Shift Manager

Shift Manager – Smoothie King | Sankofa Smoothies | Full-Time & Part-Time | Denver Metro | $21.27/hr + Tips

THE SHIFT IS YOURS. OWN IT.

Most supervisors manage around the edges. At Sankofa, the Shift Manager is the center of the operation — running the floor, setting the tone, and making sure every guest's experience exceeds expectations. When you're on shift, we know you have everything covered. That's the job.

Sankofa Smoothies is a top 2% Smoothie King franchise — the #1 operator in the state and a Certified Training Store. We're co-founded by Josh Martin, a seven-year NFL veteran, who builds teams the same way he played: with accountability, discipline, and a desire to win. We promote from within. We pay based on performance. We move fast.

We're not looking for someone to fill a shift. We're looking for someone who makes us better.

IS THIS THE RIGHT FIT?
This role IS for you if:

• You lead from the front — you're in the mix with your team, not calling plays from the sideline.
• You bring the same energy on a slow Wednesday as you do on a Saturday rush.
• You own your outcomes — no excuses, no finger-pointing, no waiting to be told what to do next.
• You make the call when the answer isn't obvious — and you own whatever comes from it.
• You see what's coming before it arrives and move the team ahead of it.
• Weekend and holiday availability is something you can commit to — not approximate.

This role is NOT for you if:

• You manage by announcement and check in after the fact.
• Your mood becomes the team's problem.
• Accountability feels like pressure instead of ownership.
• You need everything spelled out before you'll act.
• Leadership is something you turn on when someone's watching.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:
Every shift, you own open to close.

• Run the shift huddle. Before the first order goes up, your team knows their positions, the day's objectives, and what winning looks like on this shift. That's your call, every time.
• Hold the guest experience standard. You're the first line of defense. Make sure your team covers the Big 4 on every order: survey, SK app and Healthy Rewards, food item, Extras and Enhancers. Make it right in real time when something goes wrong. Don't let a dissatisfied guest leave the store.
• Keep the team moving. Three to four TMs on the floor with you. They know where they're positioned because you told them. They stay there because you're watching. They execute because you set the tone.
• Enforce the standard before it compounds. Drift happens in small moments. You catch it early — on the floor, in the moment — and address it directly. You don't let it slide and you don't wait for someone else to handle it.
• Set the tone for the whole shift. Calm in chaos, diligent in calm. Your team mirrors what you bring. Bring the right thing every shift, not just the good ones.
• Close clean and hand off right. At the end of your shift, the store is clean, prepped, dishes done, and retail stocked. Your shift review is complete. The incoming SM walks into nothing they didn't expect.
• Communicate upward, before problems compound. Store needs, TM performance, anything that could become an issue — flagged to the Ops Manager or People Manager before it becomes their problem to discover.

WHAT WE EXPECT:
Must-Haves:

• Prior supervisory or shift leadership experience in a fast-paced environment — QSR strongly preferred.
• ServSafe Manager Certificate — required before running solo shifts (we'll support the path if you're close).
• Weekend and holiday availability — required, not preferred.
• Reliable attendance — zero unexcused absences is the standard.
• Able to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs.

What Sets Top Candidates Apart:

• You've led a team in a high-volume environment and you can tell us exactly what winning looked like — specific, not general.
• You coach in the moment, on the floor — not in the break room after the rush.
• You're decisive — you make the call and own the outcome either way.
• You bring competitive energy without ego — you want the store to win, not just to look good.
• Your standard doesn't require an audience — you'd hold it whether anyone was watching or not.

WHAT YOU'LL EARN:
Pay moves when performance moves. The Shift Manager pay progression is criteria-triggered — tied to certification gates and performance benchmarks, not tenure. Here's how the structure works:

• Base pay at hire — $21.27/hr, plus tips.
• Inventory and ordering certification — unlocks the first pay increment; confirms operational depth beyond floor leadership.
• Catering certification — carries its own gate and its own pay increment.
• Training and interviewing certification — carries its own gate and its own pay increment.
• Full certification and consistent performance — that's the top of the range; no waiting for a calendar year to flip.

The path is clear. The gates are real. Your pay moves when you move.

BENEFITS & PERKS:

• Free smoothie every shift.
• 30% employee discount.
• $100/month health stipend.
• 401(k) with match.
• PTO — up to 2 paid weeks per year.
• Paid training.
• Referral bonuses.
• Real growth path — Shift Manager → Operations Manager, People Manager, or Community, Marketing & Growth Manager — and for the right person, District Manager designation.

SCHEDULE & AVAILABILITY:

• Shifts : Open (6:30a–12p), Mid (11a–5p), Closing (4p–10p).
• Sunday Shifts : Open (9:30a–4p), Closing (3p–9p).
• Days: Monday–Sunday (weekend availability required).
• Hours: Part-time and full-time available; minimum 20 hours/week.

HOW TO APPLY:
We're selective. We'd rather spend more time finding the right SM than fill the schedule with the wrong one. If the IS/NOT section sounded like you — not as a goal, but as a description — apply.

• Apply online.
• You'll get an automated text with a link to your questionnaire — complete it on your own time.
• Submit a short video interview.
• In-store conversation — longer than a vibe check; we want to know how you think.
• You're on the team — we move fast, and so do you.

If this is the kind of role you've been looking for, apply today.

*Sankofa Smoothies LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other status protected by applicable law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. To request an accommodation, contact us directly.*

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