We are looking for a General Manager!

General Manager 

Posted: June 23, 2014

Organization:

The Sugar Beet Co-op

Organization location:

Oak Park, IL

Apply by:

07/20/2014

The Sugar Beet Co-op, a start-up co-op expected to open February 2015, located in the beautiful village of Oak Park, IL (just 10 miles west of downtown Chicago) is seeking a General Manager. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the General Manager is responsible for the overall operations of a 6,300 sq ft retail grocery store with $4 million in annual sales its first year and an estimated 20 employees. The General Manager leads the staff in providing exceptional customer service and maintaining a financially thriving business in a competitive marketplace for the benefit of our 500 (and growing!) member households and the surrounding community. More broadly, the General Manager is responsible for working toward our mission while charting the direction of the Co-op in concert with our Board of Directors, employees and members.

Minimum Qualifications –

  • Retail food store management experience

  • Supervisory experience: hiring, training, evaluating and coaching, setting compensation, termination, supervising supervisory employees, and other similar functions

  • Financial experience: operating, capital, and cash budgeting; interpreting and analyzing financial statements and accounting ratios, etc.

  • Demonstrated ability to build and motivate a cohesive team and foster stakeholder alignment around a particular vision

  • Clear presentation of information in written and spoken form

  • Personal and professional values that align with cooperative principles

Desired Qualifications –

  • Bottom line accountability experience for a business with minimum annual sales volume of $4 million

  • Demonstrated ability to create and implement strategy for development and growth in a competitive market

  • Experience working with boards and familiarity with policy governance

  • Experience in natural foods industry and knowledge of current trends

  • Experience and familiarity with cooperative business

  • Familiarity with open-book management

  • Ability to effectively represent the Sugar Beet Co-op to and build relationships with stakeholder groups (e.g. members, staff, the national co-op community, the Oak Park business community)

The Sugar Beet Co-op offers a competitive wage and benefits package, dependent on experience.

About The Sugar Beet Co-op

The Sugar Beet Co-op was founded in early 2012. In March 2013 The Co-op began selling member shares and in March 2014 The Co-op signed a 10 year lease for a beautiful geothermal, LEED certified 6300 sq ft retail space in the heart of Oak Park, IL. With an active and motivated Board of Directors, The Sugar Beet Co-op is progressing quickly towards its targeted opening date of February 2015.  With projected annual sales of $4 million in the first  fiscal year, The Co-op expects to employ nearly 20 staff members. Situated just west of Chicago in the beautiful and diverse village of Oak Park, The Sugar Beet Co-op is one of many start-up food co-ops in the Chicagoland region. Find out more at The Sugar Beet Co-op website. www.sugarbeetcoop.com

About Oak Park, IL

Oak Park, located just 10 miles west of downtown Chicago, boasts excellent schools, world class architecture, shopping, dining and an extensive public transportation network. But Oak Park is more than a place – it also is a way of life.
Oak Park was named one of 20 Best Towns & Neighborhoods in Chicago & the Suburbs by Chicago Magazine. Oak Park was voted Third Best Neighborhood in the United States, by American Planning Association.  Oak Park is a highly educated village of 50,000 with a vibrant business district, easy access to public transit via three train lines and is a diverse community committed to sustainability and progressive ideals. The village is located just west of Chicago and is a 20 minute drive to downtown and Lake Michigan. Oak Park is recognized for it’s tree-lined neighborhoods,  smart village planning, bike-friendly streets and popular farmers’ market.

To apply for or inquire about the General Manager position, please send a cover letter and résumé with three professional references to gmsearch@sugarbeetcoop.com