Vice President of Restaurant Operations

Job Description

About Us:

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Big Onion Hospitality is a dynamic and expanding restaurant group known for its exceptional dining experiences and commitment to excellence. Our growing portfolio includes both full-service restaurants and a quick-service concept. We are seeking a strategic and results-driven Vice President of Restaurant Operations to lead our operations team and drive growth across our portfolio of restaurants. We value our employees and offer a very competitive benefit package detailed below.

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Our Mission:

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It’s our Mission to “make each and every guest feel as though they are walking into our own personal home.”

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Position Overview:

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As the Vice President of Restaurant Operations, you will be the driving force behind the operational strategy and performance of every restaurant in our portfolio, across both full-service and quick-service models. Reporting to ownership and senior management team, you will lead our General Managers and multi-unit leadership, hold the operations team accountable for guest experience, people and financial results, and ensure seamless coordination between operations and all corporate departments. You will also play a key role in the company’s expansion efforts, including new concept development, new restaurant openings and building the infrastructure needed to scale. The ideal candidate will possess a blend of strategic vision, executive leadership, financial acumen and hands-on, multi-unit experience in the hospitality industry.

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Key Responsibilities:

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Leadership & Team Management:

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- Lead, mentor and manage all General Managers and restaurant leadership teams, and partner closely with the Vice President of Culinary.

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- Establish clear goals, KPIs and performance metrics for each restaurant and its leadership team and hold the team accountable for results.

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- Foster a collaborative, accountable and hospitality-driven culture across all locations.

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- Oversee the hiring, training, development and succession planning of restaurant management, building a bench of future leaders to support growth.

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- Lead operations meetings, GM meetings, third party meetings and company meetings.

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Operational Strategy & Growth:

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- Develop and implement comprehensive operational strategies that strengthen our standing in the marketplace in regard to guest experience, value, consistency and profitability.

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- Tailor standards, service models and systems to the distinct needs of full-service and quick-service formats while protecting a consistent Big Onion guest experience.

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- Play a lead role in expansion, including site evaluation input, new concept development, pre-opening planning, opening team staffing and training, and post-opening stabilization.

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- Identify and pursue new business opportunities, including catering, events and off-premise channels, in partnership with the Event Sales Department.

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- Research and stay abreast of industry, guest and operational trends.

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Financial Performance:

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- Own the P&L performance of all restaurants, including sales, labor, cost of goods, controllables and profitability.

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- Work with ownership, the corporate team and General Managers to develop annual business plans, calendar planning and store budgets.

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- Lead accurate forecasting of all operations-related P&L line items, review results regularly and drive actionable plans for achievement.

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- Monitor key metrics such as sales trends, labor percentage, food and beverage costs, ticket times and guest satisfaction, and act quickly on variances.

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Restaurant Operations & Guest Experience:

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- Oversee all aspects of restaurant operations including service standards, guest experience, hospitality training, labor scheduling and deployment, safety, sanitation & food safety, cash handling and loss prevention, facilities and R&M, equipment, vendor relationships, beverage programs, inventory procedures and cost controls across all brands and locations.

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- Conduct regular restaurant visits and operational audits to ensure brand standards are consistently executed.

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- Monitor and respond to guest feedback and online reviews, and resolve escalated guest issues.

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- Collaborate with the Event Sales Department to deliver high-quality events and catering experiences.

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- Work closely with the Marketing Department to develop and execute LTOs, promotions, local store marketing and campaigns that drive traffic and sales.

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- Partner with HR to ensure compliance with labor laws, company policies and fair, consistent employee relations practices.

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Systems & Processes:

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- Build and implement effective systems, standard operating procedures and checklists for restaurant operations.

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- Leverage technology (POS, scheduling, inventory and reporting platforms) to reduce costs, enhance quality and improve the employee life cycle.

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- Establish and implement short- and long-range departmental goals, objectives, policies and operating procedures.

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- Develop scalable processes and opening playbooks that support the company’s continued growth.

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- Participate in the development of new company initiatives, procedures and project proposals.

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Qualifications:

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- Minimum of 10 years of restaurant operations experience, with at least 5 years of multi-unit leadership at the Director of Operations level or above.

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- Experience with both full-service and quick-service restaurant models strongly preferred.

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- Proven track record of driving sales growth, guest satisfaction and P&L results across multiple locations.

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- New restaurant opening and/or new concept development experience strongly preferred.

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- Strong leadership and team management skills with the ability to motivate, develop and hold leaders accountable.

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- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting and P&L analysis.

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- Strong written and verbal communication skills. Conversational Spanish a plus.

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- Advanced knowledge of Restaurant 365 (R365), including inventory, recipes and costing, purchasing, scheduling and labor, and P&L and financial reporting.

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- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ability to learn restaurant-based software platforms for POS.

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- General knowledge of state/local regulations in regards to food safety, restaurant labor and operations.

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- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

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- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

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- Ability to stand/walk/move for 10+ hours.

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Requirements:

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Flexible hours, evenings/weekends/holidays sometimes required

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Full-time, mix of in office and on-site, with regular travel between locations

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What We Offer:

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- Competitive salary ($115,000 to $150,000) and performance-based incentives.

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- Medical insurance with employer contribution.

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- Employer paid Basic Life & ADD

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- Voluntary dental, life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance

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- 401k with employer match

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- Annual bonus opportunity

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- Opportunities for professional growth and development.

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- A dynamic and inclusive work environment.

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Big Onion Hospitality is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.