PM Director of Operations - Front of House

Chick-fil-A Trabuco Hills CenterAt Chick-fil-A Trabuco Hills Center, our vision is to be the heart of our community, and our mission is simple: we make moments magical.Position OverviewWe are a high-growth restaurant looking for an experienced food service leader to own and elevate our PM Front of House operation. This role is for someone who understands restaurant leadership, thrives in high-volume environments, and wants the responsibility of leading people, building systems, and driving results.The PM Director of Operations – Front of House is responsible for leading all Front of House operations during afternoon, dinner, late night, and closing dayparts. This role owns the guest experience, team execution, throughput, leadership development, and closing quality of the restaurant each night. The PM Director is responsible not only for running strong shifts, but for building the people, systems, and standards that allow the PM operation to consistently improve.This person will lead through others, including Team Members, Trainers, Shift Leads, Managers, and developing leaders. The goal is not just to have one strong shift when the Director is present. The goal is to build a PM operation that is clear, consistent, accountable, and strong every night.What You'll Be Stepping IntoChick-fil-A Trabuco Hills Center is in a season of growth. We have a strong internal leadership pipeline, but many of our developing leaders are still growing through the Trainer, Shift Lead, and Manager pathways.We are looking for an experienced food service leader who can bring proven leadership ability into our restaurant while also learning our culture, systems, and standards.An experienced leader who joins our team must be willing to learn our systems before trying to change them. We value your experience, but we also expect you to become a student of our culture, our standards, and our way of leading.Primary Ownership AreasThe PM Director of Operations owns the strength and consistency of the PM Front of House operation, including:Afternoon transition into dinnerDinner rush executionLate night operationsClosing quality and consistencyPM team morale and leadership presenceGuest experience and hospitality standardsSpeed of service and throughputFront of House cleanliness, organization, and resetPM labor awareness and productivityDevelopment of Shift Leads, Managers, Trainers, and Team MembersAccountability to restaurant standards, systems, and expectationsShift ExpectationsThe typical schedule for this role is Tuesday–Saturday, 3:30 PM–11:30 PM, with flexibility based on business needs.This role is expected to:Lead the dinner rush, typically from 5:00 PM–8:00 PMManage late night operations from 8:00 PM–10:00 PMOwn the closing process after doors closeEnsure the restaurant is fully cleaned, stocked, organized, and reset for the next dayMaintain strong communication with senior leadership about wins, gaps, concerns, and needed improvementsThe PM Director does not simply "close the restaurant." The PM Director sets the next day up to win.FOH Operations LeadershipThe PM Director owns execution from 3:30 PM through close across all Front of House areas.This includes:Keeping positions properly staffedMaintaining urgency and flowGiving clear direction to the teamSupporting leaders during high-volume momentsIdentifying operational slowdowns and solving them in real timeEnsuring the shift runs smoothly even during pressureHolding the team accountable to standards without losing care for peopleThis role requires a leader who can see the whole floor, anticipate problems before they become bigger issues, and keep the team moving with clarity and confidence.Hospitality OwnershipThe PM Director sets the standard for how every guest is treated during the PM operation.This includes ensuring Team Members and leaders:Make eye contact, smile, and speak in a friendly, respectful toneStay engaged and aware of guests, not just focused on tasksUse names and create personal connection when possibleGo beyond the basics through small touches, refills, check-ins, and genuine careRespond quickly and professionally when a guest needs helpThe PM Director coaches in real time on:Tone of voiceBody languageGuest awarenessHospitality habitsRecovery languageLeadership presenceThe goal is a consistent guest experience where every guest feels seen, valued, and taken care of.Throughput and Speed of ServiceThe PM Director owns speed, flow, and execution during some of the busiest parts of the day.This includes ownership of:Drive-thru flowOrder taking efficiencyWindow speedFront counter flowGuest wait timesCommunication between positionsUrgency without sacrificing accuracy or hospitalityThe PM Director must be able to identify bottlenecks quickly, redirect the team clearly, and maintain calm control during high-volume moments.Guest Experience and RecoveryThe PM Director takes ownership of guest issues and complaints during the PM operation.This includes training and leading the team to:Listen fully to the guestShow empathy and understandingApologize when neededFix the issue quickly and confidentlyLeave the guest feeling better than when they came inThe expectation is not just that problems are solved. The expectation is that guest recovery becomes a moment of trust-building.Closing ExcellenceThe PM Director owns the quality and consistency of the close every night.This includes ensuring the team:Is supported throughout the shiftStays on track with closing responsibilitiesUnderstands expectations clearlyCompletes responsibilities with urgency and qualityGets out on timeThe restaurant should be:Fully cleanedFully stockedOrganizedReset for the next dayReady for the opening team to succeedThe standard is simple: we don't just close. We set up tomorrow to win.Team Leadership, Development, and AccountabilityThe PM Director is expected to lead and develop people at multiple levels of the restaurant.This includes:Team MembersTraineesTrainersShift LeadsManagersDeveloping leadersThe PM Director is responsible for coaching leaders on:Giving clear directionPrioritizing tasksCommunicating consistentlyAvoiding mixed messagingHolding standards with careLeading under pressureDeveloping team members during the shiftThis role should create a PM environment where:People feel supported during busy shiftsWorkload is distributed fairlyExpectations are clearLeaders are growingAccountability is consistentTeam morale is protectedStandards are not optional Chick-fil-A