Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) is rolling out a major hiring initiative to add at least one full-time assistant store manager at almost every company-operated location across the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2026. The coffee chain currently has about 11,400 company-operated stores in North America. The new initiative is part of CEO Brian Niccol’s broad drive to improve customer service.
The move is designed to double leadership support in stores. The typical staffing setup at stores includes baristas and shift supervisors under a salaried store manager, with the assistant manager set to now sit between shift supervisors and store managers. While close to 20% of Starbucks’ 11,400 company-owned stores in North America already have a full-time assistant store manager, the position currently has a high turnover rate and is mostly filled on a part-time basis.
The company has tested the set-up stores in California, Illinois, and Texas since June. Most of the new assistant store manager positions are expected to be promoted internally, with Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) highlighting that approximately 90% of retail leadership roles will be filled by existing partners over the next three years.
The assistant store manager role includes supporting store managers with daily operations, such as scheduling and inventory management. Starbucks Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly said the rollout of the position on a broad scale will help store managers to focus on developing talent and implementing the chain’s Back to Starbucks strategy, aimed chiefly at reducing wait times and ordering complexity.
Starbucks (SBUX) is lined up to report earnings on October 29.