DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS – MULTI-UNIT / MULTI-BRAND RESTAURANT GROUP

Restaurant Zone Recruiting; Norwalk (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based bonus

401(k) plan

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Restaurant Zone Recruiting is seeking a Director of Operations to lead multi-brand restaurant operations across 50+ locations. The role combines strategic oversight with hands-on field leadership to standardize execution, improve profitability, and drive accountability across a large portfolio.

The ideal leader will be experienced in managing Regional Directors, Area Managers, and General Managers, with a strong grasp of P&L, labor, and food cost.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive restaurant operations experience.
• 5+ years in a senior multi-unit leadership role.
• Strong multi-brand restaurant experience preferred.
• Experience managing Regional Directors, Area Managers, and General Managers.
• Solid understanding of P&Ls, labor, food cost, budgeting, forecasting, and KPIs.
• Proven ability to build and retain high-performing field leadership teams.
• Excellent communication, organization, and accountability.
• Willingness to travel regularly across California and other markets.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations across 50+ restaurant locations and multiple brands.
• Establish standards, systems, processes, and performance expectations.
• Visit restaurants regularly to assess execution and coach leaders.
• Drive sales, guest satisfaction, labor, and cost improvements.
• Develop leadership pipeline through recruiting and training.

Skills

Restaurant operations

Multi-unit leadership

P&L budgeting

Communication

Travel readiness

Franchise/multi-brand

Strategic and hands-on

Team development

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Director of Operations to lead and strengthen operations across a rapidly growing restaurant organization with 50+ locations spanning multiple brands and markets.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership position for an operator who knows how to build strong field leadership teams, improve restaurant profitability, standardize execution, and create accountability across a large and diverse portfolio.

The ideal candidate is both strategic and highly operational—someone who can analyze business performance at the executive level while remaining actively engaged in restaurants and field operations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Multi-Unit Operations Leadership

• Provide operational leadership across 50+ restaurant locations and multiple brands
• Establish consistent operational standards, systems, processes, and performance expectations
• Regularly visit restaurants to assess execution, identify opportunities, and support field leadership
• Drive improvements in sales, guest satisfaction, labor, food cost, productivity, and profitability
• Ensure consistent execution while allowing individual brands to maintain their unique identity and operating requirements

Field Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop Regional Directors of Operations, Area Managers, and General Managers
• Establish clear goals, KPIs, accountability systems, and performance expectations
• Build a strong leadership pipeline through recruiting, training, succession planning, and development
• Identify high-potential leaders and create opportunities for career advancement
• Address performance gaps quickly and implement measurable improvement plans
• Review and analyze store-level P&Ls and operating results
• Identify trends, cost opportunities, and performance gaps across markets
• Develop and execute action plans to improve underperforming restaurants
• Drive improvements in labor productivity, food cost, controllable expenses, and overall profitability
• Partner with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and performance analysis
• Hold field leaders accountable for achieving financial and operational targets

Operational Excellence

• Establish and maintain consistent operating procedures and brand standards
• Improve execution across food quality, service, cleanliness, speed of service, and guest experience
• Ensure compliance with food safety, employment regulations, company policies, and brand requirements
• Develop reporting and accountability systems that provide clear visibility into restaurant performance
• Identify operational inefficiencies and implement scalable solutions across the organization

Growth & Expansion

• Support new restaurant openings and expansion initiatives
• Participate in acquisitions, integrations, and operational transitions
• Help develop systems and infrastructure capable of supporting continued growth
• Partner with Construction, Facilities, IT, Marketing, Finance, and HR to ensure successful operational execution

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work closely with executive leadership and corporate departments to align operational priorities
• Collaborate with HR on recruiting, retention, training, employee relations, and leadership development
• Partner with Marketing to drive sales-building initiatives and brand performance
• Work with Facilities and Construction to support restaurant maintenance, remodels, and new openings
• Maintain strong communication between corporate leadership and field operations

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• 10+ years of progressive restaurant operations experience
• 5+ years in a senior multi-unit leadership role
• Strong multi-brand restaurant experience strongly preferred
• Experience managing Regional Directors, Area Managers, and General Managers
• Strong understanding of restaurant P&Ls, labor, food cost, budgeting, forecasting, and KPIs
• Demonstrated success improving underperforming restaurants or markets
• Proven ability to build, develop, and retain high-performing field leadership teams
• Strong understanding of QSR, fast-casual, franchise, or multi-concept restaurant operations
• Excellent communication, organization, decision-making, and accountability skills
• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect operational decisions to financial results
• Comfortable balancing strategic leadership with hands-on field involvement
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly throughout California and other assigned markets

IDEAL BACKGROUND

The ideal candidate will come from a large-scale QSR, fast-casual, franchise, or multi-brand restaurant organization and have experience leading operations across a significant number of locations.

Experience with multiple concepts such as QSR, fast-casual, franchised, and multi-brand restaurant environments is highly desirable.

This role is best suited for a proven operator who can operate at the executive level while still being willing to get into the field, visit restaurants, coach leaders, identify problems, and drive execution personally.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Performance-based bonus opportunity
• 401(k) plan
• Long-term career growth opportunity
• Opportunity to play a significant role in a rapidly growing restaurant organization

SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE

Success will be measured by the organization's ability to grow sales, improve profitability, strengthen field leadership, increase operational consistency, develop future leaders, and successfully scale operations across 50+ locations and multiple brands.