Restaurant Director of Operations | Multi-Unit w/ Hotel Experience

James Beard Award–winning  Boka Restaurant Group  — the team behind some of Chicago’s most acclaimed restaurants — is expanding to Nashville and is seeking an experienced Director of Operations to oversee exciting new concepts.

Benefits & Perks: Health, Dental, and Voluntary Benefits Package (available after 90 days), employer-sponsored mental health and resource program, 401(k) program, life insurance, wellness benefits, paid parental leave, paid vacation, career mentorship and growth potential, and dining incentives across our 20+ establishments!

About Boka Restaurant Group: Boka Restaurant Group is a James Beard Award-winning group, anchored by partnerships with some of American’s greatest chefs. With a firm belief that genuine hospitality makes the world a more human place, we strive beyond convention to believe in and support each other, care for our communities, and work together to build the world we want to live in. View our restaurants here:

Boka Restaurant Group is seeking an experienced and dynamic Director of Operations to oversee a portfolio of restaurants within a hotel property and lead General Managers in delivering exceptional operational, financial, and people results.

The Director of Operations is a highly visible leadership role responsible for driving performance across assigned restaurants while developing strong management teams, maintaining exceptional guest experiences, and ensuring each location operates in alignment with Boka Restaurant Group standards and values.

This role requires a leader who can move comfortably between strategy and execution, someone who understands the numbers, develops great leaders, builds strong cross-functional partnerships, and knows what exceptional restaurant operations look and feel like.

Leadership

As a leader of leaders, the Director of Operations will set the tone for their restaurants and provide General Managers and management teams with the direction, coaching, and support needed to succeed.

• Drive day-to-day operational excellence while ensuring restaurants make meaningful progress toward sales, profitability, and performance goals.

• Lead, coach, and develop General Managers, creating clear expectations and accountability while empowering leaders to own their businesses.

• Foster highly engaged teams and cultivate positive, productive restaurant cultures focused on attracting, developing, and retaining strong talent.

• Oversee management staffing across assigned restaurants, including hiring, onboarding, development, succession planning, and internal promotion.

• Champion best-in-class hospitality and guest satisfaction, ensuring guest feedback is addressed thoughtfully and restaurant teams are equipped to consistently deliver exceptional experiences.

• Maintain high standards for restaurant facilities and partner with appropriate teams to proactively address repair and maintenance needs.

• Provide leadership and support on employee relations matters, including de-escalating concerns and partnering with the VP of Operations and HR on significant or complex situations.

• Maintain a consistent presence in the restaurants, balancing hands-on operational awareness with the development and empowerment of restaurant leadership teams.

Financial

The Director of Operations is accountable for the financial performance of their assigned restaurants and for ensuring restaurant leaders understand and actively manage the drivers of their business.

• Partner with General Managers to anticipate P&L performance through consistent tracking of revenue, labor, COGS, operating expenses, and other key business metrics.

• Identify trends, opportunities, and areas of risk and coach restaurant leaders to take timely corrective action when performance is off track.

• Ensure restaurants deliver results in alignment with approved budgets and financial expectations.

• Lead preparation for executive business and P&L reviews, as well as meetings with external stakeholders when applicable.

• Establish and maintain organized operating systems that ensure reporting and financial deliverables are accurate, complete, and timely.

• Guide restaurant teams in planning for key revenue opportunities, including holidays, special events, seasonal business, and other high-volume periods.

• Use data and operational insight to identify opportunities related to hours of operation, turn times, reservation pacing, capacity, menu offerings, and other revenue drivers.

• Build financial acumen within restaurant leadership teams so managers understand not only their results, but the operational decisions that influence them.

Collaboration

As a senior leader within Operations, the Director of Operations works closely with teams across Boka Restaurant Group to translate company strategy into successful restaurant execution.

• Executive Team: Partner on company-wide initiatives and identify cross-functional resources and support needed to drive operational excellence.

• Accounting: Oversee annual planning and budgeting in partnership with the VP of Operations and restaurant leadership teams and maintain strong communication around financial performance.

• Events: Partner with Events and restaurant teams to maximize sales and profitability while maintaining an exceptional guest experience.

• HR: Ensure restaurants consistently follow HR practices and procedures related to payroll, labor compliance, employee relations, the employee lifecycle, and health and safety.

• Marketing: Identify restaurant-level marketing opportunities and partner on initiatives that align with broader brand and company strategy.

• Recruiting: Maintain visibility into current and anticipated staffing needs, manage open management requisitions, and partner closely with Recruiting throughout the hiring process.

• Safety & Facilities: Champion systems and behaviors that mitigate risk and create a strong culture of safety, compliance, and proactive facility management.

• Training & Development: Identify development opportunities within restaurant teams, contribute to training strategy and protocols, and ensure programs are successfully implemented in the field.

• New Openings: Lead operational readiness and manage the Critical Path to Open, partnering across departments to ensure teams, systems, facilities, and operational details are ready for opening day.

Hotel Specific Responsibilities

The Director of Operations also serves as a key liaison between Boka Restaurant Group and hotel leadership and ownership.

Responsibilities may include:

• Maintain a positive, collaborative relationship with hotel leadership and ownership representatives, including regular meetings with the Hotel General Manager and other key stakeholders.

• Lead financial reporting and forecasting requirements specific to hotel operations, including monthly P&L reviews, 30/60/90-day forecasts, ownership reporting, and weekly business recaps.

• Partner with Accounting to review preliminary P&Ls, trial balances, billbacks, intercompany transfers, inventories, and other required financial reporting.

• Oversee and approve bi-weekly payroll processes in partnership with HR and Payroll.

• Partner with leadership on annual budgets, CapEx planning, ROI analysis, and ownership submissions.

• Oversee monthly Food & Beverage and beverage inventory processes, ensuring accurate and timely submission.

• Participate in hotel leadership meetings, BEO meetings, operational walkthroughs, and Repair & Maintenance meetings to ensure restaurant needs are represented and addressed.

• Partner with hotel Engineering and BRG teams to identify and prioritize facility and R&M needs.

• Ensure appropriate staffing and operational planning for hotel events, activations, and high-volume periods.

• Oversee OS&E purchasing and inventory while maintaining established budget expectations.

• Provide oversight of applicable security operations and entertainment programming.

• Ensure BRG restaurant operations remain aligned with hotel expectations while maintaining Boka Restaurant Group's operational, financial, hospitality, and cultural standards.