Vice President of Operations - SSKH

Leap Brands; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

A luxury steakhouse group is seeking a Vice President of Operations to lead operational excellence across its locations in Indianapolis. The role involves strategic oversight of financial performance, recruitment of top talent, and ensuring exceptional guest experiences. Ideal candidates will have over 12 years of leadership experience in high-volume dining environments, particularly in upscale concepts. This position offers the opportunity to shape the brand's operational strategies and drive growth while maintaining premium service standards.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of restaurant leadership experience.
• Minimum 5 years in multi-unit executive oversight.
• Experience managing high-volume steakhouses ($8M–$25M+ AUV).

Responsibilities

• Direct full P&L accountability across restaurant units.
• Recruit and develop General Managers and culinary leaders.
• Lead financial performance management.

Skills

Restaurant leadership

Financial acumen

Emotional intelligence

Service standards

Strategic thinking

Job description

Position Summary

The Vice President of Operations is responsible for enterprise-wide operational leadership across a portfolio of luxury steakhouse locations. This executive drives financial performance, culinary and service excellence, brand standards, and disciplined expansion while preserving the integrity of a premium guest experience. The role oversees Regional Directors, General Managers, and cross-functional partners, ensuring consistent execution across high-volume, chef-driven environments.

Core Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Direct full P&L accountability across all restaurant units, with emphasis on EBITDA growth, margin optimization, and cash flow performance.

• Establish and enforce elevated service, culinary, beverage, and hospitality standards consistent with luxury dining expectations.

• Lead field operations teams to achieve measurable improvements in productivity, throughput, guest satisfaction, and retention.

• Standardize operating systems, SOPs, and audit protocols while maintaining flexibility for local market nuance.

Financial & Performance Management

• Drive revenue growth through strategic pricing, mix management, private dining optimization, and premium beverage programming.

• Implement rigorous cost controls across labor, prime cost, purchasing, and inventory management.

• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting in partnership with Finance.

• Benchmark KPIs including comp sales, contribution margins, labor productivity, guest sentiment scores, and management turnover.

People & Culture

• Recruit, develop, and retain top-tier General Managers and culinary leaders.

• Build succession pipelines for multi-unit leadership.

• Foster a high-performance culture rooted in accountability, hospitality discipline, and operational rigor.

• Align compensation structures with performance outcomes.

Growth & Development

• Lead new unit openings from site selection through grand opening stabilization.

• Partner with Real Estate and Development on market feasibility and pro forma modeling.

• Integrate acquisitions into the operating platform while preserving brand equity.

• Evaluate opportunities for domestic and international expansion.

Brand & Guest Experience

• Safeguard brand standards in luxury service, wine programming, and premium steak execution.

• Ensure consistency in ambiance, design integrity, and experiential elements.

• Oversee guest recovery systems and reputation management strategies.

Qualifications

• 12+ years progressive restaurant leadership experience; minimum 5 years in multi-unit executive oversight within upscale or fine dining.

• Demonstrated success managing high-volume steakhouse or premium full-service concepts ($8M–$25M+ AUV preferred).

• Strong financial acumen with deep understanding of prime cost management and luxury service economics.

• Proven track record of leading multi-market teams and scaling growth responsibly.

• Experience with chef partnerships, elevated wine programs, and private dining revenue optimization preferred.

Key Competencies

• Strategic and systems-oriented thinker

• Financially sophisticated operator

• High emotional intelligence and executive presence

• Detail-obsessed regarding service standards

• Decisive leader with disciplined follow-through