About Little Kitchen Academy

Little Kitchen Academy (LKA) is the first-of-its-kind, Montessori-inspired cooking academy for children ages three through eighteen. Our purpose is to empower children to make independent choices and develop a healthy relationship with food and themselves. We are building a movement to radically change lives from scratch, with joy, mindfulness, and responsibility at our core.

Position Overview The General Manager is accountable for the overall success of the academy, including team performance, enrolment growth, operational excellence, and financial results. This role leads all aspects of the business and sets the standard for culture, accountability, and experience.

The General Manager is a hands-on leader who develops people, drives enrolment, and ensures flawless execution of daily operations. You will lead the Academy Team, maintain high standards across all classes, and act as the face of the brand within the local community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Academy Leadership & Operations

- Own full accountability for daily academy performance, ensuring consistent, high-quality operations
- Maintain excellence in cleanliness, organization, safety, and overall academy readiness
- Oversee inventory, ingredient ordering, and equipment maintenance to support uninterrupted class delivery
- Prepare, place, and receive orders for ingredients, paper goods, and smallwares
- Ensure full compliance with health, fire, and food safety regulations
- Observe and maintain operational excellence through internal audits (e.g., MeazureUp)

Enrolment, Sales & Financial Performance
- Own enrolment targets, conversion rates, and family retention
- Execute marketing strategies, including tours, follow-ups, and community outreach




- Monitor academy performance metrics and take decisive action to improve results
- Manage labor to align with LKA targets and business needs
- Oversee payroll reporting and submit accurately and on time
- Manage budgets, control costs, and ensure financial discipline across the academy
- Optimize class schedules and capacity to maximize enrolment and profitability

Family Experience & Community Engagement
- Ensure a seamless, high-quality experience for all families from inquiry through ongoing participation
- Oversee communication with families via email, phone, and in person
- Act as the point of escalation for parent concerns, resolving issues with professionalism and care
- Build and maintain relationships with local schools and community partners
- Represent LKA in the community to increase awareness and drive enrolment

Programming & Experience Excellence
- Build and maintain seasonal class schedules within the enrolment platform
- Adjust class offerings based on enrolment trends and demand
- Oversee and adapt curriculum planning to accommodate allergies, preferences, and special needs
- Participate in a minimum of 5 classes per week as lead, support, or environment instructor
- Ensure all classes are delivered consistently to LKA standards, with a focus on safety, engagement, and independence
- Demonstrate LKA’s Core Beliefs (Health, Delight, Joy, Mindfulness, Learning,



Empowerment, Inspiration) in every class and interaction

Team Leadership & Development
- Recruit, hire, onboard, and train all academy team members
- Directly manage and develop the Assistant Director, ensuring clear delegation and accountability
- Coach, mentor, and hold all team members accountable to LKA standards and performance expectations
- Build, support, and continuously develop a high-performing instructor team
- Manage staffing schedules and provide coverage where needed, including stepping in during absences

Qualifications & Requirements:
- 5+ years of leadership experience managing teams and operations in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment ( hospitality, education, retail, or similar)
- Proven track record of driving measurable business results (e.g., revenue growth, enrolment, retention)
- Experience managing scheduling, payroll, budgets, and operational systems
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to coach, develop, and hold teams accountable
- Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Experience working with children is preferred
- Background in culinary, food service, or hospitality is an asset
- Associate’s degree in Child Development, Culinary Arts, Nutrition, Montessori, or related field is an asset
- First Aid/CPR (including children), Food Handler/Food Safe certification, and Criminal Background Check required
- Basic mathematical proficiency and comfort working with measurements and inventory
- Ability to stand and move continuously for extended periods and perform physical tasks required in a kitchen/classroom setting
- Availability for evenings and weekends based on operational needs

📌 General Manager (Oakville)
🏢 Little Kitchen Academy
📍 Oakville