Job Title: General Manager
Location: Based in our brand new site on Essex Road, Islington - Opening in March 2024. But must be willing to commute to our current site in Crouch End on an ad hoc basis if needed.
Contract: Full time, 45hrs per week. Your time will need to be reasonably flexible throughout the week.
Salary: Competitive rate; please enquire for further detail. £39k-43k, experience depending.
Application closing date: Ongoing. We will make our hire when we find the right candidate so please be prompt with your application if you would like to maximise your chances of success.
Why work for us?
Sourdough Sophia is truly a bakery born in the community. During lockdown we set up a micro bakery from our dining room and founded Sourdough Sophia to change the way in which us Brits consume bread one loaf at a time.
Within a couple of weeks we attracted huge queues down the road from our little flat and quickly ran out of space. So, with the help of a successful kickstarter campaign and nearly 600 backers from the local community, we opened the doors to our bakery in 2020, only 8 months after we baked our very first loaf.
Before we opened, we made the firm commitment to bake the most delicious sourdough, serve the most incredible coffee alongside our delicious bakes and level up how we treat our staff by creating a positive and supportive working environment for all. Well, now that we’ve been serving and inspiring the community for over 2 years now, we need someone to come onboard and drive our business to the next level!
Our priority is people: Sourdough Sophia is family first. Everyone in our team in valued, supported, loved and their progress is nurtured. Our mission is to fix the way in which staff are treated in the hospitality industry. Working in hospitality is always going to be hard, but it shouldn’t be unfair. We believe that hard work done the right way can be the most rewarding experience for you.
We are set to do things differently. No night shifts, fair pay, supportive and positive working environment in which you can feel safe to take risks, make mistakes and learn.
We are set to expand over the coming years and we are looking for incredible talent to help us achieve our ambitious goals! Help us fix the way in which we perceive bread in society and fix the broken food system together, one loaf at a time!
Join our team, and you will: Be part of an incredibly close-knit team with a detailed understanding of baking, cooking, hospitality and coffee Have excellent opportunities for career progression in a company with big goals. Be given paid training opportunities Enjoy staff perks, including staff massage, free lunch, free coffee, pastries and bread every day, access to specialist third-party staff wellbeing services and more.
Why this role?
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get stuck into a brand new store opening, lead a new team of baristas and production staff and build new relationships with the locals. Our new site in Essex road is going to be absolutely amazing, an inspiring space to visit for our customers but also an incredible place to work! This is the perfect role for someone experienced in cafe / bakery / front of house operations, with a passion for leading a great team, driving our business to the next level and developing relationships with customers. You will have the opportunity to use your talent, experience and initiative to shape the space, team and customer experiences to your liking. Develop new relationships with local businesses and customers. Flex your marketing skills, and truly be proud of your creation! Along with the support of our Operations Manager and the owners, you will get the chance to make your mark on this wonderful and fast growing business.
Key responsibilities of the role
As a general manager, you have a genuine passion for and appreciation of good coffee, amazing service, driving results and supporting a talented team. An instrumental part of the leadership team, the General Manager also enjoys building relationships with both staff and guests, fostering a positive and friendly store environment.
You will work closely alongside the production manager and head barista to shape the direction of the store. Focusing on an incredible service experience, coffee, and general operations. Your role should be split appropriately between floor leadership and admin tasks. You will have the autonomy to manage your own time effectively depending on the business needs.
Your responsibilities include:
Driving and coordinating the opening of the store, including the training experiences, operations and hiring requirements ahead of the opening date. Developing ongoing marketing strategies including social media, local business outreach and in-house initiatives to drive our presence and exposure in this new location. Motivating our team of 10-20 people to deliver the highest service and production standards at our new site Overseeing budgets and revenue targets and making adjustments to strategy where necessary in order to meet them. Networking - Ensure the bakery is fully compliant with policies, procedures and service standards Handling complaints and overseeing the service recovery procedures Manage profitability of the establishment, ensuring the revenue and customer satisfaction targets are met Prepare financial reporting for the owners/stakeholders Contracting third-party vendors for essential equipment and services Act as the final decision maker in hiring staff Taking a key role in developing key strategies and initiatives across all arms of the store Staff scheduling Quality control of all food products, beverages and service Ongoing team coaching, training and feedback Equipment management & maintenance Maintain & promote health & safety values Stock levels maintenance, ordering and reporting
What experience and traits do you need for this role?
A passion for team development, training and support You are a great leader and are comfortable having developmental conversations with your team A passion for quality coffee and warm and friendly customer service Minimum 2 years experience in management of a hospitality establishment. Experience in bakery/food production and speciality coffee is a massive plus. Be a personal fit: Engaging personality, positive attitude, attention to detail, bubbly sense of humour, relaxed and approachable vibe. Willingness to always go the extra mile for our customers and team.
Benefits:
To apply for this position please do the following:
Send your CV to [email protected]
Attach a cover note explaining why a) you want this job and b) you think you’re the right person for it. Demonstrate that you have thoroughly read the Job Description. (Max 600 words)
