Assistant Manager - Operations

The Forest's mission is to improve quality of life through safe and easy access to cannabis by providing consistent, high-quality product through innovation, vertical integration and aggressive regulatory reform.

We aim to create a new standard in the cannabis industry for quality, care, innovation, and education while still maintaining a focus and conscious understanding of how our decisions within the role effect the social and environmental impact in our community and for our customers. We're committed to a research-driven, customer-centric approach in all that we do, and we will work to have a lasting positive impact in our community.

Our Core Values include:

One Team - We're all in this together

Growth - Pride in growing our teams, footprint, patient base and ourselves

Empathy - Compassion for our people and patients leads to success

Accountability - Do what we say we will do and stand behind our actions

Position Summary:

The Assistant Manager - Operations supports the General Manager in executing daily store operations, guest experience, labor deployment, and cash controls. This role owns front-of-house execution and serves as Manager on Duty as assigned. This role is primarily responsible for operational leadership but will also be cross trained in inventory management responsibilities. The Assistant Manager partners closely with the General Manager to lead the retail team, uphold company standards, and ensure a consistent and compliant guest experience

Essential Job Functions:

Manager Responsibilities

• Serve as Manager on Duty with authority over daily store execution, team leadership, and cash controls.
• Lead by example on the retail floor, delivering an exceptional guest experience and reinforcing a guest-first service culture.
• Execute daily store operations and enforce company SOPs and state regulatory requirement.
• Oversee opening and closing procedures, including inventory counts, cash reconcilliation, and daily operational reporting.
• Hold staff accountable for guest check-in, product guidance, and transaction accuracy, including coaching and disciniplary action as needed.
• Resolve guest escalations and customer service issues including monitoring of store email.
• Communicate daily promotions, product updates, and operational priorities to staff.
• Coordinate facility needs, supplies, and maintenance with management.
• Stay informed on cannabis industry trends, product knowledge, and regulatory updates to support team education and compliance.
• Perform additional duties as assigned, including scheduling, daily role assignment, time and attendance tracking, and employee performance conversations.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of patient, guest, and business information.
• Ensure all labeling, packaging, and documentation requirements are met at intake and point of sale.
• Ensure adherence to company cash handling policies, including register balancing, safe counts, daily cash reconciliation, and investigation of variances.

People Management

• Participate in hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management as directed by the General Manager.
• Coach team members on service standards, sales behaviors, product knowledge, and compliance requirements.
• Provide performance feedback and participate in performance evaluations and disciplinary processes as needed.
• Manage floor coverage, staffing levels, and break schedules to optimize guest experience and labor productivity.
• Identify execution gaps and implement corrective actions in real-time.
• Maintain store standards for merchandising, cleanliness, and safety.

Qualifications:

• Must be at least 21 years of age
• Must have a high school diploma, or the equivalent
• Must be able to pass all background check requirements and obtain licensing as set forth by the applicable state cannabis regulatory body
• Prior cannabis industry experience preferred but not required
• Minimum 2 years of retail, hospitality, or regulated industry experience, with at least 1 year in a leadership role preferred
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without an accommodation
• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

This section outlines the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to be successful in this role. It is not intended to be an all-inclusive list.

• Knowledge of retail operations, inventory control, and customer service best practices.
• Proficiency with POS and inventory tracking systems and ability to learn new software quickly.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and documentation accuracy.
• Effective communication and leadership skills with the ability to coach team members.
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced, regulated environment.