Assistant Cafe and Retail Manager - 16th

Hours:

Full-time, (40 hours/week, a flexible schedule is preferred)

Report: 16th Street Cafe GM

Location:

16th Street Cafe, on-site

Wage: starts at $29.50/hour + tips

Dandelion Chocolate is a bean-to-bar chocolate maker and cafe in San Francisco’s Mission District. We make chocolate from only two ingredients, cocoa beans and cane sugar, and travel to origin as often as we can to build good, trusting relationships with the producers who grow and ferment our beans. We’re seeking an experienced Assistant Cafe and Retail Manager to support our team and the guest experience at our 16th Street Cafe where we tell our story and share our passion for chocolate.

There is no typical day at our store, and we’re looking for leaders who are excited to help create a world-class experience for everyone from the chocolate novice to the industry expert (and is savvy enough to know the difference). Collaborating with the team is as important as leading one. Your day might start with trouble‑shooting the starting cash levels for the drawer, making sure everyone has the tools to prepare chocolate samples before the weekend, or preparing an onboarding packet and scheduling training for a new team member.

As the day progresses, you’ll need to recognize issues and know how to elevate them such as noticing that we’re unexpectedly low on milk, a pastry sign is out of date, or the retail shelves are not looking their best. You respond by running to the market to buy milk, taking a picture of the out‑of‑date sign to send to the Creative team, and giving a quick tutorial to the team on merchandising.

Above all, you are a support system for the team and are always willing to jump in and lend a hand. Working alongside the General Manager and your team, you’ll create unique, thoughtful experiences for our guests as well as foster a caring, stable, and supportive environment for the team. This full‑time position starts at $29.50/hour + tips.

Our ideal candidate is a mature, team‑oriented assistant manager who is equally enthusiastic about supporting the team and the guest experience. You have the experience to know that no plan ever goes perfectly — team members call out sick, products are out of stock, and machines break — and you always have a Plan B in your back pocket. Your style of leadership balances both type‑A rigor with empathetic soft skills and collaborative communication.

You’ve previously built long‑standing systems like checklists, guidelines, and documentation that help the team operate at its best, even when the line is out the door. In addition to leadership skills, you have the soft skills to understand a team member’s long‑term motivation and to help them map a career path in coffee and chocolate. You will be measured on your ability to support your team in providing world‑class hospitality and guest experiences, the tenure of your team members, how well you keep the shop’s daily operations humming, your team’s trust & respect, your leadership values, and your ability to continuously improve our guest experiences.

• Systems and Processes -- Maintain smooth daily operations: provide tools for team members to continuously improve, make sure supplies and tools are available, keep the space neat and organized, periodically audit checklists, provide the team with daily plans, prepare weekly deposits, assist with payroll, serve as a double‑check on inventory, merchandising, and scheduling, and maintain food and safety standards for health and safety compliance.
• Leadership -- Proactively contribute ideas to optimize our space, work with the team to continually improve guest experiences, and streamline team operations so that we improve each year. Understand your…