Restaurant District Manager

Earn $65,000 to $75,000 plus bonuses based on skills and qualifications. Job Title District Manager Department / Function Operations Location Field, District Reporting Reports to Regional Manager or Regional VP/Director. Details Full Time, Exempt Travel Requirements Frequently General Description Leads and behaves according to Potbelly Values. District Manager provides leadership, coaching, and direction to shops through people development. He/She will be responsible for up to six locations on average, depending on the market. The District Manager leads to improve shop operations and maximize long‑term sales and profit of each shop. The role plans and sets goals for each shop, monitors progress of goals (sales, profits, customer metrics, turnover, food cost), and holds employees accountable for delivering results through coaching. Follows standard Potbelly Operating Procedures with main areas of focus including but not limited to: Focus People Ensure each shop has a great General Manager. Continuously develop and train General Managers to the next level. Develop bench at every level from Shift Leader to District Manager. Coach and develop General Managers on staffing, scheduling, turnover, employee satisfaction, performance management, training and orientation, communication, rewards and recognition, and administration. Spend 40% of time executing business plan and coaching teams. Coach General Managers on conducting and implementing performance reviews and development plans. Conduct performance reviews and provide continuous feedback and development. Hold team accountable. Build strong teams and identify staffing needs. Participate in recruiting, selecting, development, and placement of all managers and shift leaders. Identify internal talent, source, and recruit. Educate shop management on HR policies, labor laws, safety and security procedures. Ensure compliance at the shop level. Hold effective monthly meetings with shop management team for goal alignment. Act as communication liaison between company leadership and shops. Customers Ensure GMs hire friendly people and teach them the Potbelly Values. Hold the team accountable for excellence in product quality, consistency and execution, speed of service, shop cleanliness, maintenance, and customer service. Analyze, address, and improve results of the customer feedback program. Audit shops to ensure they meet identified operational standards, food safety standards, and labor laws. Sales Develop annual business plan for the market. Ensure shops properly execute local shop marketing promotions and new product roll‑ups. Foster positive energy in the work environment with shop managers to accomplish business results (increased customer counts, increased sales and increased profits). Hold managers accountable for results of facility standards. Co‑develop business plan for each shop and follow up on progress toward goal achievement. Lead successful new shop openings in market/regions. Profit Know how to make more money; expert in labor costs, food costs, and controls. Meet financial and operational goals; provide and implement strategy; motivate and support shop management team to execute strategies. Use information resources (balanced scorecard data, secret shops, turnover reports, P&L) to identify opportunities and threats; optimize shop potential and adjust business plan tactics accordingly. Complete audits to ensure shops meet Potbelly standard practices and procedures (e.g., cash, security). Physical Functions Work minimum 50 hours per week with ability/stamina. Stand/walk 9-10 hours per day. Travel 80–90% in field. Perform frequent reaching, bending, stooping, carrying, manipulating, and keying in data. Lift up to 10 pounds frequently and up to 50 pounds occasionally. Work in both warm and cool environments, indoors and outdoors. Tolerate higher levels of noise from music, customers and employee traffic. Tolerate potential allergens: peanut products, egg, dairy, gluten, soy, seafood, and shellfish. Manage several fast‑paced, high‑volume, customer‑focused shops through organization and coordination of schedules, supervision, counseling, problem‑solving, cleanliness, marketing plans, and customer service. Have excellent communication skills in English; some markets require Spanish. Experience, Education and Behaviors Know, live, and teach Potbelly Values. Adopt Potbelly Values as personal values. Have excellent communication skills, including active listening and asking great questions. Show sustained record of leading teams to success. Possess extremely strong work ethic. Be educated and an active learner. Have initiative to solve problems and get things done correctly and on time. Have ability to grow other leaders. Have humility and self‑confidence. Know how to grow sales/business profitably. Preferred BA/BS. At least five years of proven leadership experience managing multiple units, preferably within a rapidly growing retail or restaurant organization. Proven track record of delivering results in a complex, fast‑paced environment. Demonstrated leadership capability to build strong teams and achieve business goals. Ability to relocate to other markets, preferred. As a requirement, must be trained in and pass a Food Safety Certification course. In Illinois, certification is required through the Illinois Department of Public Health; in all other states, through the National Restaurant Association (ServSafe), National Registry of Food Safety Professionals or National Environmental Health Association (Prometric). Microsoft Office skills. Benefits: Sound Sandwich offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits along with group life insurance for eligible salaried and hourly employees. #J-18808-Ljbffr