Are you passionate about food retail and want to build a team from the ground up? Let’s talk! We’re Nouvelle Maison, a brand new food retail venture in the heart of downtown Winchester. Nouvelle Maison is your neighborhood French market, café, boulangerie, fromagerie, and wine and spirits purveyor. It will be a place to shop for the home and will foster community and connection in downtown Winchester. We are currently building out the space and plan to open in fall 2024.

Job Description
We are searching for an enthusiastic and entrepreneurial Head of Bakery & Café to join our team in July / August 2024. As Manager, you’ll be responsible for all facets of café operations, including managing the team and liaising with bakery vendors. As Head of Bakery & Café, you will be the face of the Nouvelle Maison café and you’ll create a high-quality, authentic and inspiring environment. You will report directly to the Owner of Nouvelle Maison and also work closely with the Manager for Cheese, Wine & Catering.

We are looking for an individual who dreams big and has a proven track record of success in similar roles. You’ll be a member of founding leadership team and have the opportunity to shape the team, the culture and the customer experience. The right candidate will need flexibility to work weekends as we launch and scale the business.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Team Management: you will recruit, train and manage talented staff members for the café. You will also work closely with the Leadership team to build a fun, inclusive and collaborative work environment, promoting teamwork, remarkability and adaptability.
• Café Management: you will create and manage café processes, such as managing inventory & bakery supplies (we are working with local bakeries for bread and baked goods) and creating standardized processes. You’ll look out for new opportunities to minimize waste and improve performance by adapting processes or rolling out new initiatives. You will support the Owner to ensure the day-to-day operations run smoothly.
• Customer Experience: you’ll create an inviting and attractive café environment to deliver memorable customer experiences. You’ll also build a team culture that prioritizes customer satisfaction and ensures staff members have the training they need to maintain high standards. You’ll create and uphold Nouvelle Maison’s visual standards throughout the café.
• Compliance: you’ll ensure compliance with local health and safety regulations, labor laws and licensing requirements.
• Financial Management: you’ll own the P&L for the bakery & café at Nouvelle Maison and will work very closely with store leadership to review key metrics. You’ll contribute ideas to improve revenue and profitability with the café. you’ll work closely with the store owner to review monthly financial performance and key metrics.

Key Skills Required:

• Proven experience as a café Manager preferably in a similar upscale or specialty food environment (we will consider restaurant experience for the right candidate)
• Demonstrated ability to operate in a startup environment, to learn fast and to maintain strong attention to detail with accuracy and consistency
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a diverse team, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organization skills, with the ability to effectively engage with customers, staff and vendors
• Passion for delivering an exceptional customer experience
• Good knowledge and appreciation of French cuisine, culture and culinary traditions. French speaker a plus
• Knowledge of food and alcohol safety regulations (Food Manager ServSafe Certification is preferred)
• Keen analytical mindset to review sales reports, identify opportunities and quickly adapt to changing market conditions
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
• Knowledge of Square POS a plus

Benefits:

• Salary: $65,000 – $74,000 (depending on experience) / year (including quarterly performance bonus)
• Store discount
• Paid time off and sick days
• Health insurance stipend

If you are an experienced leader and want to co-lead the launch of an exciting new venture, we would love to hear from you. Please send your resume and cover letter to the email provided below explaining why you are the ideal candidate for the position of Café Manager of Nouvelle Maison.