Restaurant Director of Operations

California Pizza Kitchen; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus potential

Comprehensive benefits package

Opportunity for growth

Employee-friendly culture

401K plan

Job summary

California Pizza Kitchen is seeking a Regional Partner to oversee multi-unit restaurant operations across a designated region on the Central Coast. You will coach General Managers, drive profitability, guest experience, and team development, ensuring consistent execution of the brand standards.

You will lead talent development, manage costs and schedules, and collaborate with People, Recruitment, Training, and RSC to advance organizational effectiveness. 60% travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Minimum of four (4) years of progressive multi-unit restaurant operations leadership experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of restaurant operations, hospitality, food safety, labor management, and operational best practices.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, cost controls, profit optimization, and analysis of key business metrics.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, coach, and hold leaders accountable for performance and results.
• Ability to think strategically, solve complex problems, and make sound business decisions that drive operational performance.
• Knowledge of talent management, employee relations, and leadership development practices.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships and effectively influence leaders across all levels of the organization.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as the principal steward of CPK's standards across the region, ensuring every restaurant consistently delivers on the brand promise.
• Serve as a trusted coach, partner, and thought leader to General Managers.
• Recruit, coach, develop, and retain restaurant leaders through performance management and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence across the region.
• Champion CPK's culture and ROCK philosophy in leadership behaviors and guest experiences.
• Ensure restaurants execute against sales forecasts by validating labor, inventory, and readiness.
• Create a disciplined field leadership cadence with coaching during key business periods.
• Oversee facilities, repairs, maintenance, and capital asset needs across the region.

Skills

Region multi-unit leadership

Restaurant operations

Financial acumen

People coaching

Strategic thinking

Talent management

Stakeholder influence

Communication skills

MS Office

Tools

MS Office

Job description

*This Regional Director position is based in the Central Coast of California (Santa Barbara, Ventura Counties).

About the job

At California Pizza Kitchen, we bring the biggest and best parts of ourselves to work and to our communities, and are guided by our ROCK philosophy (Respect, Opportunity, Communication, and Kindness). We are committed to moving people forward and encourage everyone to apply their passion at CPK. So go ahead…be bold, be epic, be YOU!

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Regional Partners (RPs) are instrumental to the success of all CPK restaurant operations. As a Regional Partner, you will have a direct impact on the success, hospitality, and growth of CPK within your region. You will serve as the extension of the Restaurant Support Center (RSC) in the field and will oversee and manage the operations, hospitality standards, and performance of multiple restaurants within a designated region. You will be responsible for ensuring the profitability, growth, guest experience, and overall success of the restaurants under your jurisdiction.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Act as the principal steward of CPK's standards across the region, ensuring every restaurant consistently delivers on the brand promise for both guests and employees. Lead by example and reinforce expectations through coaching, recognition, and accountability, ensuring excellence in food quality, hospitality, cleanliness, food safety, leadership effectiveness, and overall restaurant execution.
• Serve as a trusted coach, partner, and thought leader to General Managers, strengthening their ability to lead teams, make sound business decisions, develop future leaders, and deliver sustained restaurant performance.
• Recruit, coach, develop, and retain restaurant leaders through performance management, succession planning, and ongoing leadership development.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational excellence throughout the region by establishing clear expectations, providing ongoing feedback, recognizing and celebrating success, and holding leaders accountable for results.
• Champion and uphold CPK's culture and ROCK philosophy by ensuring it is consistently demonstrated in leadership behaviors, team member interactions, decision-making, and guest experiences, creating an environment where the culture is visible, authentic, and thriving in every restaurant.
• Ensure restaurants effectively execute against established sales forecasts by validating labor schedules, staffing deployment, food preparation plans, inventory levels, and operational readiness. Hold leaders accountable for aligning resources with projected business volumes to maximize productivity, control costs, and deliver a consistently strong guest experience.
• Create and maintain a disciplined field leadership cadence that prioritizes meaningful time in restaurants coaching management teams before, during, and after key business periods. Partner with leaders to assess shift readiness, identify opportunities in real time, and develop consistent operating routines that strengthen execution, elevate team performance, and drive sustainable business results.
• Ensure restaurants are maintained in a safe, functional, and brand-appropriate condition by providing oversight of facilities, repairs and maintenance, equipment performance, and capital asset needs across the region. Partner with restaurant leaders and vendors to drive preventive maintenance programs, prioritize facility investments, manage repair expenditures, and address issues proactively to minimize operational disruptions, protect team member and guest safety, and preserve the CPK brand experience.
• Monitor guest feedback, complaint trends, and guest recovery efforts while partnering with restaurant leadership to improve guest satisfaction and protect the CPK brand.
• Partner closely with the People Business Partner on employee relations matters, including investigations, performance management, corrective action, leadership coaching, and compliance with company policies and employment laws.
• Collaborate with People, Recruitment, and Training to support staffing, talent development, leadership readiness, administrative processes, and organizational effectiveness.
• Build effective partnerships with RSC departments, vendors, and business partners to successfully execute company initiatives and support restaurant operations.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, regulatory requirements, licensing obligations, and applicable federal, state, and local laws, including labor and employment regulations related to wage and hour practices, meal and rest periods, workplace safety, employee relations, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Provide senior leadership with clear and timely communication regarding business performance, operational priorities, emerging risks, and strategic recommendations while effectively leading the resolution of operational, guest, employee, or business-related issues across the region.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Minimum of four (4) years of progressive multi-unit restaurant operations leadership experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of restaurant operations, hospitality, food safety, labor management, and operational best practices.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, cost controls, profit optimization, and analysis of key business metrics.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, coach, and hold leaders accountable for performance and results.
• Ability to think strategically, solve complex problems, and make sound business decisions that drive operational performance.
• Knowledge of talent management, employee relations, and leadership development practices.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships and effectively influence leaders across all levels of the organization.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands, manage multiple initiatives, and adapt in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams).

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to travel to various locations, locally and nationwide, up to 60% depending on the geographical location.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of computer and office work.
• Ability to work in a restaurant environment with exposure to varying noise levels and temperatures.
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods, including up to twelve (12) hours per day.
• Ability to occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, lift, carry, and move up to forty (40) pounds.
• Ability to perform the physical demands of restaurant operations, including navigating kitchen and dining room environments.
• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WHO IS CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN

We are passionate individuals committed to inspiring others by bringing California creativity to every meal! Founded in 1985, former federal prosecutors Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax combined their fervor for food and fresh ingredients to create innovative, hearth-baked pizzas such as The Original BBQ Chicken, California Club and Thai Chicken that are created in a lively open kitchen. The concept gave California a place in the pizza revolution alongside Chicago and New York. CPK has since become the place for taste makers, rule breakers and earth shakers who conquer challenges by daring to work on the edge and thinking creatively.

THE PERKS

• Tremendously passionate, one-of-a-kind company culture.
• Opportunities for growth and development. We love promoting from within!
• Unique electronic learning platform appropriately titled “The Proof” to engage continuous development.
• All the pizza you can eat!
• An environment where you can express your unique talents and skills.
• Employee driven assistance program called the Kindness Fund which lends a helping hand to our team members encountering life challenges.
• Industry competitive compensation package including bonus potential.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and more.

NOTE: This job description is not a contract of employment. The job duties and requirements may be changed at any time, with or without notice, at the discretion of the employer to ensure the continued success of the business.

The current salary pay range for this role is: $120,000 - $135,000.

Various benefits are available for this position, including 401K, health, dental, vision, and disability insurance through CPK’s designated providers. CPK regularly reviews its benefits offerings and may change benefits and providers from time to time.

California Pizza Kitchen is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, or any other legally protected classification. Everyone has a seat at our table.