Research Summary. Here are some key points about hiring shift managers in the United States:

  • There are a total of 674,085 shift managers in the US, and there are currently 335,517 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a shift manager is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per shift manager on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Atlanta, GA, has the highest demand for shift managers, with 71 job openings.

jobs
Post A Job For Free, Promote It For A Fee

How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Shift Manager

Before you start to hire shift managers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire shift managers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for shift managers is $32,110 in the US. However, the cost of shift manager hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a shift manager for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $11 and $20 an hour.

Find Better Talent in Less Time
Post a Job on Zippia and take the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

How to hire a Shift Manager, step by step

To hire a shift manager, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a shift manager:

  • Step 1: Identify your needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Writing a shift manager job description
  • Step 5: Post the job
  • Step 6: Interview process
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new shift manager
  • Step 8: Go through the checklist for the hiring process

1
Identify Your Needs

The first step in the shift manager hiring process is determining what type of worker you actually need. For example, certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

Determine Employee vs Contractor Status
Your Progress
1/10
Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

Before you hire a shift manager, you should also consider the ideal background you'd like them to have. For example, what industry or field they have experience in, what level of seniority or education the job requires, and how much it'll cost to hire a candidate that fits the bill.

This list presents the salaries of various shift manager positions.

Type Of Shift ManagerDescriptionHourly Rate
Shift ManagerFood service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants and other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. They direct staff to ensure that customers are satisfied with their dining experience, and they manage the business to ensure that it is profitable.$11-20
Restaurant General ManagerA restaurant general manager is someone whose responsibility is to handle the daily operations of the restaurant. Restaurant general managers ensure compliance with the overall operations to the company's standards... Show More$19-37
Part-Time Key ManagerA part-time key manager is a senior manager employed to work part-time. Key managers are hired for their expertise and experience for business development and growth to increase revenues, production, and profits... Show More$22-54

2
Create An Ideal Candidate Profile

Before you draft a shift manager job description, imagine the ideal employee for the role and begin creating a profile. What are they proficient in and what sort of background do they have?

Here are some of the most common shift manager skills:

Common Skills:
  • Cleanliness
  • Inventory Management
  • Management
  • Leadership
  • Customer Service
  • Help Support
  • Food Handling
  • Excellent Interpersonal
  • Excellent Guest
  • Work Ethic
  • Food Products
  • Customer Complaints
  • Cash Handling
  • Safety Standards
Check All Skills

Here are the responsibilities that most shift managers perform:

Responsibilities:
  • Manage night shift ensuring closing procedures, customer service, and employee management are accomplished following company policies
  • Manage FOH to insure all guests are happy and well taken care of.
  • Provide excellent customer service, operate POS systems, maintain friendly but secure retail environment, track and manage inventory
  • Handle all customer relation issues in accordance with company policy and provide exceptional customer service to all CVS customers.
  • Receive SERVSAFE certification along with online management courses.
  • Execute store operations during schedule shifts, organize shift assignments and maintain consistent attendance and punctuality.
Check all Duties

Beyond the basics, you should also consider how well a candidate fits into your company culture. In other words, you should think about how your ideal shift manager will live by the company's mission statement and contribute to the team dynamic you already have in place.

Most Common States For Shift Managers In The US

Rank #State# Of Jobs% of PopulationAvg. Salary
1Illinois5,70445%$30,886
2North Carolina5,33052%$27,077
3Ohio5,23245%$29,788
4Georgia4,88747%$25,905
5Virginia4,13449%$30,667

Professional Project Manager CV example

3
Make A Budget

Including a salary range in your job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A shift manager can vary based on things like:

  • Location. For example, shift managers' average salary in alabama is 36% less than in california.
  • Seniority. Entry-level shift managers 47% less than senior-level shift managers.
  • Certifications. A shift manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
  • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a shift manager's salary.

Updated March 16, 2023

Shift Manager Salary Estimate

$15.44hourly

$32,110 yearly

Entry level Salary
$23,000 yearly

Shift Manager Average Salary By Location

RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1California$39,916$1946
2Massachusetts$37,137$182
3District of Columbia$35,578$1726
4New York$33,965$1646
5Michigan$33,314$1623

Shift Manager Average Salary By Company

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1ABB$60,605$29.144
2Manhattan Associates$51,173$24.60
3JPMorgan Chase & Co.$48,825$23.4711
4University of California-Berkeley$48,350$23.25
5BlackRock$45,990$22.11
6GPAC$45,786$22.012
7UC Santa Barbara$45,767$22.00
8Resorts World Catskills$44,887$21.585
9Nestlé$43,503$20.915
10H.B. Fuller$42,543$20.45
11Marathon Cheese Corporation$42,012$20.20
12Monarch Casino & Resort$41,909$20.1513
13The Judge Group$41,612$20.011
14Bbg$41,309$19.86
15Semtribe$41,283$19.85
16OnCue Express$40,982$19.701
17Northrop Grumman$40,886$19.666
18Activision Blizzard$40,801$19.62
19City of Baltimore$40,159$19.312
20Exelon$40,104$19.28

4
Writing a Shift Manager Job Description

A shift manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a shift manager job description:

Example of Full Job Description

Job DescriptionAt Papa John's, people are always our top priority. Our secret ingredient is YOU! Our employees are much like our toppings. They’re all different but come together to make the ultimate pizza! Will you be the pepperoni or the banana pepper to our team? Exciting things are happening at Papa John’s and our career experience keeps getting “better”!Qualities:
Self-sufficient leader
Great decision-making skills
Instill pride and accountability in team members
Responsibilities:
Manage operations.
Perform all Company policies, procedures, programs, and systems.
Follow all federal, state, and local laws.
Use ethical business practices.
Respond to all customer concerns and issues
Request customer and team member feedback
Build brand loyalty
Train team members to exceed customer expectations
Ensure food, labor and other controllable costs stay within budget
Manage the company's assets by keeping the restaurant clean At Papa John’s, our team members are more than employees! We care about you and your development. In fact, most of our promotions come from within! So become a part of the Papa John’s family. Exciting things are happening at Papa John's franchise restaurants. Work where the best ingredient is YOU! Great things are happening at Papa John's! If you are looking for a fulfilling career with an international company, flavored with challenging work, mixed with professional development opportunities, a competitive salary and a collaborative team environment, then look no further! Papa John's seeks people who share our philosophy for success, are looking for quality business practices and meaningful work. All these combine to produce not only the best pizza, but also the best team members!
It is the policy of Papa John’s to provide equal employment opportunities for all applicants and team members without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status or civil partnership, national or ethnic origin, pregnancy or maternity, veteran status, uniformed service (as defined by 10 U.S.C. §101 (a)(5)), protected disability status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender reassignment, or gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by statute or law.Job Type: Full-time Pay: $16 hr to start possible salary after training Benefits: 401(k) Dental insurance Employee discount Flexible schedule Health insurance Paid time off Paid training Referral program Vision insurance Schedule: Day shift Holidays (mandatory) Monday to Friday Night shift (mandatory) Weekend availability (mandatory)

5
Post A Job

To find shift managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

  • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
  • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any shift managers they would recommend.
  • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level shift managers with the right educational background.
  • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

Post your job online:

  • Post your shift manager job on Zippia to find and recruit shift manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
  • Use field-specific websites.
  • Post a job on free websites.

6
Interview Process

Recruiting shift managers involves bringing your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they introduce their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

It's also a good idea to ask about candidates' special skills and talents to see if they map with your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7
Send A Job Offer And Onboard Your New Shift Manager

Once you've found the shift manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary, as well as the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer needs to be competitive if you really like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

To prepare for the new shift manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources needs to make sure that a new employee file is created for internal recordkeeping.

8
Go Through The Checklist For The Hiring Process

  • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
  • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
  • Define job responsibilities and requirements
  • Establish budget and timeline
  • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
  • Write job description
  • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
  • Promote the job internally
  • Process applications through applicant tracking system
  • Review resumes and cover letters
  • Shortlist candidates for screening
  • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
  • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
  • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
  • Conduct background checks on top candidates
  • Check references of top candidates
  • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
  • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
  • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
  • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
  • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
  • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
Sign Up To Download Full List
Are You An Employer?
Let us help you hire the right people for your Company.

Hiring Shift Managers FAQs

How Much Does A Good Shift Manager Cost?

A good shift manager costs $15.44 an hour in the US. However, it can vary based on factors such as the shift manager experience, abilities, industry, and the specific requirements of your business.

What Are The Duties Of A Shift Manager?

The duties of a shift manager are:
  • Manage night shift ensuring closing procedures, customer service, and employee management are accomplished following company policies
  • Manage FOH to insure all guests are happy and well taken care of.
  • Provide excellent customer service, operate POS systems, maintain friendly but secure retail environment, track and manage inventory

Should I Hire A Shift Manager With No Experience?

Yes, you should hire a shift manager with no experience. Hiring an entry-level shift manager with no experience offers versatility for your team. They may lack some qualifications, but are adaptable and have not yet formed problematic habits. However, more training may be required compared to experienced.

Search For Shift Manager Jobs

Ready To Start Hiring?