General Manager
Cannabis Connection - Westfield
Department: Dispensary Operations
Reports To: VP of Retail Operations
Location: In Person, with Multi-Store Support
Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range: $80,000-$85,000
Summary
The General Manager (GM) leads all daily retail operations for a high-volume Cannabis
Connection dispensary, developing exceptional teams and delivering outstanding customer
experiences while maintaining the highest standards of compliance, financial performance,
and accountability.
This is a strategic and hands-on leadership role for an autonomous, self-driven leader who
knows when to take the lead and thrives on ownership. The GM holds full responsibility for
the overall performance of the location — from regulatory compliance and inventory
management to employee development, financial results, and quarterly business planning.
This includes proactively planning quarters in advance (e.g., building Q1 plans during Q3/Q4
of the prior year), preparing to present the business to executive leadership, and reacting
swiftly to shifts in KPIs with clear, data-backed solutions.
The GM serves as a trusted partner to the Cannabis Connection ownership and advisory team
at Root & Bloom / RoadTrip (Salisbury, MA), collaborating on strategy, sharing best practices,
and helping shape the direction of the broader retail organization. Beyond their home
location, the GM supports cross-store collaboration and provides coverage and leadership
support at the sister location in West Springfield/Westfield when needed.
This role demands strong change-management capability. The GM must be comfortable
turning over and rebuilding a team when needed, developing a strong leadership bench, and
guiding people through transitions with clarity and confidence. The ideal candidate is
decisive and people-focused, takes pride in accountability and execution, and builds systems
that drive sustainable success.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership, Culture & Change Management
• Operate autonomously and self-directed — knowing when to take the lead, make decisions, and drive initiatives without waiting for direction.
• Lead, coach, schedule, and develop a team of Assistant Managers, Leads, and Retail Associates.
• Serve as the primary culture driver, ensuring company values — hospitality, accountability, growth, and teamwork — are lived daily.
• Lead the team through change and transition, including turning over and rebuilding the team when needed, with clear communication and steady execution.
• Identify high-potential employees and build a deep leadership bench and succession pipeline within the organization.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, performance reviews, and leadership development sessions with management staff.
• Partner with leadership and HR on hiring, onboarding, employee development, and performance management.
• Foster an inclusive, high-performance environment that promotes engagement, learning, and retention.
Strategic Planning & Financial Management
• Develop and execute quarterly and annual business plans, forecasting and budgeting in advance of upcoming quarters.
• Manage full P&L responsibility for the store, ensuring financial health across sales,margin, labor, and expenses.
• Partner with the advisory team at Root & Bloom / RoadTrip (Salisbury, MA) on strategy, planning, and performance.
• Prepare and present financials and operational results to executive leadership, including KPI trends, performance summaries, and solutions for improvement.
• Analyze daily, weekly, and monthly KPIs (sales, UPT, average cart, margin, loyalty sign-ups, labor, etc.) and implement responsive strategies to drive growth.
• Manage labor costs and scheduling within approved budgets, balancing customer service and operational needs.
• Maintain readiness to reactively deploy initiatives to address dips in performance or capitalize on emerging opportunities.
• Maintain inventory controls, reduce shrink, and resolve variances to protect profitability. Operations & Compliance
• Oversee all daily store operations, including opening and closing procedures, cash handling, vault management, safe counts, and deposit preparation.
• Maintain complete METRC accuracy, including transfers, adjustments, manifests, inventory reconciliation, and reporting.
• Manage Dutchie POS operations, ensuring transaction accuracy, proper corrections,and end-of-day reporting.
• Ensure strict compliance with Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission regulations, 935 CMR 500 requirements, and all company SOPs.
• Enforce age verification procedures and purchase limit compliance.
• Lead internal compliance audits and maintain audit-ready documentation at all times.
• Coordinate Responsible Vendor Training (RVT) compliance for all team members.
• Maintain security protocols and ensure accurate manifests, deliveries, and product intake processes.
Customer Experience & Sales Execution
• Champion an exceptional customer experience and lead by example on the sales floor.
• Lead the execution of sales-floor strategies that increase UPT, average cart, and loyalty conversion.
• Coach managers and team members on consultative selling, product knowledge, and guest engagement.
• Support customer retention through loyalty program engagement and community-focused service.
• Ensure visual merchandising, product presentation, and store cleanliness consistently meet company standards.
• Professionally resolve escalated customer concerns and create positive outcomes.
• Collaborate with marketing leadership to execute sales initiatives, campaigns, and loyalty engagement strategies aligned with company goals.
Cross-Store Collaboration & Growth
• Provide coverage and leadership support at the sister location in West Springfield/Westfield when business needs require.
• Partner with the Root & Bloom / RoadTrip advisory team (Salisbury, MA) to align on best practices and growth initiatives.
• Support consistency and alignment across all Cannabis Connection retail locations through collaboration and shared best practices.
• Partner with executive leadership to refine scalable systems, SOPs, and performance frameworks for multi-store success.
• Contribute to advisory services and expansion initiatives for future retail growth.
Community & Brand Advocacy
• Represent Cannabis Connection in the local community through partnerships, charitable events, and industry networking.
• Cultivate vendor and brand relationships that drive in-store activations, education, and marketing opportunities.
• Promote a positive, professional reputation for Cannabis Connection across the region.
Qualifications
• 5-7+ years of cannabis retail management or high-volume retail leadership experience, leading teams of 8 or more direct reports; cannabis retail experience required.
• Autonomous, self-driven leader with strong judgment on when to take initiative and lead.
• Proven change-management experience, including turning over and rebuilding teams and developing a leadership bench and succession pipeline.
• Ability to partner effectively with ownership, advisory, and executive stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success managing budgets, labor, and margins within a P&L structure.
• Strong financial literacy and analytical skills (KPI interpretation, forecasting, budget tracking, financial reporting).
• 3–5 years of experience with seed-to-sale inventory systems (METRC) and cannabis POS systems (Dutchie preferred); customer loyalty platforms (Alpine IQ a plus).
• Proven leadership in team building, performance management, and culture creation.
• Working knowledge of Massachusetts cannabis regulations and compliance requirements.
• Active or eligible Massachusetts CCC Agent Registration required prior to employment.
• Responsible Vendor Training (RVT) certification or willingness to obtain before start date.
• Excellent communication, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and travel between locations.
Key Success Metrics
• Achievement of quarterly and annual sales, margin, and labor targets.
• Consistent compliance scores of 95% or higher.
• Positive team engagement and retention metrics, and a developing leadership bench.
• Growth in loyalty program participation and average cart size.
• Positive community presence and brand reputation within the local market.
Physical Requirements
• Ability to stand, sit, walk, or move for extended periods throughout the workday (up to 12 hours).
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or move up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and perform physical retail operations tasks.
• Ability to work on computers, tablets, and POS systems for extended periods.
• Strong attention to detail when reviewing compliance documentation, inventory records, and operational reports.
• Ability to travel between retail locations as needed.
Availability Requirements
• Flexible availability, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak retail periods.
• Ability to work 40+ hours per week, with extended shifts as business needs require.
• Availability for emergency coverage, inventory counts, audits, and urgent operational needs.
• Willingness to travel between Cannabis Connection locations, including the West Springfield/Westfield sister location, as needed.
• Reliable attendance and punctuality are essential.
Benefits
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible spending account.
• Paid time off and parental leave.
• Employee discount program.
Why Join Cannabis Connection?
At Cannabis Connection, we believe great stores are built by great leaders. You’ll have the
opportunity to make a measurable impact, develop talented teams, and help shape the
future of a growing cannabis retail organization committed to operational excellence,
compliance, and customer service.
Cannabis Connection is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants must meet
Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission licensing eligibility requirements.
This job description is not intended to include every duty or responsibility that may be
required of the position. Duties and responsibilities may change as the needs of the business
evolve.