General Manager/Director of Operations

About Spot Dessert Bar

Spot Dessert Bar is an established, 16-year-old dessert concept with multiple locations across the New York City metro area, including Long Island City, Astoria, East Village, Flushing, and New Jersey. We are known for innovative, design-forward desserts and a strong brand presence in the New York dining scene. Spot is part of a broader hospitality portfolio under Chace Restaurant Group. We operate at the intersection of culinary creativity and disciplined hospitality operations, and we are entering our next chapter with a sharpened focus on operational excellence, profitability, and sustainable growth.

The Role

We are seeking a hands-on, business-minded General Manager to lead day-to-day operations and drive revenue and profitability across all Spot Dessert Bar locations. This is a senior, P&L-owning leadership role that combines the daily rigor of running great restaurants — service, staff, food quality, guest experience, compliance — with the strategic responsibility of growing revenue, improving margins, and reporting to ownership and investors.

You will partner directly with ownership, the marketing lead, the culinary lead (R&D / pastry), and store-level managers to keep every shop running at a high standard, and build the systems and people that allow the brand to scale.

Why Join Spot

•   Established 16-year-old brand with strong name recognition and a loyal following.

•   True P&L seat with real authority, working directly with engaged, experienced founders.

•   Clear upside: multiple stores, a defined path to profitability, and resources to execute.

•   Help shape the next chapter — new products, channels, and future locations.

•   Compensation with significant upside: competitive base plus performance bonus tied directly to business profitability, so the better the business does, the more you earn.

Core General Manager Responsibilities

•   Oversee day-to-day operations across all locations, ensuring every shop opens, runs, and closes to standard.

•   Walk each store regularly to inspect cleanliness, equipment condition, food safety, merchandising, and guest experience.

•   Resolve operational issues in real time — equipment breakdowns, staffing gaps, supply problems, customer complaints — and put systems in place so they don't recur.

•   Maintain and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) for opening, closing, prep, service, cash handling, and shift changes.

•   Oversee inventory management, ordering, and waste tracking across all locations; implement par levels and weekly counts. Coordinate with the commissary on production planning, distribution, and quality control.

•   Ensure every location maintains Health Department A grades and remains in full compliance with all applicable labor, food safety, workplace safety, and licensing requirements, with all permits and certifications current across the portfolio.

Team Management and Staffing

•   Hire, train, schedule, and evaluate store-level managers and key staff.

•   Build training programs for new hires and ongoing development for existing team members; ensure every employee understands the brand, the menu, and service expectations.

•   Create staffing schedules that balance labor cost with service quality across all dayparts and locations.

•   Foster a positive, professional, and high-accountability culture across the team.

P&L and Growth Responsibilities

•   Own the full P&L for each location and the portfolio as a whole, with clear accountability for revenue, cost of goods, labor, and net margin.

•   Lead monthly financial reviews with ownership: explain performance, variances, and trends by store, and present clear action plans.

•   Grow revenue through new channels, including corporate catering, B2B partnerships, takeout and grab-and-go, and seasonal product launches.

•   Partner with the marketing and culinary leads to ensure brand activity translates into measurable sales.

•   Support evaluation and launch of new locations, including market analysis, financial modeling, staffing, and openings.

Qualifications

•   7 years of progressive operations leadership in restaurants, cafes, bakeries, or multi-unit hospitality, including at least 3 years managing multiple locations.

•   Deep fluency in restaurant financials: P&L, COGS, prime cost, labor percentage, rent ratio, and unit-level economics. Comfortable working in Toast and reading financial statements.

•   Strong people management experience: hiring, training, performance management, and building a culture of accountability.

•   Working knowledge of NYC Department of Health regulations, food safety, and applicable labor and employment law.

•   Experience building corporate catering or B2B revenue channels.

•   Experience launching retail / takeout / packaged product lines in a foodservice setting.

•   Hands-on, in-the-store leadership style. This role requires meaningful weekly presence in each location, not remote oversight.

•   Availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as the business requires.