Assistant Manager - Inspired Coffee - Christian League for the Handicapped DBA Inspiration Ministries

About the organization:

Inspired Coffee is a premium coffee shop, a neighborhood place, located in downtown Lake Geneva, employing up to 20-30 individuals with mild to moderate developmental disabilities in an integrated setting where are celebrated, job trained, coached and, over time, placed into a fully integrated work setting.

Mission Statement: Empowering adults with disabilities to live with greater purpose and achieve their individual best in a thriving environment. Core Values:

• Christ-centered
• Empower
• Equity
• Excellence
• Serve with Love
• Better together

Performance Standards:

• Servant – One who is Christ-like, humble, helpful, committed and empathetic.
• Team – One who draws people together, unifies, encourages shared ideas, and fosters open communication.
• Achiever – One who is loyal to the mission and goes above and beyond to achieve goals that move the ministry forward.
• Respect – One who is kind, patient, affirms the value of others while being open and approachable.
• Skilled – One who uses their knowledge, gifts, skills, and expertise to perform their job exceptionally, is teachable, and continually pursues professional growth. 

Position Description:

The Assistant Manager supports the Executive Director in implementing company programs by working directly with shift team and trainees to execute action plans that meet operational and organization objectives. The Assistant Manager is a hands-on, active member of the team serving with a passion for frontline engagement.  The Assistant Manager reports to the Executive Director.   

Essential Functions:                                                                                                                              

• Providing leadership to shift team, actively works the floor alongside the team, maintaining proficiency as barista and cashier.
• In close collaboration with the Talent Development Coordinator and Executive Director, ensures consistent implementation of an outcomes-oriented training program that progressively trains hard and soft skills.
• Ensures effective store operations, filtering communication to the shift team as directed by the Executive Director.
• Reviews store environment and key performance indicators to identify problems, concerns and opportunities for improvement in order to provide coaching and direction to the shift team to achieve operational goals. Communicates ideas to the Executive Director for broader areas of improvement.
• Utilizes and provides direction to team during their shift on the use of operational tools to achieve operational excellence. Acts as a coach and mentor to team by using discretion in assessing performance, providing feedback and coaching to improve team performance, and effectively recommending employment decisions to Executive Director and Talent Development Coordinator.
• Contributes to positive team environment by recognizing alarms or changes in team morale and performance and communicating them to the Executive Director.
• Develops positive relationships with shift team by understanding and addressing individual motivation, needs and concerns.
• Supports store operations by recognizing and reinforcing individual and team accomplishments through existing organizational tools and makes recommendations to Executive Director on new, creative, and impactful methods of recognition.
• Serves as an effective, in-store ambassador for Inspired Coffee and people with disabilities.
• Responds to immediate store needs by personally addressing or elevating high priority items to Executive Director.
• Maintains proficiency as back-up for key operational functions including procurement of all supplies and consumables, staff scheduling, inventory management of retail merchandise, as well as other key functions of the Executive Director.
• Manages merchandise inventory, secures stock from Inspiration Ministries’ storage facility and proactively communicates low inventory levels to trigger reorders.
• Provides insights and recommendations for creative strategies to increase revenue and executes in-shop strategies (i.e. expand menu offerings).
• Ensures all checklists, operating procedures, policies and systems are up to date, complete, and consistently followed.
• Works closely with Executive Director and Inspiration Ministries’ Human Resources Manager to incorporate the use of volunteers.
• Maintains full knowledge of all menu items, preparation techniques and recipes. 
• Has a passion for ensuring customers have an excellent and memorable guest experience, every time. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Floor operations/shift staff leadership
• Assist Executive Director on execution of initiatives, strategies, etc.
• Store performance – financial, key performance indicators
• Support and ensure effectiveness of training program
• Serve as leadership back-up for key operational functions, including: scheduling, inventory management, ordering, staffing/developing, training, weekly/monthly reporting, etc.

Skills and Core Competencies:

• Strong moral character
• Compassion – comfortable working with special needs population
• Excellence
• Guest experience-minded
• Relational ability – friendly, high energy
• Analytical thinking
• Strong financial acumen
• Strong leadership and coaching skills
• Resilient, remains focused and calm under pressure
• Ability to make quality and timely decisions
• Exceptional communication and organizational skills
• Forward thinking

Education/Qualifications:

• Associates Degree in business, finance or related field preferred, or 2-3 years proven track record as supervisor or manager leading teams and improving operating results in high volume food and beverage or merchandise operations.
• Demonstrates a passion for helping people with disabilities thrive.
• Proven track record of taking initiative and going above and beyond job description to deliver results.
• Demonstrates team management, delegation and issue resolution skills and the ability to multi-task.
• Demonstrates knowledge of policies and product, service, quality, equipment and operations standards.
• Requires the ability to speak, read and comprehend instructions, short correspondence and policy documents, as well as converse comfortably with individuals.