Operations Director

About the Company

Role Summary

Operational and Commercial Leadership

• Translate brand strategy and business objectives into operational priorities and consistent execution across locations.
• Own sales, profitability, labor, food cost, and controllable expenses; review P&Ls and develop action plans for underperforming locations.
• Partner with Finance on budgets, forecasts, targets, and performance reviews; improve sales, productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
• Maintain restaurant food, service, cleanliness, and brand standards through regular field reviews and timely issue resolution.
• Monitor guest feedback and experience indicators, identify gaps, and implement corrective actions.
• Lead Area and restaurant management teams, set KPIs and expectations, coach managers, build accountability, and develop succession plans.

People, Openings, and Brand Development

• Own workforce planning and coordinate recruitment, key-role selection, retention, productivity, and operational training with relevant teams.
• Lead readiness for new openings, ensuring staffing, training, equipment, systems, stock, SOPs, and operating requirements are in place.
• Coordinate pre-opening and post-opening work with Projects, Design, Culinary, Marketing, HR, Supply Chain, IT, Finance, and other functions.
• Provide operational input on menu development, campaigns, pricing, promotions, design changes, and brand initiatives; assess feasibility and ensure approved initiatives are implemented.

Standards, Compliance, and Reporting

• Ensure brand SOPs, recipes, and policies are implemented consistently; partner with QA/QC on food safety, quality, audits, corrective actions, and compliance.
• Review sales, profitability, food cost, labor, guest experience, people, QA, and operational KPIs in weekly and monthly reviews.
• Present performance updates, risks, challenges, and action plans to senior management and follow up on agreed priorities.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.
• Significant experience in multi-unit restaurant operations with senior operational leadership responsibility; minimum industry experience of 18–20 years.
• Proven ability to manage a brand or large restaurant portfolio through Area Management teams.
• Strong understanding of restaurant P&Ls, sales, food cost, labor, and profitability.
• Experience with new restaurant openings and rapidly growing F&B brands.
• Strong leadership, analytical, communication, and cross-functional management capabilities; able to combine brand thinking with operational and commercial execution.