Area Operations Manager

Reports to : Head of Area Operations

Classification: Full-Time, permanent

FLSA Status: Exempt

Pay Type: Salaried 

Scope: Current expectation 3 cafes with the opportunity to increase up to 4

Who We Are: Saxbys® is a hospitality company fueled by our rave-worthy menu, driven by its mission to Make Life Better®, and fiercely dedicated to social impact in the communities it serves. But Saxbys greatest resource of all? Our people. We’re not looking for employees: we’re looking for teammates. We’re not hoping to hire you for a job: we’re hoping to help build your career.

Saxbys is a national education company that operates “For Students, By Students” cafes on college campuses. We build individualized academic partnerships with universities to provide exceptional, paid, experiential learning opportunities for your students. The Saxbys Experiential Learning Platform (E.L.P.)® is founded on the belief that young people should be empowered and prepared to mold the business movement of the future.

Job Summary : The Area Operations Manager (AOM) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of their assigned cafes in each of the Three Pillars (team development, community leadership, and financial management). Success in this role is a passion for developing, coaching, and supporting the Student Cafe Executive Officers (SCEOs) each semester for the cafe(s). This multifaceted position calls for a proactive individual with a whatever it takes attitude, ready to take on the varied day-to-day opportunities and challenges. 

Learn more about Saxbys E.L.P. by clicking here

What You Will Own

• Coaching & Development: Train and develop Student Chief Officers to lead operations at their prospective campus cafe each semester. 


• Talent Pipeline: Interview and hire roles across the cafe to ensure the team is fully staffed to meet operational demands and identify and develop exceptional talent for leadership roles.


• Cafe Standards: Remain up-to-date on all cafe operations in order to train and coach on all cafe roles. Make SOPs easily accessible to the team and maintain operational integrity by ensuring team members are following all listed steps. Ensure SCEOs are following progressive discipline policies and issuing Coaching & Counseling forms when necessary, as well as advise and assist with involuntary terminations. Hold SCEOs accountable to consistent communication channels with their team. 


• Guest Experience: Conduct regular quality assurance checks, audit performance to look for and correct inconsistencies in execution, and maintain a culture of hospitality within the cafe.


• Financial Management: Review, provide feedback, and approve weekly schedules to ensure labor hours are both aligned with demands and stay within budgeted expenses, coach SCEOs on how to read and act upon Profit & Loss statements, and present and defend P&L during reviews for assigned cafes. Produce and assign Labor Models to assigned cafes. 


• PARS & Inventory: Ensure accuracy in inventory counts and review and approve Orders & PARS Inventory Worksheet for all assigned cafes.


• Partner Management: Represent Saxbys as the main point of contact for College & University Campus Partners:, Dining Service Partner leads, Auxiliary Services, Residential Life, etc. to ensure day to day operations run smoothly and maintain Campus Resource Guide with up-to-date information.


• Cafe Openings: Manage café setup and initial grand openings as the Operations lead, working closely with all departments to ensure a successful start. 


• Local and Competitive Marketplace: Stay current with industry trends, local competitors, and community updates that may have an impact on the business in order to take a proactive approach when it comes to managing cafe operations.

Who You Will Support

• Marketing: Provide intel on opportunities on campus through research and communication with partners. Support SCEO through the refinement of the Campus Marketing Plan to focus efforts on highest potential ROI and ensure execution of key dates and deliverables. 


• Head of Area Operations: Assist with academic partners, requested reports, and special projects.


• Recruiting: Nominate, vet, and assist internal student candidates in the SCEO pipeline, complete final interviews for candidates, and effectively communicate hiring needs to Campus Recruiters. Participate and collaborate on initiatives to increase the candidate pool.

Who You Will Supervise

This position oversees between 1-4 direct reports.

What Success Looks Like

• All assigned cafes operate at or above budgeted revenue


• All assigned cafes operate at or above budgeted NOI


• 30%+ of the cafe staff are Team Leads


• 100% of SCEOs are hired by March 31 for the fall semester or October 31 for the spring semester.

What Else is Required

• Support, exhibit, and promote Saxbys Mission and Core Values in all daily activities. 


• 2+ years of proven leadership & developing talent within a customer facing environment OR a minimum of 6 months as a Saxbys Student leader




• Food & Beverage or Retail experience is a plus (not mandatory) 


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills


• Outstanding passion for hospitality and servant leadership


• Experience managing teams and processes effectively 


• Ability to travel up to 80% of the time 




• Valid drivers license 


• Physical requirements:




• Able to stand, walk, and smile for extended periods of time 


• Able to stoop and kneel


• Push, pull, lift or carry up to 35 lbs


• Ascend or descend ladders, stairs, ramps