Founding General Manager
ember seattleMemphis, TN
About the role
Ember is a social thermal bathhouse opening in Seattle in fall 2027: 8,800 SF in South Lake Union. The circuit is built on contrast — a 50-seat event sauna, a smaller soft sauna, a steam room, a hammam lounge, hot and warm pools, and two cold plunges — plus a wellness bar and lounge designed for staying, not just passing through. We're looking for the person who will open it and run it.
What you'll do:
- Build the operating playbook from zero: guest flow, session timing, service standards, opening and closing routines, and the first-visit experience
- Assist in recruiting, training, and leading a team of 12–20
- Own water quality, sanitation and safety under WA pool and spa rules (WAC 246-260) and Public Health – Seattle & King County, plus the wellness bar's food permit
- Help choose and launch the booking, membership and POS systems; manage linen, chemical and maintenance vendors
- Own the P&L after opening: labor, cost of sales, throughput, membership retention
- Pre-opening: work with the founders and the design team on back-of-house, mechanical and operational decisions What you bring
- 2+ years in a leadership role at a bathhouse, thermal spa, or high-volume wellness or hospitality venue
- Hands-on knowledge of commercial pool and spa operations (CPO or AFO certification is a plus)
- A record of building teams people stay on
- Warm, calm and organized, and you take heat-and-cold practice seriously without being precious about itDetails
- Seattle, on site
- Full-time from June 2027; paid advisory involvement possible before then
- $80,000–$115,000 base + founding equity
- Benefits: [health/dental, PTO, Ember membership, etc.]
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JOB OVERVIEW
Experience level
Director
Location
Memphis, TN
Occupation
Spa Managers
Industry
Other Personal Care Services
Posted
3 days ago
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