General Manager, The Mindful Café

The Mindful Café is an independent organic café offering thoughtfully prepared food, specialty coffee and tea, smoothies, baked goods, catering and private events. We combine high-quality ingredients and personal service with the warmth of a neighborhood café. We are seeking an experienced, hands-on General Manager to lead daily operations, develop our team, strengthen our coffee and beverage program, improve operating systems and help move the café toward sustainable profitability. This is not simply a shift-management position. We are looking for an experienced operator who understands both hospitality and the business of running a successful café.

Responsibilities

Improve financial performance and move the café toward profitability; Deliver an exceptional customer experience, with coffee and beverages as a core part of the café; Build, train and lead a strong, accountable team; Create reliable systems so daily operations do not require constant owner involvement; Make the café increasingly efficient, consistent and repeatable while preserving its neighborhood character; Monitor sales, labor costs, food and beverage costs, inventory, waste, spoilage and portion consistency; Improve scheduling and labor efficiency without compromising service; Recommend pricing, menu, portion, product or operational improvements for owner approval; Help grow catering, private events and other revenue opportunities; Maintain consistent preparation of espresso drinks, coffee, matcha, chai and other hot and iced beverages; Train and coach employees on beverage preparation and bar workflow; Oversee opening, closing, cleaning, preparation and service procedures; Manage inventory, ordering and routine vendor management; Oversee POS and cash-control procedures; Enforce food safety, sanitation and allergy/cross-contact protocols; Handle customer complaints and service recovery; Lead catering and private-event execution; Train, coach and develop employees; Set clear expectations and hold people accountable; Address performance problems and resolve employee conflicts; Cross-train employees and develop future leaders

Requirements

Approximately 5+ years of restaurant, café, fast-casual or comparable food-service experience, including at least 3 years in a meaningful management role; Demonstrated responsibility for employees and daily operations; Experience scheduling labor, managing inventory and ordering, training employees and enforcing procedures; Working knowledge of food costs, labor costs, waste control, margins and restaurant/café profitability; Strong customer-service and hospitality experience; Food-safety knowledge and appropriate certification, or willingness to obtain certification promptly; Strong communication, judgment, organization, problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills; Willingness to work hands-on in every front-of-house position

Nice to have

Strong barista skills are highly preferred; Specialty coffee or high-volume café operations; Organic or health-conscious food concepts; Well-run fast-casual, quick-service, franchise or multi-unit restaurant environments; Improving an underperforming operation; Building SOPs and repeatable operating systems; Catering, private events and delivery platforms; Menu analysis and improving restaurant or café margins