interaction with pet-parents exceptional and navigates difficult conversations with poise and integrity
Experience in client-facing roles, including handling client inquiries, addressing concerns, and ensuring satisfaction
Business Acumen
Basic knowledge of budgeting, inventory control, and cost management to help the store remain profitable and efficient
Capable of analyzing metrics and drawing insights that can drive results
Operations Excellence
Monitors progress against key performance indicators, and takes constructive feedback and applies it to drive performance
Regularly improves processes that increase productivity, reduce waste, and improve compliance and safety
Leads with a continuous improvement mindset to share best practices with the Digs operations team
Adaptability and Resilience
Ability to stay calm in stressful situations, such as pet emergencies or client complaints, and find effective solutions
Flexibility to adjust to changing needs, unexpected situations, and varying personalities and behaviors
Communication & Influence Skills
Establish strong professional relationships with different personalities; takes pride in ensuring information flows effectively throughout the team
Articulates expectations to team and provides constructive feedback on all job duties
Ability to clearly communicate pet care instructions and facility policies to pet owners, as well as provide updates on their pets’ well-being

Nice To Haves

Certification in pet CPR and first aid is not required, but nice to have

Responsibilities

Digs values and promotes a respectful, positive, and professional work environment and all teammates are expected to adhere to this. This role is a leadership position in the organization and will be critical in developing the culture of Digs. Additionally, you are accountable for the following:
Elevate the Standard of Care
Meeting Digs and local Department of Ag standards in the cleanliness, maintenance, upkeep, and safety of the facility for our pups, team members, and customers
Staffing – Always ensuring adequate shift coverage, while adhering to scheduling and labor guidelines
Monitor, analyze, and respond with a plan of action to drive progress in key performance indicators for Elevating Standards of Care
Maintaining Dig’s focus of “Treat our Pup Parents like Family” by maintaining excellent customer service metrics such as Net Promoter Score and customer feedback on Google and social media
Core Financials
Responsible for P&L, including but not limited to meeting budget, notably in labor, maintenance, cost of goods, and other controllable expenses
Analyze past, present, and future operating performance against budget and goals, and formulate a plan to meet misses, as necessary
Devise strategies to ensure growth of programs, identifying and implementing process improvements that will maximize output and minimize costs. Thinks and acts like an owner
Business Health
Build mutually beneficial relationships with local vet hospitals, rescues, shelters, local businesses, local contractors, and local Department of Agriculture representatives
Execute Digs marketing plans, and implement local market plans such as community events, B2B
Responsible for outperforming the stores Meet and Greet and Net New Customers goals
Building a team and managing 5-20+ direct reports
Responsible for the entire employee lifecycle including, hiring, onboarding, training, development, and performance management, including corrective action
Responsible for facility workforce planning, which includes the recruiting, hiring, training, upskilling and retention of all teammates
Leverage all available resources at Digs to lead team with integrity and to establish and maintain a trusting, inclusive, and productive environment