General Manager / Program Director

General Manager / Program Director
Empire Dojo — Abingdon, MD 21009
Full-Time | 40 Hours/Week | $46,000–$50,000 base + performance bonuses

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ABOUT EMPIRE DOJO

Empire Dojo is a premier martial arts school in Abingdon, Maryland, offering authentic Kobudo (traditional Japanese Martial Arts) and youth development programs. We are not a franchise. We are not a belt factory. We are a real martial arts school with a passionate community, a 98% member recommendation rate, and a mission to develop disciplined, confident, and capable human beings — children and adults alike.

We are growing, and we need a leader who can grow with us.

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THE OPPORTUNITY

This is not a front-desk job. This is not a babysitting role. This is a general management position for someone who wants to run a school, own their results, and be rewarded for doing so.

You will be the second-in-command of Empire Dojo. You will own: enrollment, retention, staff accountability, daily operations, and community marketing. If the school grows, you grow. The performance bonus structure is designed to put an additional $10k-25k/year in your pocket when you hit your targets.

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WHAT YOU WILL OWN

ENROLLMENT & SALES

• Conduct all new student enrollment consultations (intro class follow-ups, phone calls, in-person pitches) using a structured enrollment script and process
• Achieve a monthly enrollment close rate of 55% or higher on pitched leads
• Ensure every qualified lead receives a formal offer
• Manage and optimize the lead pipeline in the school's CRM (Spark/iClassPro), ensuring timely follow-up on every inquiry within 24 hours

RETENTION & STUDENT EXPERIENCE

• Own the onboarding experience for every new student — structured 30/60/90-day check-ins, belt progression tracking, and family communication
• Monitor monthly cancellation data and proactively intervene when students show disengagement signals
• Drive upgrade conversions from Foundation's Program to Black Belt Training and Leadership Program
• Target: keep monthly cancellations at or below 6 per month

STAFF LEADERSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY

• Supervise front desk staff and junior instructors; conduct weekly team huddles and monthly performance reviews
• Track and report weekly KPIs: leads generated, show rate, pitch rate, close rate, cancellations, upgrades
• Hold staff accountable to enrollment and customer service standards

OPERATIONS & ADMINISTRATION

• Manage the daily schedule, class coverage, and facility operations
• Handle billing issues, payment failures, and membership agreements in coordination with the owner
• Maintain accurate student records, attendance data, and program rosters

COMMUNITY MARKETING

• Coordinate and execute monthly community events: school demos, birthday party programs, Buddy Week campaigns, and local school/church partnerships
• Manage the school's Facebook page — post a minimum of 4 times per week with content that drives engagement and lead generation
• Coordinate the school's referral program: track referrals, distribute rewards, and post monthly leaderboard results

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WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

REQUIRED:

• Minimum 1-3 years of experience working in a martial arts school environment (instructor, manager, or program director role)
• Minimum 1st Degree Black Belt or equivalent rank in any recognized martial art is a plus but not required
• Minimum 1-3 years of experience teaching classes independently to children and adults
• Proven experience in a sales or enrollment role — you must be comfortable making the ask and closing
• Strong CRM and data literacy — you track what you manage, and you manage what you track
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; professional phone and email presence
• High personal accountability — you do not make excuses, you make adjustments

STRONGLY PREFERRED:

• Experience managing or supervising a team of 2 or more staff members
• Familiarity with martial arts school software (Spark, iClassPro, Mindbody, or equivalent)
• Experience running or coordinating community events and grassroots marketing campaigns
• Background in a membership-based business (martial arts, fitness, dance, cheer, swim, etc.)

YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON IF:

• You are energized by a scoreboard; you want to know your numbers every week
• You believe martial arts changes lives, and you want to spend your career proving it
• You are ready to be a leader, not just an employee

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COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Base Salary: $46,000 – $50,000/year (based on experience) + Monthly Performance Bonuses

Additional Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Complimentary martial arts training for employee and immediate family
• Employee discount on pro shop and merchandise
• Relocation assistance available for the right candidate
• Opportunity to grow into a revenue-share or co-ownership model as the school scales

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A NOTE ON CULTURE

Empire Dojo is a small, tight-knit team. We do not have layers of corporate bureaucracy. What we have is a real school, a real community, and a real opportunity for someone who wants to lead. The owner is a master instructor committed to the craft. We need a GM who is equally committed to the business.

If you are looking for a clock-in, clock-out job, this is not it. If you are looking for a role where your effort directly determines your income and your impact, we want to talk to you.

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HOW TO APPLY

Send your resume and a brief note (3–5 sentences) explaining your martial arts background and your most significant enrollment or retention achievement. Applications without a personal note will not be reviewed.

Job Type: Full-Time
Location: Abingdon, MD 21009
Hours: 40 per week

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $46,000.00 - $50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance

Application Question(s):

• Do you have a minimum of 3 to 5 years experience working at a martial arts school?
• Do you have a minimum of a 1st degree black belt in any type of martial art discipline?
• If you live out of the area (Abingdon, MD) are you willing to relocate?

Location:

• Abingdon, MD 21009 (Preferred)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Required)
• Night Shift (Required)

Work Location: In person