General Manager

Far Niente Farm

As General Manager, you’ll be responsible for every aspect of the store’s day-to-day operations and long-term success: from hiring and training a small team, to supporting vendor relationships with local producers, to ensuring full regulatory compliance across a complex mix of perishable food categories. You’ll be the face of Rock River Farm in Chicago – a genuine ambassador for what we believe in.

• This role reports directly to the owners.
• Salary range: $65-75k/year
• Benefits: Bi-annual performance bonus · Health insurance · 12 days PTO (accruing from day one) · Paid sick leave · 40% staff discount

What You’ll Do

Operations & Compliance

• Oversee all daily store operations including opening and closing procedures, inventory management, and facilities upkeep
• Ensure full compliance with Chicago and Illinois food retail regulations, including the Retail Food Establishment License, Illinois Egg License, USDA/IDOA meat and dairy labeling requirements, and all applicable health codes
• Maintain accurate temperature logs and food safety protocols across all perishable categories
• Manage relationships with the Chicago Department of Public Health and ensure the store passes all inspections
• Ensure at least one certified staff member (City of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate) is on premises at all times

Buying & Vendor Relations

• Manage and nurture relationships with Rock River Farm and all farm supply partners
• Assist with onboarding additional local vendors aligned with the store’s values – local artisan goods, specialty coffee, and more
• Manage purchase orders and maintain appropriate stock levels across all product categories

Team Leadership

• Recruit, hire, onboard, and manage a small team of retail associates
• Build a store culture that feels like the farm – inviting, genuine, and rooted in a real relationship with the land and the community around it
• Schedule staff, manage payroll, and handle performance reviews
• Ensure all employees hold valid Illinois Food Handler Cards within 30 days of hire Sales & Customer Experience
• Create an exceptional in-store experience that reflects the farm’s story and values • Handle customer inquiries, feedback, and any service issues with care and professionalism
• Build a loyal local customer base through relationship-driven retail Financial Management
• Manage the store’s P&L, including budgeting, expense tracking, and reporting to ownership
• Monitor margins across product categories and identify opportunities to improve profitability
• Manage cash handling, POS systems, and daily reconciliation

What We’re Looking For

Experience

• 3+ years of retail management experience, ideally in specialty food, grocery, or farm-to-table retail
• Demonstrated experience managing a team of 3 or more employees
• Experience with perishable food categories strongly preferred – meat, dairy, eggs, or produce
• Familiarity with Chicago food retail regulations a significant plus

Skills & Qualities

• A genuine passion for community building
• Strong organizational skills and comfort managing multiple moving parts simultaneously
• Confident, warm communicator – equally at ease with a vendor, a customer, and a regulatory inspector
• Entrepreneurial mindset – excited by the challenge of building something new, not intimidated by ambiguity
• Detail-oriented approach to compliance and food safety
• Familiarity with POS systems and basic retail analytics

Nice to Have

• City of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate (or willingness to obtain before start)
• Experience opening a new retail location
• Interest in or connection to the film, events, or hospitality industries

To apply for this job email your details to ***email_hidden***