General Manager

Company Overview

Spark Car Wash is a high growth, institutionally backed express exterior car wash company serving the Northeast. Spark is growing fast and plans to open a significant number of modern car wash locations throughout NJ, NY, and PA. Spark’s success is driven by a relentless focus on making the car wash an energizing experience for all, delivering a consistently excellent experience for customers and creating an enriching environment for employees. Guided by our values, Spark’s vision is to become the largest car wash operator in the region and the premier car wash brand in the market.

Position Summary

The General Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of a Spark Car Wash location while creating an energizing experience for customers and employees. Operating with an ownership mindset, this leader drives sales performance, develops high-performing teams, ensures operational excellence, and delivers consistent execution of Spark standards. The General Manager inspires a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and a customer-first mindset while building future leaders and preparing the business for sustainable growth and expansion.

Essential Functions

• Team Development: Build, coach, and develop a high-performing team that embodies “the Spark Way”. Recruit top talent, provide ongoing coaching and competency-based feedback, and recognize performance, while fostering an inclusive, accountable, and high-energy culture.
• Business Ownership & Performance Management: Operate the location as your own business by establishing clear performance expectations, analyzing business trends, monitoring key performance indicators, and executing action plans that improve overall site performance. Help the team understand how their daily actions contribute to business results.
• Sales Leadership & Revenue Growth: Build and sustain a sales-driven culture that consistently delivers membership growth, increases customer retention, and maximizes revenue opportunities. Coach team on selling behaviors, celebrate wins, and motivate the team to exceed sales goals while delivering an exceptional guest experience.
• Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement: Lead consistent execution of Spark operating standards by ensuring safety, quality, cleanliness, equipment readiness, and process adherence. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, adapt quickly to changing business needs, and learn through action.
• Customer Experience Management: Champion a customer-first culture by ensuring every guest receives a fast, friendly, and energizing experience. Actively seek customer feedback, resolve concerns with professionalism, and resolve issues such as service concerns, damages, and claims in a timely and professional manner to protect the company’s reputation.
• Facilities & Equipment Management: Maintain responsibility for the safe operation, inspection, preventative maintenance, and basic repair of all site equipment, including back-room systems, vacuum equipment, and tunnel machinery. Ensure equipment is properly maintained, operational, and escalated appropriately to minimize downtime.
• Community Engagement & Brand Growth: Build relationships within the local community that strengthen the Spark brand, increase awareness, and create opportunities for business growth. Represent Spark professionally while fostering partnerships that support long-term success.
• Safety, Compliance & Risk Management: Foster a culture where safety is everyone's responsibility by ensuring compliance with company policies, operational procedures, and safety standards. Train, coach, and hold team members accountable for safe work practices around moving vehicles, equipment, chemicals, customers, and fellow employees while protecting people, company assets, and the integrity of daily operations.
• Cash Management: Exercise ownership of all cash handling processes, including transaction accuracy, deposit preparation, cash audits, and compliance with company financial controls. Safeguard company assets by ensuring cash management procedures are consistently executed accurately, securely, and in accordance with company standards.
• Communication & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with District Managers and Corporate support teams to execute company initiatives, share best practices, communicate business needs, and ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
• Change Management: Lead with optimism and composure during periods of growth, change, and operational challenges. Communicate clearly and calmly, build alignment, manage conflict effectively, and help the team embrace new initiatives.

Requirements

• High school diploma/GED preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience

• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience, preferably in a customer-facing, retail, service, hospitality, or operations environment
• Strong organizational, planning and delegation skills to effectively lead teams to achieve business metrics and service standards
• Superb communication skills, both written and verbal. Must be able to convey information clearly and effectively to both employees and customers
• Possess great interpersonal skills, specifically ability to actively listen and motivate associates
• Basic math skills, including counting cash, reviewing transactions, supporting accurate payment handling and end of day accounting
• Experience with cash handling, deposit preparation, cash audits, and related financial controls, including reviewing transactions, verifying deposits, and ensuring cash procedures are followed accurately and securely
• Comfortable performing physical activities that require the use of hands, arms, legs, and full-body movement, including walking, standing, bending, stooping, reaching, and handling tools or materials
• Capable of lifting, moving, or carrying up to 40 lbs. as needed
• Must be able to see details at close range, including transaction information, equipment, tools, and site conditions
• Must be able to work in all types of weather conditions
• Maintain availability for a flexible schedule, including some evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Must maintain reliable transportation to and from work, including but not limited to their assigned store location, meetings, training sessions, and other required organizational functions

Benefits

• Competitive salary with performance-based incentive opportunities
• Opportunity to earn additional compensation for each eligible membership sold
• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match up to 4%
• 3 weeks of paid time off annually, prorated based on start date, plus paid federal holidays
• Employee car wash plan