Associate, New Store Openings

Join The Playa Bowls Team

New Store Openings Associate

Department - Franchise Operations - Reports To - Director of Franchise Operations

Location - New Jersey area - Work Arrangement - Remote / Field-Based

Employment Status - Part-Time, non-exempt - Travel - Up to 2 weeks per month

Unique Benefits of Working at Playa Bowls

Real work-life balance with stronger flexibility: Scheduling and support built around sustainable hours, so you can lead new shop openings without sacrificing your schedule so you have more time for life outside of work.

A cleaner, more refreshing shift: Playa Bowls shops run on blenders, refrigerators, and freezers instead of fryers and grills, so you're not leaving every shift smelling like a kitchen.

A different kind of environment: Bright, casual shops paired with a relaxed dress code make Playa feel more like an oasis than a traditional fast-food kitchen.

Role Purpose

The New Store Openings (NSO) Associate is a positive, enthusiastic person who brings new Playa Bowls shops to life. This role supports new and existing franchisees and licensees through every stage of shop opening, from pre-opening readiness through post-opening execution, training teams, coaching franchisees, and troubleshooting issues in real time. The New Store Openings (NSO) Associate serves as Playa Bowls brand ambassador on the ground, ensuring every new shop opens set up for long-term operational excellence and a consistently great guest experience.

Brand Standards & Pre-Opening Readiness

• Serves as Playa Bowls Brand Ambassador, protecting and upholding brand standards across every new shop opening.
• Conducts the pre-opening operations checklist and food safety assessment, formally approving the shop for opening.
• Facilitates and supports pre-shop opening set-up, ensuring the shop is set up and merchandised to brand standards and planograms, including equipment and smallwares placement, front-of-house/back-of-house/management office set-up, and functionality troubleshooting.
• Manages inventory readiness, scheduling and receiving product and dry goods deliveries to confirm proper quality, quantity, and storage requirements are met.

Training & Team Development

• Leads and facilitates pre-shop opening crew training for a franchisees first shop, and trains the trainer for subsequent shop openings (shop two and beyond).
• Coaches, supports, and guides the franchisee and their team through opening and post-opening, providing constructive feedback to set them up for success executing the Playa Bowls Way.

On-the-Ground Execution & Coaching

• Observes, coaches, and supports team execution across pre-open, open, and post-open phases, covering labor management (reviewing schedules and sharing best practices), product quality (monitoring prep, portioning, garnishing, packaging, and presentation), and guest service (ensuring consistent execution of the SURF service standard).
• Services guests using the point-of-sale system, prepares product, and jumps in wherever needed, serving as a hands-on role model for the team.

Vendor & Issue Resolution

• Supports the franchisee and manager with vendor issues and guest complaint resolution.
• Performs key resource, system, and vendor knowledge checks to confirm understanding of platforms including POS, TapMango, Chatmeter, GroupMe, and Sysco.

Key Relationships

Internal Partners Franchise Operations Team Training Team Operations Construction Manager(s) Marketing - External Partners Franchise Owners & Licensees New Shop Crews Vendors (POS, TapMango, Chatmeter, Sysco)

Measures of Success

• Opening readiness: New shops pass pre-opening checklists and food safety assessments before approval.
• Training effectiveness: Franchisee crews are trained and confident executing the Playa Bowls Way from day one.
• Guest experience: SURF service standards and product quality are consistently executed at new shop openings.
• Franchisee support: Franchisees and their teams feel coached, supported, and set up for long-term success.
• Issue resolution: Vendor and operational issues during opening are resolved quickly and effectively.

Experience & Qualifications

Required

• Valid driver's license, with the ability to travel extensively to support new shop openings.
• Strong communication and active listening skills, with the ability to work independently and adapt to changing environments.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to multitask, stay organized, and remain detail-oriented under pressure.
• Great customer service instincts, with a genuine team-player mindset.

Preferred

• Personality traits that include being smart, friendly, outgoing, empathetic, and committed, with strong follow-through.
• A genuine passion for the Playa Bowls brand and business and a good sense of fun.

Role-Specific Expertise

• New shop opening execution and franchise partner coaching
• Pre-opening checklist and food safety assessment
• Crew training and train-the-trainer facilitation
• Labor scheduling and management best practices
• Guest service and SURF standard execution
• Vendor and system troubleshooting (POS, TapMango, Chatmeter, Sysco)
• Brand standards and planogram compliance

Position Requirements

• Must be willing and able to travel at least 2 weeks per month, as needed, for restaurant visitation, scheduled meetings, or company functions.
• Must be available to work weekends.
• Must be 21 years of age to comply with state age travel requirements.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods of time.
• Must be able to lift or otherwise move 2540 pounds occasionally.
• Must be able to retrieve items from high and low shelving, the fridge/freezer, and under counters.

About Playa Bowls

Playa Bowls is New Jerseys Original Acai Shop, founded in 2014. Our mission is to bring superfruit bowls to the masses using only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients while providing a fantastic in-store brand experience. What began with a pair of blenders, a patio table, and a fridge has flourished into a 400+ unit operator and franchisor of a leading fast-casual restaurant concept. Playa Bowls added 85 locations in 2025 and is on target to add 90+ new locations in 2026. Our continued rapid growth has created an opportunity for a leader who will help us continue to grow our brand.

OUR MISSION Inspire and support our communities one bowl at a time.

OUR VALUES Real Deal Playa Passion Powerhouse Big Wave Chaser Dawn Patrol

Equal Opportunity Employer

Playa Bowls is an equal opportunity employer, and all aspects of employment, including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.