Franchise Operations Leader: Growth & NSO Expert

Taste Buds Kitchen; Chester (MD); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Training & development

Employee discounts

Opportunity for advancement

Competitive salary

Job summary

Taste Buds Kitchen is seeking a Director of Operations to lead and scale the franchise network as we expand from 26 to 50+ units in 18 months. You will oversee the operations department, architect system-wide frameworks, govern NSO execution, and maintain strong relationships with franchisees to drive profitability and consistency.

You will build and direct a growing operations team, manage budgets, and coordinate cross-functional rollout with Marketing, Culinary, Systems, and Onboarding to

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of progressive leadership in multi-unit operations within a fast-growing franchise system (20–50 unit growth).
• Proven track record in franchise business coaching, franchisee relationships, unit economics, and NSOs.
• Outstanding leadership, executive communication, and negotiation skills.
• Fluency in P&Ls, Prime Cost management, and unit economics benchmarking.
• Ability to toggle between high-level strategy, supply chain, and tactical execution.
• Hybrid work model: 2–3 days in-person at Corporate HQ in Chester, MD.
• Willingness to travel up to 25–35% for site visits and openings.
• Compensation commensurate with multi-unit/franchise growth experience; performance bonus potential.

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale the operations team across the franchise network to maximize profitability and growth.
• Design and scale regional field coaching, audit standards, and financial coaching playbooks.
• Own NSO governance, rollout calendars, and cross-functional execution of initiatives.
• Maintain franchisee relations with a focus on policy enforcement, escalation, and brand integrity.

Skills

Franchise operations leadership

Multi-unit operations

Executive communication

Negotiation

P&L & unit economics

Strategy & process mindset

Hybrid work model

Travel planning

Job description

Taste Buds Kitchen is seeking a Director of Operations to lead and scale the franchise network as we expand from 26 to 50+ units in 18 months. You will oversee the operations department, architect system-wide frameworks, govern NSO execution, and maintain strong relationships with franchisees to drive profitability and consistency.

You will build and direct a growing operations team, manage budgets, and coordinate cross-functional rollout with Marketing, Culinary, Systems, and Onboarding to