General Manager

Job Description

Job Description

About Acton Coffee

Acton Coffee is an independent neighborhood café in Acton, Massachusetts, serving exceptional coffee, fresh food, and warm hospitality to a loyal and growing community of customers.

Since coming under new ownership in November 2025, we’ve completed a full rebrand, renovated our space, expanded our menu, and invested heavily in building a business that serves both our customers and our team exceptionally well.

We’re now looking for an outstanding General Manager to help lead the next chapter. This is an opportunity for someone who loves building systems, coaching people, solving problems, and creating an environment where both guests and employees thrive. We aren’t looking for someone to simply keep the café running—we’re looking for someone who wants to help make it even better.

Position Summary

The General Manager is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of Acton Coffee. You'll lead our staff, oversee daily operations, manage inventory and vendors, monitor financial performance, and ensure every guest receives an exceptional experience.

This is a hands-on leadership role. You'll spend much of your time working alongside the team while also owning the operational systems that keep the café running smoothly.

The right candidate will be trusted with significant autonomy in running the day-to-day business while partnering closely with ownership on long-term strategy, growth, and continuous improvement.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means creating a café that operates with consistency, professionalism, and pride.

You'll know you're succeeding when:

•       Guests receive warm, efficient service every day.

•       The team is well-trained, accountable, and enjoys coming to work.

•       Daily operations run smoothly with minimal owner involvement.

•       Labor, inventory, and vendor relationships are managed proactively.

•       Problems are anticipated and solved before they become emergencies.

•       Systems continue to improve over time.

Primary Responsibilities

•       Lead day-to-day café operations while maintaining high standards for quality, cleanliness, hospitality, and efficiency.

•       Recruit, hire, onboard, train, schedule, coach, and develop baristas, kitchen staff, and shift leaders.

•       Build a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

•       Delegate effectively and ensure tasks are completed accurately and consistently.

•       Manage labor, food cost, and inventory against budget while minimizing waste.

•       Build and maintain strong vendor relationships.

•       Ensure compliance with food safety, health, and operational standards.

•       Oversee cash handling, POS administration, and daily reconciliation.

•       Resolve customer concerns with professionalism and care.

•     Partner with ownership on menu development, pricing, community engagement, and future growth initiatives.

Who You Are

You don't necessarily need to come from coffee. We're far more interested in finding an exceptional leader than an experienced barista.

The ideal candidate is:

•       Highly organized and dependable

•       Calm under pressure

•       Detail-oriented

•       Comfortable holding people accountable

•       A proactive problem solver

•       An excellent communicator

•       Someone who enjoys improving systems and helping people succeed

Hospitality, restaurant, retail, or other service-industry management experience is preferred, but we welcome candidates from other industries who have demonstrated success leading teams and running day-to-day operations.

Qualifications

•       Three or more years of management experience in hospitality, retail, food service, or another customer-focused environment

•       Experience hiring, coaching, scheduling, and developing employees

•       Strong organizational skills and operational discipline

•       Comfortable managing budgets, labor, inventory, and basic financial reporting

•       ServSafe certification (or willingness to obtain within 30 days)

•       Availability to work mornings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require

Acton Coffee is an independent neighborhood café in Acton, Massachusetts, serving exceptional coffee, fresh food, and warm hospitality to a loyal and growing community of customers.

Company Description

Acton Coffee is an independent neighborhood café in Acton, Massachusetts, serving exceptional coffee, fresh food, and warm hospitality to a loyal and growing community of customers.