Assistant Restaurant Manager

sweetgreen
Chicago, IL
On-site

Who this role is best for

Geared toward candidates with restaurant management experience and a passion for sustainable food, comfortable with hands-on leadership and data-driven decision-making in a Chicago-based setting.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with 2+ years in restaurant management and a track record of mentoring employees
    — “2+ years in a restaurant management/supervisory role”
  • Individuals who have worked with local, organic, and sustainable food products in fast casual environments
    — “Experience with local, organic, and sustainable products”
  • Candidates who thrive in leadership roles that require both strategic planning and operational execution
    — “you support your store as a leader, strategist, and mentor”

Things to consider

  • This role requires a minimum of 30 hours per week and physical stamina for multiple job functions
    — “Meet all physical requirements for all roles within the career path”
  • Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States, as the company participates in E-Verify
    — “sweetgreen participates in the federal government's E-Verify program”

How to stand out

  • Emphasize leadership experience and how it aligns with mentoring and team development
    — “mentor team members to become future leaders”
  • Highlight familiarity with food safety protocols and audit performance
    — “Upholds high standards for food safety, cleanliness, and equipment maintenance”
  • Demonstrate your ability to make confident decisions under pressure with specific examples
    — “proven leadership experience with strong problem-solving skills and ability to make confident decisions under pressure”
  • Showcase your experience with operational systems and scheduling tools in your resume and interview responses
    — “expert use of systems by supporting daily operations, troubleshooting issues”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • improved team performance
  • enhanced customer satisfaction
  • optimized operational efficiency
Typical background
restaurant managementretail leadershiphospitality industry

Skills & requirements

Required

LeadershipTeam ManagementCustomer ServiceFood SafetyOperations Management

Preferred

Restaurant ManagementSustainability KnowledgeData Analysis

Stack & domain

LeadershipCommunicationProblem-solvingFood HandlerServsafe

About the role

Original posting from sweetgreen

A Healthier Future Starts With You

As an Assistant Coach (Assistant General Manager), you support your store as a leader, strategist, and mentor. You'll inspire your team, drive operational excellence, and deliver exceptional guest experiences using data-driven insights to build healthier communities through real food.

What You’ll Do

As an Assistant Coach (Assistant General Manager), you're a hands-on leader who inspires your team while driving operational excellence. You'll mentor team members to become future leaders, partner with the Head Coach to set goals and track performance, and use data-driven insights to navigate challenges and ensure exceptional guest experiences that build healthier communities through real food. These responsibilities highlight some of the key functions an Assistant Coach performs. Additional supervisory tasks may be assigned as necessary.

Essential Functions

People + Leading the Team: Partners with the Head Coach on hiring, onboarding, and training while fostering a culture of trust and recognition. Anticipates operational needs and adjusts deployment to support smooth operations. Provides hands-on coaching, steps in during peak times or staffing gaps, and ensures clear communication for consistent execution.

Food Safety + Journey: Upholds high standards for food safety, cleanliness, and equipment maintenance by inspecting food quality, checking temperatures, and ensuring compliance. Partners with the Head Coach to promptly resolve facility, supply, and quality issues while ensuring team member safety and strong audit performance.

Customer Experience: Ensures a clean, hospitable, and brand-aligned guest journey by upholding SWEET standards, acting on guest experience metrics, and making timely business decisions to deliver fast, accurate, and memorable in-store and digital experiences.

Financial + Business Acumen: Supports operational excellence by managing controllable costs, executing schedules, and partnering with the Head Coach to drive sales and implement short- and long-term strategies using insights from the Ops Dashboard.

Systems, Process + Tech: Ensures effective team deployment and expert use of systems by supporting daily operations, troubleshooting issues, and prioritizing tasks to drive smooth and efficient execution.

Execute Assistant Coach Career Path Duties: Perform all essential functions outlined in the Shift Leader role, including those from the Kitchen Lead and Team Member roles

What Makes You Stand Out

Experience in fast casual restaurant chains

Hands-on experience with local, organic, and sustainable products

Familiarity with tech tools and systems used in operations and scheduling

Proven leadership experience with strong problem-solving skills and ability to make confident decisions under pressure

Excellent communicator who fosters positive team culture, mentors employees, and delivers exceptional guest experiences

Highly organized, reliable multitasker with experience in scheduling, coaching, and performance oversight

Minimum Requirements

Meet all physical requirements for all roles within the career path, including the Assistant Coach, Shift Leader, Kitchen Lead, and Team Member.

2+ years in a restaurant management/supervisory role

Experience managing and developing 6+ team members per shift

Food Handler or ServSafe certification

Must be available to work a minimum of 30 hours per week

Must be 18 years of age or older

Must be authorized to work in the United States

What Perks You’ll Get

Competitive base salary + 15% bonus potential

Medical, dental + vision insurance plans to suit your and your family’s needs

Paid Vacation + Wellness time

401(k) program

Paid family leave; we fully support new parents

Complimentary greens

Free sweetgreen swag

An opportunity to make a real impact on the people around you, both by growing them and connecting them to real food

A collaborative team of people who live our core values and have your back

A clear career path with opportunities for development, both personally and professionally

Who We Are

Sweetgreen is a national restaurant brand dedicated to building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Since 2007, Sweetgreen has reimagined fast food to be fresh, flavorful, and rooted in relationships with farmers and communities. As we grow, we are committed to developing our people in our restaurants and at our support center, so that everyone can be part of the movement. When you join Sweetgreen, you not only invest in your own future but help create spaces where food, people, and purpose come together

Salary range for this role:Starting salary range based on experience$58,000—$68,000 USD 

Sweetgreen provides equal opportunities for all employees and applicants, without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, any service in the uniformed services of the United States, or any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law.

California residents: Review our applicant privacy notice HERE.

sweetgreen participates in the federal government's E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility. To learn more about the E-Verify program, please click here.

Source: sweetgreen careers

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