Operational Leader. Culture Keeper. Business Builder.
DepartmentOperations & Team Leadership
Reports ToManaging Partner
Updated2026-08-23
About Bark & Purr
Bark and Purr Pet Grooming & Boarding is Allen, Texas's premier pet wellness destination, located at 803 W. Main Street. We are a certified Fear-Free grooming salon, and our proprietary Tranquil Tail Grooming® method creates individualized, stress-free experiences for every pet and every PAWrent. We do not just groom pets — we care for them holistically and become trusted members of their extended family. Our team is our brand: we hire only individuals who combine technical excellence with genuine, natural empathy for animals.
Role At A Glance
Department
Operations & Team Leadership
Level / Tier
Leadership · Salary + Performance Bonus
Reports To
Managing Partner
Location
803 W. Main Street, Allen, TX 75013
Position Summary
The Shop Manager is the operational heart of Bark and Purr. You lead by example, protect the culture, develop the team, and drive the business outcomes that fuel the shop's growth. This is not a desk job — you are on the floor, with the team and clients, every single day. You translate the Managing Partner's vision into daily operational excellence, resolve problems with speed and grace, and ensure that every pet and every PAWrent who walks through the door experiences exactly what we promise. The Shop Manager is the standard-bearer for everything Bark and Purr represents.
Core Responsibilities
Daily Operations Leadership
Oversee opening and closing procedures; ensure all checklists are completed to standard.
Monitor and manage workflow in real time: pet flow, appointment schedule, groomer pace, and front desk efficiency.
Serve as the Manager on Duty (MOD) for their shift — first point of escalation for all operational issues.
Ensure all safety, sanitation, and Fear-Free compliance standards are met throughout every shift.
Manage inventory, supply orders, and vendor relationships to ensure zero shortage situations.
Team Leadership & Development
Lead, motivate, and coach every team member toward their best performance each day.
Conduct formal performance reviews for all team members at 30, 60, 90 days and quarterly thereafter.
Administer progressive discipline and corrective action with documentation, fairness, and compassion.
Monitor daily revenue, appointment volume, and service mix against targets.
Track and analyze KPIs: identify trends, gaps, and growth opportunities.
Prepare weekly operations report for the Managing Partner: highlights, concerns, staffing, and revenue.
Support promotional campaigns, partnership programs, and community events as directed.
Compliance & Safety
Ensure full compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations for pet care and employment.
Oversee and maintain all licensing, insurance documentation, and health/safety records.
Conduct monthly safety walkthroughs of all work areas and document findings.
Manage all incident documentation: pet injuries, employee injuries, and client complaints.
Billing Oversight
Per the Operations Manual, the Shop Manager must ensure clients are billed for:
Upgrades
Dematting fees
Handling fees
Additional services
Qualifications & Requirements
Experience
Minimum 2 years leadership experience in pet care, retail, or service industry
Management Skills
Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, discipline, and develop a team of 5+ people
Industry Knowledge
Working knowledge of pet grooming operations strongly preferred
Systems
Proficiency in scheduling, POS, booking platforms, and basic reporting tools
Certifications
Fear-Free awareness certification required; management training preferred
Availability
Open availability including opening, closing, and weekend shifts
Non-Negotiables
Uncompromising culture alignment; leads by example; accountable; solutions-focused; loves animals
What You're Measured On
Key Performance Indicator
Target / Standard
Shop revenue vs. target
Monthly tracking; report to Managing Partner
Team retention (90-day)
≥ 80% of new hires retained through probation
Client rebooking rate (shop-wide)
≥ 78% within 6 weeks
Google review volume
≥ 15 new reviews per month shop-wide
Performance reviews completed on time
100% of scheduled reviews completed
Incident documentation
100% documented within same shift
Inventory shortage events
Zero unplanned shortages
Weekly operations report to Managing Partner
100% on-time submission
Career Pathway
Shop Manager → Senior Shop Manager → Area Manager → Franchise Partner (5-Year Growth Plan). Shop Managers who consistently deliver operational excellence, grow their team, and demonstrate business acumen will be first in consideration for ownership partnership as Bark and Purr expands. This role is the operations-track destination of the Front Desk pathway: Front Desk → Shop Manager.
Training Agenda
Shop Manager onboarding is a 60-day immersive program designed to develop mastery of Bark and Purr's operations, team, culture, and business performance systems. Duration: 60 days primary, with a 90-day full-independence review. Mentor: Managing Partner / Linda Ghaffari. Format: immersive floor operation + leadership simulation + business reporting + 1:1 coaching. Assessment: weekly 1:1 with Managing Partner; formal review at Day 30 and Day 60.
Week 1 — Immersion: Know the Business from the Ground Up
Complete all onboarding paperwork, handbook, and policy acknowledgments
Spend Day 1 in each functional area: front desk, bathing room, grooming floor, kennel — as an observer
Complete full facility safety orientation: all equipment, emergency procedures, chemical storage, evacuation plan
Study and internalize the Tranquil Tail® philosophy, Fear-Free standards, and client experience framework
Review all existing team member files: roles, tenure, current performance notes
Review last 90 days of financial reports with Managing Partner: revenue, service mix, trends
Read every active client profile for the shop's top 25 clients by visit frequency
Week 2 — Operations Mastery: Systems & Workflows
Master the booking and scheduling system: build a full weekly schedule from scratch
Master the POS system: all transaction types, end-of-day reconciliation, refund processing, and sales reporting
Master inventory management: conduct a full inventory count, identify current levels, build a reorder schedule
Internalize the opening and closing checklists: execute each independently and time yourself
Review all vendor relationships: who, what they supply, ordering process, and lead times
Sit in on 3 client check-ins and 3 checkouts with each team member — observe for standards compliance
Week 3 — Team Leadership Foundations
Study all current training agendas for every role
Conduct a 30-minute 1:1 with every team member — listen, learn, and build trust
Review all training checklist statuses: identify who is behind or needs follow-up
Practice the performance review process: complete a mock review with the Managing Partner
Study the corrective action process: verbal warning, written warning, termination — documentation requirements
Practice delivering feedback using praise-redirect-praise — role-play with Managing Partner
Week 4 — Client Experience & Revenue Oversight
Conduct a full client experience audit: observe one check-in, one checkout, and one follow-up text review
Review KPI reports for the past 90 days: rebooking rate, review volume, add-on rate, no-show rate
Respond to all outstanding Google reviews under Managing Partner guidance
Develop a plan to increase rebooking rate by 5% using the team's current behavior data
Lead the team briefing each morning for the full week — set the daily tone and goals
Handle your first escalated client situation: Managing Partner observes and debriefs
Complete the Weekly Operations Report: submit to Managing Partner for feedback
Weeks 5–6 — Supervised Independent Management
Manage the shop independently for full shifts — Managing Partner available by phone, not on-site
Handle all scheduling, operational decisions, team coaching, and client escalations independently
Complete one formal performance review (Bather or Front Desk) with Managing Partner debrief
Conduct a monthly safety walkthrough — document findings and submit corrective actions
Execute a re-engagement campaign for 10 lapsing clients — track response rate and results
Build a staffing gap analysis: identify role gaps, coverage risks, and advancement opportunities
Submit Day 30 self-evaluation to Managing Partner before the formal Day 30 review
Weeks 7–8 — Business Building & Advancement Preparation
Manage the shop with full operational independence — Managing Partner checks in weekly
Present 3 improvement ideas to the Managing Partner with a proposed implementation plan
Lead the onboarding of a new team member from offer acceptance through Day 3
Build the shop's KPI dashboard for the current month — present to Managing Partner
Identify one community engagement opportunity and develop a proposal
Complete the Day 60 full performance review with Managing Partner
Develop a 90-day operational plan: team goals, client retention targets, and growth priorities
Watch & Learn
External professional references until Bark & Purr films its own — techniques shown may differ in small ways from our Tranquil Tail method; your mentor's instruction always wins.
When (and How) to Hire Your Next Groomer — MoeGo. This is a longer-form business webinar — watch the segment your mentor assigns rather than the full runtime. Directly on-topic for hiring decisions, one of the Shop Manager's core responsibilities.
7 Salon Management & Leadership Tips — The Salon Business. Hair-salon-oriented rather than pet-grooming-specific, but the leadership principles transfer directly to running the shop floor. Watch the segment your mentor assigns.
Competency Checklist — Sign-Off Required
Trainee: Date:
Supervisor: Date:
Accountability Checklist — Every Shift
The shop runs at the level you set for it. Use this checklist to manage up, down, and across — every day, every week, every month.
Opening / Start of Shift
During the Shift
Closing / End of Shift
Weekly
Monthly
The best managers don't manage tasks — they manage outcomes. This checklist keeps the tasks handled so you can stay focused on the outcomes that grow the business and the team.