Competitive swimmers and triathletes, Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald passed their grueling workouts by engaging in passionate conversations about starting their own company and baking, which ultimately inspired them to leave their respective careers in fashion and finance. They opened a small bread shop in 1995, which they named Levain Bakery.  

One day, they created an ultimate chocolate chip walnut cookie to give them energy while training for a triathlon. They decided to sell a batch in their bakery, and they flew off the shelves. An icon was born. The cozy shop on West 74th Street quickly became a neighborhood favorite and a destination for epicurious travelers from around the world, hungry for the world-famous six-ounce cookies.  

From the start they baked everything fresh on-site each day and donated the day’s leftovers to charity each night, actions that remain solidly in place almost 25 years later. Levain Bakery now has seven locations with more to come, plus ecommerce gift boxes, and more delicious bites of joy in the works!  

We strive every day to embody our company’s five core values:  Community, Fun, Integrity, Kindness, and Heart and are excited to welcome new team members to help bring a little piece of Levain cookie love to recipients in New York and beyond! 

The Director of Operations will help oversee our bakeries, helping to drive employee loyalty, consumer love, and growth, and delivery the warm, fun and kind Levain Bakery experience to everyone who walks in the door. The Director of Operations will be a core member of our team and work cross functionally with finance, marketing, human resources, and construction, reporting directly to the VP of Operations.  

What you’ll do: 

Levain People  

• Model and embrace Levain’s culture of support for all staff, by giving every employee the proper tools and teaching them the appropriate skills to consistently achieve excellence 
• Develop a cohesive team of managers and staff in all bakeries, and inspire that team to work together towards achieving the common goals of the business 
• Facilitate appropriate daily coaching and one-on-ones with store managers and team members to ensure clear communication and continued achievement of our operational goals 
• Solicit opinions and input from management and team members, regarding all aspects of the operation, and be able to communicate that feedback to the executive team in real time 
• Continually assess the status of current management teams, developing action plans to address any issues and following through to ensure everything is resolved in a timely and thorough manner 
• Always look at people from within for potential promotions and works with those individuals to motivate and promote development and succession plans 

Recruiting & Hiring 

• Monitor and ensure that appropriate staffing levels are established and maintained and remain aware of any changes which may impact staffing needs 
• Partner with HR to recruit and hire high-quality salaried and hourly employees

Amazing Service 

• Constantly view the bakery from the customer’s perspective and challenge key leaders to always do the same 
• Ensure the management team and team members are continually focused on giving amazing service every single time
• Ensure all online review platforms (Yelp, TripAdvisor etc) ratings remain best in class 

Quality of Operations 

• Ensure that each store in its region is operating at or above standards
• Possess attention for detail in all areas of each operation 
• Instill in each store’s management team an expectation to maintain high standards in all areas of safety, cleanliness, hospitality, execution, food and coffee production and sanitation

Quality Assurance, Sanitation & DOH 

• Work closely with stores’ management teams to ensure quality in all aspects of the stores 
• Ensure that a safe and clean environment is the norm and all products and equipment are being handled properly 
• Maintain DOH standards at all time and perform a timely review, establish action plans and follow-up as needed 

Beautiful Bakeries  

• Regular walk-throughs of the bakeries to determine areas which need attention or repair, and real time communication to resolve these issues 
• Manage and implement deep cleaning rotation program and daily, weekly and monthly cleaning checklists
• Manage repair and maintenance needs and activities including direct communication with maintenance teams and external vendors 
• Manage pest extermination program for each bakery
• Manage preventive maintenance program for all equipment

Sales and Profit 

• Demonstrate a strong and tactical performance in managing the financial health of the stores 
• Work with the management teams in each region to increase guest counts, daily sales, operational profitability and help cultivate a loyal local customer base 
• Remain focused on the importance of making decisions with the best interest of the customers, employees and the investors in mind, with a focus on long-term results 
• Possess knowledge of actual trends in sales, check averages, menu mix and demand by day-parts in real time 
• Work with the General Managers to develop each store’s annual budget 
• Understand annual sales profiles, and plan and forecast to maximize sales opportunities 
• Monitor and maintain all cost control centers; further development of cost savings programs and strong follow through on all systems 
• Monitor trends in all areas from sales, costs, cover counts, etc. and proactively report on such trends and variances 
• Work side-by-side with management teams to manage labor by day-parts in real time 
• Analyze monthly Profit and Loss statements and use them to develop, implement and follow through on accurate plans 
• Ensure keen oversight for all aspects of purchasing, storage and inventory within each store 
• Work with all key stakeholders, develop and manage a set of relevant KPIs (SSS, Gross Profit, Yelp scores, etc.) that help manage and drive the business 

What we’re looking for: 

• Minimum ten years’ management experience (management in a food or drink retail establishment preferred)  
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead, communicate and train 
• Adaptability and flexibility – you recognize that in the food industry, anything can – and will – happen and you’re able to calmly troubleshoot issues. 
• Eye for detail – you’re meticulous about the items you create and understand the technique and patience it takes to create consistently high quality products. 
• Effective problem-solving and decision-making abilities 
• Ability to travel as needed- in addition to NYC, we have bakeries in East Hampton and Washington DC 
• Collaborative spirit and commitment to Levain’s core values – you’re a team player and willing to lend a hand or elevate those around you. You add your own individuality to an already positive and uplifting work environment. A good sense of humor doesn’t hurt either! 

Benefits:  

• Dynamic work environment with a warm and supportive team 
• Health, vision, dental insurance with employer-funded HRA  
• Additional supplemental benefits: transit benefits, dependent care account, pet insurance, etc. 
• Paid time off (after waiting period) 
• 401K with company match (after waiting period) 
• Opportunity for career development