Vice President of Restaurant Operations

About Us:

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.

Our Mission:

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

Position Overview:

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.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Management:

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

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

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

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

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

Operational Strategy & Growth:

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

- 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.

- 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.

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

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

Financial Performance:

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

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

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

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

Restaurant Operations & Guest Experience:

- 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.

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

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

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

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

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

Systems & Processes:

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

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

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

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

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

Qualifications:

- 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

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

Requirements:

Flexible hours, evenings/weekends/holidays sometimes required

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

What We Offer:

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

- Medical insurance with employer contribution.

- Employer paid Basic Life & ADD

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

- 401k with employer match

- Annual bonus opportunity

- Opportunities for professional growth and development.

- A dynamic and inclusive work environment.

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