Market Manager Jobs in Illinois

Bonita Bowls is seeking a highly motivated, experienced, and hands-on Market Manager to oversee daily operations, support store leadership, and drive operational excellence across multiple locations.

This position is ideal for a results-driven leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys developing teams, and understands what it takes to operate successful, high-performing food service establishments.

As a Market Manager / Floating Manager, you will serve as a key connection between ownership, store managers, and frontline employees. You will be responsible for maintaining operational consistency, improving financial performance, ensuring exceptional customer experiences, and supporting the continued growth of Bonita Bowls.

This is not a traditional office-based management position. We are looking for someone who leads by example, is comfortable working alongside employees, and is willing to step into any location or position when operational needs arise.

Key Responsibilities

Multi-Location Operations & Leadership

• Oversee daily operations across multiple Bonita Bowls locations, ensuring consistency in service, quality, cleanliness, and operational standards.
• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and accountability to store managers, shift leaders, and team members.
• Serve as a Floating Manager, providing hands-on management coverage at locations experiencing staffing shortages, management vacancies, or increased operational demands.
• Conduct regular store visits, operational evaluations, and performance reviews to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure all locations follow company policies, procedures, recipes, portioning standards, and food safety requirements.
• Act as a direct point of contact between ownership and store management teams.

Financial Performance & Business Management

• Monitor store-level profitability, including sales performance, labor costs, food costs, inventory, and controllable expenses.
• Analyze profit and loss (P&L) statements and key performance indicators to identify opportunities to improve profitability.
• Work with store managers to establish and maintain labor budgets, optimize scheduling, and reduce unnecessary expenses.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and implement practical solutions that improve financial results.
• Monitor inventory management, product waste, purchasing practices, and cost-control procedures.
• Develop actionable plans to improve underperforming locations.

Team Development & Accountability

• Recruit, train, coach, and develop store managers and team members.
• Establish clear performance expectations and hold management teams accountable for results.
• Support employee onboarding, ongoing training, performance evaluations, and corrective action processes.
• Foster a positive, professional, and results-oriented workplace culture.
• Identify high-potential employees and develop future leaders within the organization.
• Assist with employee relations, conflict resolution, and maintaining consistent company standards.

Customer Experience & Brand Standards

• Ensure every Bonita Bowls location delivers an exceptional customer experience.
• Monitor customer feedback, online reviews, and service performance to identify improvement opportunities.
• Maintain consistent standards for food presentation, product quality, speed of service, and store appearance.
• Support the successful implementation of new menu items, promotions, company initiatives, and operational procedures.
• Lead by example by assisting with food preparation, customer service, and daily store operations when necessary.

Scheduling, Staffing & Operational Support

• Assist store managers with staffing plans, scheduling, and labor optimization.
• Provide immediate operational support during call-offs, staffing shortages, and unexpected challenges.
• Coordinate management coverage across locations to maintain uninterrupted operations.
• Ensure stores are adequately staffed and prepared for peak business periods.
• Maintain flexibility to work across multiple locations, including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require.

Reporting & Communication

• Regularly communicate store performance, operational challenges, staffing concerns, and improvement opportunities to ownership.
• Review sales reports, labor metrics, inventory trends, and other operational data.
• Establish measurable goals and follow through on action plans.
• Ensure company initiatives and operational changes are communicated clearly and implemented consistently across all locations.
• Utilize technology and reporting systems to monitor performance and improve operational efficiency.

Qualifications & Experience

Required Qualifications

• Previous management experience in restaurants, quick-service restaurants (QSR), fast-casual dining, hospitality, or multi-unit retail operations.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage daily operations, and maintain accountability.
• Strong understanding of labor management, inventory control, food costs, and profitability.
• Excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, hands-on operational environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and other business management tools.
• Reliable transportation and willingness to travel between assigned locations.
• Flexible availability, including weekends and occasional evenings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience overseeing multiple restaurant or retail locations.
• Previous experience as a District Manager, Area Manager, Regional Manager, General Manager, or Multi-Unit Manager.
• Experience reviewing P&L statements and implementing cost-control strategies.
• Familiarity with POS systems, employee scheduling platforms, inventory management, and payroll systems.
• Demonstrated success improving store performance, developing managers, and increasing operational efficiency.
• Experience implementing standard operating procedures and leading operational improvements.

What We’re Looking For

Our ideal candidate is someone who:

• Leads from the front: Willing to jump behind the counter and support the team whenever needed.
• Takes ownership: Treats each location’s performance and success as a personal responsibility.
• Drives accountability: Sets high expectations and ensures managers and employees follow through.
• Understands the numbers: Recognizes how labor, food costs, waste, and operational decisions affect profitability.
• Develops people: Builds strong teams and helps employees grow into leadership positions.
• Solves problems: Identifies challenges early and takes initiative to resolve them.
• Stays organized: Can effectively manage multiple locations, priorities, and responsibilities.
• Embraces flexibility: Understands that restaurant operations require adaptability and a willingness to step in wherever needed.

Your Impact

As a Market Manager / Floating Manager, you will play an essential role in the continued growth and success of Bonita Bowls.

Your leadership will directly influence store profitability, employee performance, operational consistency, and customer satisfaction.

This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a growing company while helping develop the systems, people, and operational standards that support long-term expansion.

If you’re a motivated, hands-on leader who enjoys building strong teams, improving operations, and driving measurable results, we’d love to hear from you.

Pay: From $45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person