Head of Operations

Ole & Steen; New York (NY); On-site; USD 115,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

401(k) with company match

Vacation time

Sick time

Holiday pay

Commuter benefits

Gym benefits

Bonus potential

Job summary

Ole & Steen is seeking a Head of Store Operations to lead our five New York cafés, uniting our people, products, and brand to deliver an exceptional guest experience. You will own multi-location performance, profitability, and consistent standards while building capable leaders, strengthening processes, and maintaining high hospitality values across every shift.

Collaboration with Finance, Production, Marketing, and HR is essential to sustainable growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive hospitality/coffeeshop operations experience.
• Proven multi-unit leadership with GM development and accountability for results.
• Experience owning store P&L, budgets, forecasting, and financial performance.
• Experience with labor forecasting, scheduling optimization, sales productivity, and workforce management systems.
• Knowledge of inventory controls, purchasing, food cost variance analysis, waste reduction, and demand forecasting.
• Experience analyzing POS data, sales trends, and location KPIs.
• Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen controls, and NYC DOH requirements.

Responsibilities

• Oversee multi-location operation performance, including P&L, COGS, labor, and productivity.
• Establish standard operating procedures and performance standards across all cafés.
• Ensure food safety, sanitation, workplace safety, and brand compliance.
• Partner with Finance, Production, Marketing, and HR to drive results.
• Maintain high standards for coffee, pastries, bread, and presentation.
• Deliver consistent guest experience reflecting the brand.
• Develop General Managers to run high-performing cafés.
• Foster a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and hospitality.
• Develop processes to scale hospitality and operations as we grow.

Skills

Hospitality operations leadership

Multi-unit leadership

P&L management

Labor forecasting & scheduling

Inventory & food cost controls

POS data analysis

Food safety & NYC DOH compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Hospitality/Operations

Job description

Who We Are

Ole & Steen (also known as Lagkagehuset) is a Danish bakery and cafe founded in Copenhagen in 1991. Known for being Denmark’s favorite bakery, we deliver good bread, real pastries, and coffee worth coming back for. Since opening our first New York café in 2019, we’ve continued to grow while maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit—we are resourceful, move quickly, and adapt as we go.

We are building something that makes people's days better and earns a real place in this city. The Danish concept of hygge - a sense of warmth and coziness is central to how every café should feel, for both guests and our teams.

The Job

As Head of Store Operations, you lead the performance of every Ole & Steen café in New York, bringing our people, products, and brand together to deliver an exceptional guest experience.

You are accountable for operational excellence, profitability, and consistent standards across all five locations, while building a strong foundation for future growth.

Culture is at the center of this job. You set the tone, lead by example, and make sure our teams understand and deliver the standards that make Ole & Steen special. You bring our brand to life by developing capable leaders, strengthening operational processes, and maintaining high standards of hospitality to ensure every location delivers a consistent experience while operating efficiently and profitably.

What You Will Own

1. Run the Operation
   • Own multi-location performance, including P&L, COGS, labor costs and productivity.
   • Establish consistent operating procedures and performance standards across all cafés.
   • Ensure food safety, sanitation, workplace safety, and brand compliance.
   • Partner with Finance, Production, Marketing, and HR to drive results.
2. Set the Standard for Hospitality
   • Maintain exceptional standards for coffee, pastries, bread, food quality and presentation.
   • Deliver a consistent guest experience that reflects our brand across stores.
   • Monitor guest feedback and service performance, resolving issues and identifying opportunities for improvement.
3. Build the Leaders
   • Develop General Managers who can independently run high-performing, profitable cafés.
   • Coach leaders on financial performance, labor management, hospitality, and operational execution.
   • Set clear expectations, establish measurable goals, and hold leaders accountable while empowering them to enjoy what they do.
4. Carry the Culture
   • Bring our culture and brand to life in every café, on every shift.
   • Reinforce our standards. Do not let "good enough" settle in.
   • The energy you bring will foster a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and genuine hospitality.
5. Build and Scale
   • Develop processes to enhance hospitality, efficiency, costs, and operations as the business grows.
   • Stay a constant learner. Test new approaches often and bring what you learn back to the team.
   • Scale what works without losing the soul of a neighborhood bakery.

Required Experience and Skills

• 5+ years of progressive experience in hospitality, café operations, food retail, or a comparable food service business.
• Proven multi-unit leadership experience, including General Manager development and accountability for operational results.
• Demonstrated ownership of store-level P&L, budgets, forecasting, and financial performance.
• Experience with labor forecasting, scheduling optimization, sales productivity, and workforce management systems.
• Knowledge of inventory controls, purchasing, food cost variance analysis, waste reduction, and demand forecasting.
• Experience analyzing POS data, sales trends and location-level KPIs.
• Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen controls, and New York City DOH requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience opening new locations or scaling multi-unit operations.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Hospitality, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Strong coffee knowledge and a true love for pastries and café food.

Benefits

• Base salary of $115,000 - $125,000, plus an annual performance-based bonus opportunity
• Vacation time, sick time and company-observed holidays
• Medical, vision and dental insurance plans, with the company covering up to 83% of the medical premium
• 401(k) program with a company match
• Commuter and gym benefits.
• The opportunity to help build and scale a growing business.

Ole & Steen is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with all federal, state, and local ordinances.