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Potbelly Sandwich Works, where Good Vibes and Great Careers are a way of life! Come Build the Potbelly Nation with us.

Potbelly got its start in 1977 as a small antique store that turned into a lines-out-the-door neighborhood sandwich shop. Before you knew it, we were serving up delicious food in a fun environment at more than 400 shops across the United States.

We continue to wake up every day with one goal: Make people happy through good vibes and delicious craveable food. Put those awesome ingredients together, and there’s no telling what we’ll cook up next!

Job Title: General Manager

Department/Function: Operations

Location: Field, in Shop

Reports to: District Manager

Details: Full-Time, Exempt

Travel Requirements: Rarely

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The GM is the leader of the Potbelly shop! He or she should bring his or her Positive Energy each and every day to Build and Inspire our teams and to make Potbelly a fun place for our customers, too.

He or she should have the ability to see “Big Picture” of running the business. Be able to coach and develop people, to execute outstanding product quality and exceptional customer service, and to build sales and control costs for each shift.

He or she should also be able to multi-task and follow Potbelly standard operating policies and procedures with essential areas of focus including: 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION

In addition to following standard Potbelly operating policies and procedures, main areas of focus include (but are not 

limited to):

People

• Select and hire great employees who represent Potbelly Values.
• Train and develop all employees to the next level.
• Assess staff abilities. Create and implement effective development plans.
• Create and enforce a plan to reduce turnover.
• Delegate tasks to team and provide follow-up. Hold team accountable.
• Build relationships among team members. Provide effective and open communication on goals during team meetings. Recognize positive contributions.
• Provide timely and thorough performance appraisals based on defined goals and objectives for the shop.
• Educate team on and enforce all appropriate personnel policies, labor laws, and security and safety procedures.
• Administer all in-shop employee benefits and payroll procedures.

Customers

• Make customers really happy.
• Effectively handle customer complaints/issues.
• Measure customer satisfaction and execute plan to improve both satisfaction and loyalty.
• Maintain a clean and inviting shop. Ensure cleanliness, maintenance and security standards are met.
• Ensure product quality, safety and sanitation standards are met.
• Provide fast, friendly and accurate service.
• Continuously improve customer feedback program scores.

Sales

• Increase comp sales and deliver budgeted sales each period.
• Create marketing plan. Lead local shop marketing to increase sales. GM ideally lives in the neighborhood and is involved in the community, the school and local business, social and not-for-profit activities.
• Create shop plan to continuously improve the business.

Profits

• Control cost of goods, variances and inventories within the shop.
• Staff and schedule appropriately to control labor costs.
• Ensure proper cash handling and deposit procedures are followed.
• Ensure appropriate inventory and ordering systems are in place.
• Must have financial literacy; Ability to understand and learn from financial reports.
• Ability to increase flow-through.

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND BEHAVIORS

• Knows, lives and can teach The Potbelly Advantage.
• Adopts the Potbelly Values as their personal values.
• Has excellent communication skills, including active listening and the ability to ask great questions.
• Has a sustained record of leading teams to success.
• Possess an extremely strong work ethic.
• Is educated and is an active learner.
• Has the initiative to solve problems and to get things done correctly and on time.
• Has the ability to grow other leaders.
• Has humility and self-confidence.
• Knows how and successfully grows our sales/business profitably.
• Minimum of at least 2 years as a General Manager in a restaurant or retail environment with P&L. responsibility. Experience in the Restaurant Industry, preferred.
• High School degree; Bachelor’s degree, preferred.
• Strong business acumen. Ability to see “Big Picture.”
• Ability to manage a fast-paced, high-volume, clean, customer-focused restaurant.
• Must have Open availability.
• As a requirement of the position, all Shift Leaders and Managers must be trained and pass a Food Safety
• Certification course. In Illinois certification is required through the Illinois Department of Public Health, while in all other states certification is required through the National Restaurant Association (ServSafe), National Registry of Food Safety Professionals or the National Environmental Health Association (Prometric). Should the Shift Leader or Manager fail to pass the certification requirements after two attempts, he or she will be not be qualified to continue to perform in a Shift Leader or Management capacity.
• Ability to comprehend and communicate in English via verbal and written communication, such that employee can perform his or her job responsibilities.
• Must spend 80-90% of time on the shop floor in the Front of the House.
• Must have financial literacy. Ability to understand financial reports.
• Exceptional customer service skills.
• Strong time-management skills. Ability to multi-task, to prioritize and to organize.
• Strong interpersonal skills. Ability to select, develop, inspire and manage strong teams.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to delegate, follow-up and hold team accountable.
• Ability to create and execute effective plans to build the business.
• Must have the ability to set budgets and maintain food and beverage cost.
• Ability to follow expectations and guidelines set by Potbelly.
• Microsoft Office skills.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status. 

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