What are the responsibilities and job description for the General Manager - The Glass Jar, Inc. position at The Glass Jar?

The Glass Jar, Inc. - General Manager

The Penny Ice Creamery • The Picnic Basket

Local Sourcing | Sustainability | Food & Community

The Glass Jar, Inc. is seeking an intrepid, high-caliber leader to serve as the General Manager of our dynamic organization.

Founded in Santa Cruz in 2010, The Glass Jar is a farm-to-table restaurant family built on made-from-scratch deliciousness, locally sourced ingredients, and community. We operate The Penny Ice Creamery -- our six beloved scoop shops and the ice cream production facility where we make every flavor we serve -- alongside The Picnic Basket, our bustling beachfront cafe near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Sixteen years in, we are nimble and always growing, building on a strong foundation of thoroughly researched systems that give us room to reflect, improve, and optimize.

About the Role

This is a company-wide leadership position, one that has a high degree of impact, community reach, and representation.

Reporting directly to ownership, the General Manager leads the operations and people of the whole company, working through the store managers at each location and the head of ice cream production, all of whom report to the General Manager. You will ensure the highest quality of product and hospitality across every location while balancing costs and driving profitability toward targets set together with ownership.

We practice lean management and the discipline of the Gemba walk — leading from where the work actually happens. This is emphatically not a desk job. The GM is a consistent, hands-on presence at every location: training, observing, coaching, giving feedback, and knowing every member of our team by name. Your aim is to visit each location weekly, and never to let more than two weeks pass without a visit.

The environment is fast-paced and complex, but you won’t be doing it alone. Years of well-developed systems provide support and redundancy for every position, and our management team is extremely capable. This role carries significant responsibility and is genuinely key to our success — and it comes with a team and a foundation built to help you succeed. As a company, we pride ourselves on recognizing effort, and on recognizing that our people have full lives outside of work. We work hard to honor both.

What You’ll Do

• Lead, coach, and mentor store managers and the head of ice cream production, and set the standard for operations across the company.

• Own the day-to-day operations across all locations — quality, service, health and safety, scheduling, and problem-solving on the fly.

• Review the P&L with ownership and the Finance Manager, help set realistic targets, and deliver on them; oversee food and labor costs and report on performance.

• Interview, hire, train, and develop staff, partnering with the HR Coordinator to maintain compliance and consistency.

• Partner with the head of ice cream production on output and demand planning, and keep product and goods flowing smoothly between the facility and the shops.

• Manage vendors, ordering, inventory, facilities, and equipment across the company.

• Plan for the future — staffing, seasonality, systems, events, and growth — and keep us iterating toward continuous improvement.

Requirements

Who We’re Looking For

Above all, we’re looking for the right experience. Candidates who have a background in multi-unit food and beverage management may be best positioned for the role:

• Proven management experience in a multi-location, small-business setting with intimately involved ownership.

• A track record of working within tight budget constraints and controlling costs.

• Experience in the food-service and hospitality industry.

• A hands-on leader and critical thinker who is highly organized and excels at planning, execution, and follow-through.

• Strong communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to give and receive feedback professionally.

• Reliable transportation to travel between locations across Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties.

• A current Food Protection Manager certification (e.g., ServSafe Manager) is required.

• An interest in leading a company that strives to be a nexus for community and local, sustainable food.

Schedule

Our busiest season is summer, and our busiest hours are Friday and Saturday evenings from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM as well as holiday weekends. Company operations run nearly 24/7 with deliveries starting as early as 4:00 AM and scheduled shifts ending near midnight. The General Manager should expect to be on duty during the busiest days, times, and seasons, including:

• 40 hours per week consistently

• Broad availability during our busiest seasons and holiday weekends

• On site into the evening; regularly until 8:00 or 9:00 PM

• Regularly available during holidays (The Glass Jar is closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day)

Benefits

Compensation, Programs & Benefits

• Competitive Compensation: $95,000.00 – $110,000.00 per year salaried exempt

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

• Paid Time Off

• Eligible for Bonuses

• CalSavers Retirement Savings Program

• Opportunities for Advancement

• Discounts & Partnerships at Select Local Businesses

• Company Outings and Gatherings

• Hands-On & Paid Training

• Shift Meals & Coffee!

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

At The Glass Jar, Inc., we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The Glass Jar, Inc. believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as a company, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

Salary : $95,000 - $110,000

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General Manager - The Glass Jar, Inc.

What are the responsibilities and job description for the General Manager - The Glass Jar, Inc. position at The Glass Jar?

About the Role

What You’ll Do

Requirements

Who We’re Looking For

Schedule

Benefits

Compensation, Programs & Benefits

What is the career path for a General Manager - The Glass Jar, Inc.?

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