Area Operations Manager (Philadelphia)
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 11, 2026. First seen by Alion on Nov 9, 2026. Saxbys scores B on the Alion truth index.
About Saxbys
Saxbys is an education company. Through our Experiential Learning Platform (ELP), we run cafes on college campuses where a Student Cafe Executive Officer (SCEO) leads the business for a semester, for academic credit, with a team of fellow students. Our cafes are how we produce strong student outcomes, and our Area Operations Managers make that possible.
The Role
As an Area Operations Manager, you'll coach and lead four Saxbys cafes: our three cafes at Drexel University and our cafe at West Chester University. You'll develop the Student CEOs who run each cafe, starting the day they're hired and continuing through their whole term. You'll make sure each cafe excels through our Three Pillars: team development, community leadership, and financial management. This role suits someone who is proactive, takes ownership, and enjoys a day that's never the same twice.
Location: Philadelphia, PA (Drexel University and West Chester University cafes)
Classification: Full-time, salaried
Compensation: $55,000 + performance bonus
What You'll Do
- Build the talent pipeline. Keep every cafe fully staffed, spot and develop future leaders, and work with Recruiting to nominate, vet, and interview SCEO candidates.
- Own the guest experience. Run regular quality checks, catch and fix inconsistencies, and keep hospitality at the center of each cafe's culture.
- Hold the standard. Know every cafe role well enough to train and coach it. Keep SOPs accessible and followed, and coach SCEOs through accountability conversations, coaching and counseling, and progressive discipline.
- Lead the numbers. Approve weekly schedules so labor matches demand and budget, build labor models, and teach SCEOs to read and act on their P&L. You'll present and defend each cafe's P&L in reviews.
- Manage inventory and ordering. Make sure counts are accurate, and review and approve orders and PARs for every cafe.
- Be Saxbys' face on campus. Serve as the main contact for campus partners such as landlords, facilities, and auxiliary services, and keep the Campus Resource Guide current.
- Open new cafes. Act as Operations lead for cafe setups and grand openings, working across departments.
- Know the market. Track local competitors, campus news, and industry trends so you can act before problems arrive.
What Success Looks Like
- Every cafe meets or beats budgeted revenue and NOI
- 30%+ of each cafe's team members are Team Leads
- 100% of SCEOs are hired by March 31 for fall and October 31 for spring
Who Thrives Here
You're a master of prioritization. You hold people accountable while staying patient and firm. You adapt quickly when things change, build rapport with everyone from a 19-year-old team member to a university VP, and get real satisfaction from developing other people.
What You Bring
- 2+ years of foodservice management experience, OR at least 6 months as a Saxbys CEO, SCEO, or Certified-level team member
- Multi-unit management experience is a big plus
- A passion for hospitality and servant leadership
- Strong written and verbal communication
- Comfort with regular travel between cafes, and a valid driver's license
- Able to stand and walk for long periods, stoop and kneel, lift up to 35 lbs, and use ladders and stairs
If you want to build leaders, not just run cafes, we'd love to hear from you. Apply below and a member of our Recruiting team will be in touch.