Senior Manager, New Café Openings

The Senior Manager, New Café Openings is the on-site execution partner to the Director of NCO, responsible for translating opening strategy into café-floor reality. While the Director leads cross-functional planning, milestones, and organizational coordination, the Senior Manager is physically present in the café - running training, deploying the ProTeam, holding certification standards, and ensuring the guest experience is right from Day 1 through steady state.This role requires both operational leadership and culinary depth. Tatte's BOH, barista, and production training demands someone who can coach at the station level, protect product standards in real time, and earn credibility with a culinary team through demonstrated expertise - not just oversight. Between openings, this person partners actively with L&D on current initiatives, provides field support, and leads defined strategic projects, serving as a year-round organizational asset.KEY RESPONSIBILITIESOpening Execution & On-Site Leadership - 50%Serves as the operational authority on-site in partnership with the Director from approximately 3 weeks pre-open through 30 days post-opening, physically present in the café throughout every critical phase.Co-own the opening schedule with the Director, managing daily AM/PM shift structure, training sequencing, and team coverage across all positionsRun daily full-team kick-off and close-out meetings - establishing shift goals and reviewing progress so every team member knows where they standSequence BOH and barista training to begin 3 days before FOH integration, ensuring production teams are grounded before guest-facing complexity is addedSolve operational issues in real time - FOH/BOH communication gaps, expo breakdowns, allergen process failures - and document each for systemic improvementFacilitate the full-team introductory orientation meeting, connecting new team members to Tatte's mission, values, and opening cultureEstablish the leadership tone during opening week, modeling urgency, ownership, and collaboration while reinforcing Tatte standards beyond formal training - ensuring culture is embedded, not just instructedLead structured post-shift debriefs and the formal 30-day post-opening review, capturing learnings and delivering recommendations to the DirectorAct as the liaison between operations and the support center - single point of communication for operations.Partner cross-functionally with the support center team to effectively and efficiently open NCOsGuest Experience & Culinary Standards - Core AccountabilityThe guest experience is the measure of every opening. The Senior Manager holds the team accountable to one question throughout: would a Tatte guest feel the craft, care, and warmth we promise?Present on the floor during mock service, soft open, and Day 1 - coaching in real timeApply culinary knowledge to protect product integrity - recognizing deviations in plating, portioning, temperature, and preparation and correcting immediatelyFacilitate menu tastings and product knowledge sessions that build genuine FOH and BOH fluency across ingredients, technique, and Tatte's craft storyMonitor ticket times, order accuracy, and guest satisfaction signals daily through steady state, partnering with the GM on immediate corrective actionEnsure FOH and BOH operate as a unified team - eliminating silos that create confusion and breakdowns the guest ultimately experiencesProTeam & Training Certification - 20%Partners with L&D and the Director to develop NCO materials, manage the ProTeam program, and ensure every opening team meets certification standards before Day 1.Support and maintain a standing ProTeam roster of 50+ FOH and BOH members across the organizationPartner with L&D in leading ProTeam preparation meetings prior to each opening - aligning members on expectations, tools, and café-specific schematicsTrack new hourly team member station sign-off and certification progress in real time, escalating gaps to the Director before they reach Day 1Apply culinary expertise to coach BOH trainers on scratch-prep methods, bakery standards, and product-quality markers so team members can self-correct on the lineProvide daily coaching to salaried team members on systems, steps of service, and Tatte culturePost-Opening Stabilization - 15%Monitor guest satisfaction, ticket times, order accuracy, retention, and certification compliance through steady stateFacilitate weekly manager meetings through 90 days post-opening, building GM accountability structures that sustain performance after opening support withdrawsIdentify early warning signals of operational instability and escalate with recommended actions to the DirectorProject & Field Support Between Openings - 15%Partner with L&D to develop and refine opening tools, training frameworks, and the Tatte Opening Playbook based on direct field experienceTake on defined project assignments from the Director - field audits, operational assessments, training pilots, or cross-functional supportVisit Certified Training Cafés to evaluate MIT/CIT readiness and identify coaching opportunities that strengthen the broader systemQUALIFICATIONS5-8 years of progressive food service operations experience, including 2-3 years in multi-unit openings, field training, or field operations leadershipCulinary background required - chef, kitchen manager, culinary trainer, or senior operations leader with demonstrated deep BOH and production experience; must be able to coach at the station level across bakery, barista, prep, and lineFluency in both FOH and BOH operations; credible and effective on both sides of the passDemonstrated ability to lead opening week execution - daily training structure, team leadership, and real-time problem solvingStrong facilitation and coaching skills, with the ability to train, develop, and deliver clear, actionable feedback across all levels of the organizationServSafe Manager certification required; food safety training facilitation experience preferredStrong communicator across all levels - GMs, hourly team members, ProTeam, and cross-functional partnersExperience with Jolt, Toast, or equivalent café management platforms preferredAble to travel up to 60% and work AM/PM shifts during active opening periodsSUCCESS MEASURES 100% station certification achieved and validated prior to Day 1 guest service for every openingBOH and barista training sequenced 3 days ahead of FOH arrival, consistentlyGuests experience Tatte's craft and hospitality starting on Day 1, reflected in early satisfaction signals and field observationTicket times at or above market benchmark within 30 days of openingProTeam roster of 50+ members maintained, trained, and deployment-ready ahead of each openingPost-opening debriefs completed and integrated into the Opening Playbook within 2 weeks of the 30-day markBetween-opening project work completed on time and to the Director's standardOUR BENEFITS AND PERKSCompetitive pay (ranging from $113k-$154k/year plus the potential to bonus up to 15%)Paid vacation and sick time401(k) (with a vesting match)Free EAP employee assistance programsHealth, dental and visual insuranceFree drinks and generously discounted mealsExciting potential for growthPlease note that Tatte is an E-Verify Employer. Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

Created: 2026-04-02