General Manager (Chicago)

Magnolia Bakery

$70K — $100K *
Food & Beverages
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3-5 years of experience in general management of retail or food service operations.
  • Experience leading teams of 20 or more employees.
  • Proven track record in developing leaders and promoting talent internally.
  • Food Safety Certification required (or ability to obtain it within training).
  • Strong command of financial performance metrics and reporting.

Responsibilities

  • Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team by fostering accountability and continuous learning.
  • Recruit, onboard, and train talent while building a leadership pipeline for career growth.
  • Provide ongoing feedback and recognition to team members and address performance issues effectively.
  • Model and promote the bakery's SWEET Values within a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
  • Oversee daily operations to ensure adherence to quality standards and brand expectations.
  • Analyze business performance to identify improvements and implement action plans.
  • Manage financial performance, including sales, costs, and compliance with financial standards.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • 401(k) retirement plan.
  • Paid time off and holidays.
  • Life and disability insurance.
  • Professional development opportunities.
  • Employee discounts.
Full Job Description
Position Summary

The General Manager leads the team with a unique ability to direct, motivate and develop their managers and staff, ensuring the highest quality food and service, building a team that promotes the Magnolia brand while providing an exceptional customer experience and drives store performance. The GM operates their store with complete personal accountability.

Position Summary

The General Manager is responsible for the overall success of the bakery by leading and developing a high-performing team, delivering exceptional guest experiences, driving operational excellence, and achieving financial results. This leader builds a culture rooted in service, teamwork, innovation, and wholehearted leadership while coaching, recognizing, and developing managers and team members to reach their full potential.

Our SWEET Values
  • Service- We put our guests and each other first.
  • Wholehearted- We lead with care, integrity, and authenticity.
  • Enterprising- We embrace innovation and continuous improvement.
  • Extraordinary- We strive to exceed expectations every day.
  • Together- We succeed through collaboration, trust, and mutual respect.

Leadership & Team Development
  • Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of managers and hourly team members by creating a culture of accountability, engagement, continuous learning, and growth.
  • Recruit, onboard, train, and retain talent while building a strong leadership pipeline through coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and opportunities for career growth and internal promotion.
  • Provide ongoing performance feedback, recognition, and development support while addressing performance concerns through fair and consistent accountability practices.
  • Model and reinforce the bakery's SWEET Values by fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment where team members feel valued, empowered, and inspired to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
  • Partner with managers to ensure effective execution of training programs, operational standards, and new initiatives while promoting teamwork, operational excellence, and a guest-first mindset.

Operational & Strategic Responsibilities

  • Oversee daily bakery operations, ensuring consistent execution of company standards, policies, procedures, and brand expectations.
  • Manage production schedules, inventory, and product quality to deliver fresh, high-quality products while minimizing waste.
  • Partner with BOH teams to ensure consistency in recipes, food safety, operational standards, and production execution. Partner with FOH team for guest service, product quality and food safety.
  • Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, health department, workplace safety, security, and applicable labor requirements.
  • Maintain a clean, safe, and inviting bakery environment by ensuring facilities, equipment, merchandising, and product displays meet brand standards.
  • Analyze business performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement action plans that drive sales, profitability, productivity, and exceptional guest experiences.

Financial Responsibilities
  • Own the bakery's financial performance, including sales, profitability, labor costs, food costs, and controllable expenses.
  • Analyze financial reports and key performance indicators to make informed business decisions and drive improvement.
  • Ensure accurate cash handling, reporting, audits, inventory controls, and compliance with company financial standards.

Skills & Abilities

Leadership Skills
  • Talent development and coaching, including managers
  • Performance management and accountability
  • Team building and succession planning
  • Decision-making, problem-solving, and change leadership

Technical Skills
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office, POS systems, and scheduling platforms
  • Experience with inventory management and operational systems
  • Knowledge of food safety standards and practices


Communication Skills
  • Clear, effective verbal and written communication
  • Active listening and ability to provide constructive feedback
  • Strong guest service and relationship-building skills
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with team members, managers, and cross-functional partners
  • Ability to communicate expectations, priorities, and business goals with clarity

Qualifications
  • 3-5 years of experience leading retail or food service operations in a general management capacity.
  • Experience leading teams of 20 or more employees.
  • Demonstrated success developing leaders and promoting talent internally.
  • Food Safety Certification (or ability to obtain before training period ends).


Compensation

The salary range for this position is $70,000 - $100,000 annually. Placement within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, skills, qualifications, education, and business needs. Magnolia Bakery is committed to providing fair, competitive, and equitable compensation. Final offers are determined based on the unique qualifications of each candidate and may vary from the posted range where permitted by applicable law.

Benefits

Magnolia Bakery offers eligible salaried team members a competitive benefits package that may include medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k), paid time off, paid holidays, life and disability insurance, employee assistance resources, professional development opportunities, and employee discounts. Benefits are subject to eligibility and plan provisions.

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