Area Leader

Job Description

Job Description

Gregory's Coffee is looking to hire an amazing Area Leader to join our team!

Our Connecticut locations are located in Greenwich & Darien.

Gregory's Coffee is a family run company that puts people first. Joining our team means joining a community of baristas whose aim is to provide an amazing guest experience for anyone who walks through our doors. If you are interested in being part of a company that is focused on making everyday special for our guests and our team, Gregory's is the company for you.

Job Description & Responsibilities

Gregory's Coffee, as a company, is focused on quality, service, presentation and efficiency. We strive for excellence in each of these focus areas, thus providing a premier experience for every guest who visits Gregory's. Area Leaders will oversee two to four Gregory's Coffee locations, ensuring these high standards are always being achieved. Area Leaders will accomplish this by supporting their territory’s Store Leaders, setting goals, and working alongside their teams to achieve these goals. In addition they will push all stores to continually improve in all facets of the business. 

• People Development

• Ensure new hires/transfers are onboarded properly to the store and thoroughly acclimated in operational, service, and knowledge functions

• Ensure teams are upholding our high standards by conducting evaluations and thorough observations

• Engage with all levels of the team and have a firm understanding of specific coaching and development needs

• Provide continuing education to every member of your team, driving superior coffee, food, and service knowledge

• Identify and work with high potential talent that can be developed into our next great leaders

• Actively recruit and maintain a deep bench of candidates to tap into when staffing needs arise

• Pro-actively hire staff ahead of new store openings and identify internal talent/transfers to ensure smooth new store openings

• Host monthly all Store Leader meetings to cover new initiatives, opportunities, and performance. Work with COO to craft appropriate agenda and motivational messages

• Coffee and Food Standards

• Be the foremost expert in everything coffee, including origin concepts, brew methods and techniques, our specific coffee program as well as technical considerations.

• Be able to teach and hold accountable the aforementioned to all team members across your entire district

• In partnership with your teams, lead coffee tastings (instore and out of store experiences) and build our reputation as coffee experts one cup at a time

• Lead coffee training during new roll outs or changes to our blends to ensure the highest expertise in each of our team members

• Properly test and maintain coffee equipment to ensure every single cup of coffee is at the highest standard

• Regularly taste test all items across our menu for quality and consistency and be able to accurately adjust when necessary

• Regularly spot check competitors and have an understanding of trends, ideas, and concepts that may provide menu or operational opportunities for us to explore

• Ensure all new training and rollouts are completed by 100% of teams, and provide actionable feedback to the Training department for future rollouts

• Operational Standards

• Ensure all existing and new operational standards are being executed as planned

• Train teams on new menu and operational roll outs

• Ensure all stores are upholding Department of Health standards and are always well prepared to handle an inspection at any time

• Ensure quality standards are met by checking for taste, FIFO rotation, and visual appeal 

• Ensure stores are kept immaculately clean, organized, and well merchandised at all times

• Ensure stores are adequately staffed at the appropriate times using data and intuition to guide your decisions

• Service Standards

• Work side by side with teams to lead by example in 5-star service

• Coach teams to have a guest-first mentality at all times regardless of side-duty tasks that need to be completed

• Proactively manage customer concerns/issues and coach teams on how to do the same

• Become the “Mayor” of your store group and know a significant amount of customers in each of your stores

• Collect customer business cards/email addresses to build a database that you can promote grass-roots marketing efforts towards to drive loyal business

• Minimize guest complaints and respond to all Yelp/Google/App/Email comments and go above and beyond for both positive and negative reviews.

• Facilities & Maintenance

• Proactively clean, service, and maintain all equipment in each of your stores, partnering with the appropriate service techs when necessary

• Ensure every store is properly maintained and prepared to pass health inspections at any moment

• Hold monthly meetings with clear deep cleaning tasks to be accomplished

• Quickly react to any major plumbing, electrical, HVAC, equipment, or other facility concerns that can severely impact business

• Proactively organize and clean out store clutter on a regular basis to ensure facilities are easier to maintain and manage.

• Suggest and execute functional changes to store equipment layout that will positively impact service, sales, and/or customer experience. Properly back up these suggestions with data and analysis to justify any related expenses

• HR Management

• Ensure teams are compliant with employee labor laws

• Ensure changes to labor laws are thoroughly communicated and enacted

• Proactively manage employee issues by having regular conversations with every employee on your teams

• When necessary, deliver coaching conversations, warnings, and terminations with sufficient evidence and documentation that protects the business and the employee’s experience

• Financial Performance

• Working with the Exec team, set and closely manage each of your store’s controllable profit areas: sales, labor, and COGS

• Work closely with your teams to build customer relationships and seek out revenue drivers outside of the 4-walls of the store 

• Work closely with your teams to build efficient schedules based on the needs of the business, using data to drive your decisions

• Manage weekly payroll reconciliation ensuring hours and tip distribution are 100% accurate

• Manage cash handling responsibilities including cash drawer counts, safe reconciliation, and bank deposits. Investigate and manage any issues that arise.

• Actively monitor inventory/waste levels and ordering activity to ensure your locations have sufficient product for service without exceeding their COGS targets

• Ensure monthly inventory counts are completed and submitted accurately

• Actively engage with your customer base, neighborhood influencers, and other locals to drive future business and enhance our reputation ensuring successful financial performance over the long term

Additional Expectations

• This is a hands-on role and a Area Leader is expected to work alongside their teams to drive revenue, efficiency, and profitability. Setting and leading by example is what will drive your success

• There is no set schedule for this role. An Area Leader is expected to use their best judgement to actively be in their stores based on the needs of the business and the development of their people. This includes active oversight on early mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays. 

• Regular communication with the Exec team is expected to keep the team aware of the state of your businesses and proactive solutions you are providing

• Actively embody the 12 Leadership Principles and live them out each and everyday with your teams

• Attend company events and proactively encourage team members to attend as well

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