GENERAL OPERATIONS MANAGER
$75,000 - $85,000
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About the role
Southside Blooms is a mission-driven, farm-to-vase florist and workforce development organization in Chicago. We are looking for a General Operations Manager to lead day-to-day operations, people, events, financial performance, and customer experience.
This is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced operations professional who can take ownership of results, develop employees, improve systems, and build a strong, accountable team.
The General Operations Manager will oversee daily operations, staffing, labor, budgets, expenses, inventory, events, customer service, performance management, and continuous improvement. You will work closely with leadership to identify operational challenges, improve efficiency, control costs, and strengthen overall business performance.
A major focus of this role is developing people. You will coach employees, establish clear performance expectations, identify high-potential team members, and help build a pipeline of team leads, supervisors, managers, and future organizational leaders.
Key responsibilities include:
Lead daily operations and ensure safe, efficient, consistent, and profitable execution.
Develop staffing plans, workflows, operating priorities, and performance standards.
Manage labor costs, budgets, expenses, productivity, and operational performance.
Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and unnecessary costs and implement practical solutions.
Oversee the operational planning and execution of events, including staffing, inventory, transportation, setup, breakdown, timelines, and customer service.
Lead, coach, train, and hold employees accountable for performance, attendance, productivity, quality, and customer service.
Develop SOPs, processes, checklists, training materials, and accountability systems.
Establish and monitor KPIs across operations, people, customer experience, and financial performance.
Use operational and financial data to identify problems, understand root causes, and improve results.
Provide leadership with clear reporting on performance, staffing, risks, opportunities, and recommended actions.
Develop employees and create opportunities for increased responsibility and leadership growth.
Compensation: $75,000–$85,000 annual base salary plus performance-based incentives.
Southside Blooms offers a mission-driven workplace, professional development opportunities, paid holidays, paid time off, a 401(k) retirement plan, and medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Requirements
5+ years of progressively responsible leadership or management experience.
Experience managing an operationally intensive environment such as retail, hospitality, food service, manufacturing, logistics, floral, or a similar industry.
Demonstrated experience managing budgets, labor, expenses, productivity, and operational performance.
Strong people leadership, coaching, training, and performance management skills.
Ability to analyze financial and operational data and turn findings into practical action.
Experience developing employees and holding teams accountable for performance.
Strong organizational, analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to build and maintain systems, processes, SOPs, and accountability structures.
Strong customer service orientation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work hands-on in a fast-paced operational environment.
Ability to work in Chicago and support the day-to-day operational needs of Southside Blooms.
Benefits
Medical, dental and vision insurance; 401(k); paid time off; paid holidays; performance-based incentives
