Director of Retail Operations

Job Description

Job Description

The Opportunity

jade owls operating LLC is a rapidly growing, integrated oil and gas company built on integrity, grit, and cash flow. We are building a travel center portfolio, starting with our flagship location in Texola, Oklahoma. We are seeking a hands-on leader to take full ownership of our travel centers as our Director of Retail Operations. Intellectual curiosity and resilience are core traits required to succeed.

About joi Travel Centers

joi travel centers serve travelers and truckers along America's most iconic highways and interstates. We are a growing brand built on safe, sleek, and clean sites that deliver a trailblazing guest experience. Our first location anchors the I-40 / Route 66 interchange in Texola, Oklahoma, with plans for significant growth.

About the Role

You will spearhead the growth of joi travel centers, starting by opening the very first location in Texola. This is an entrepreneurial position, reporting directly to the COO, that will build the foundations of our retail business for years to come. The expectation is that this person will do everything from building business frameworks to getting their hands dirty to accomplish what is necessary to run an exceptional business. This person will travel often to sites for location identification, construction, vendor interactions, and site management.

One year in, this person will have taken direct ownership of commercial performance across every joi travel center location: a management bench capable of running each site, a custom app and loyalty experience driving repeat visits, a top-tier food and beverage program, a fine-tuned logistics program that reliably stocks every site, and at least three newly acquired or opened sites integrated into the portfolio under their leadership. In a nutshell, this person will be directly involved in the creation of a business within a larger parent company.

Responsibilities — What You'll Do

• Own full P&L performance across all joi travel center locations, with relentless focus and urgency on continuous improvement
• Recruit, hire, and develop a General Manager for every location — building the bench ahead of need, so that an opening or an acquisition never waits on a search
• Lead site-level managers and staff, traveling regularly between locations to maintain consistent standards
• For our initial Texola location, assist in project management of the construction build-out
• Build and manage relationships with vendors, distributors, and franchise/brand partners
• Optimize logistics and supply chain across fuel, retail merchandise, and food and beverage inventory
• Partner with our technology group to build and refine our consumer-facing app
• Develop and continuously refine the menu, drink, and food program across all locations
• Lead operational due diligence and post-acquisition integration as we add new travel centers to the portfolio
• Own site-level compliance: food safety, age-restricted sales, fuel and environmental requirements, and cash handling

Qualifications — What We're Looking For

Required

• 10+ years in multi-unit retail, convenience store, travel center, or QSR operations management, including direct P&L ownership across multiple sites
• Demonstrated experience recruiting, hiring, and developing site-level General Managers
• Prior experience specifically in the fuel or convenience store industry
• Experience with food safety compliance in a retail or food service environment
• Working knowledge of POS systems, OSHA compliance, and fueling laws
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively between field and vendor locations, including extended on-site presence during site openings and acquisition integrations
• Valid driver's license and an acceptable motor vehicle record

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Marketing, Logistics, or a related field
• Experience managing an app-based ordering or loyalty platform
• M&A, site acquisition, or new-site development experience
• Background developing food and beverage programs
• Experience staffing in rural and small-population labor markets

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary exempt role: $300,000 – $350,000 annually
• 100% employer paid medical, vision, and dental premiums for applicable plans
• 401(k) retirement plan with generous match
• Flexible time off
• Potential RSU awards, subject to plan terms, performance, and company discretion
• Defined path to Vice President of Retail as the portfolio grows
• Field-based role with frequent travel; no daily office requirement

Additional Terms

jade owls is an equal opportunity employer. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce and provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals protected by applicable laws.

This job posting is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the job and the general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job. However, this posting is not an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with the position.

Offers of employment take into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, as well as the position's work location, external market, and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees.

Applications: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning October 30, 2026. We encourage early submission.

Notice to third party agencies: jade owls does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of jade owls and jade owls will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation — no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.