Director of Operations

Infuse Hospitality shines as an innovative contract food service management company for the modern day. Dedicated to creating authentic, hyper-local dining experiences, infuse services to a diverse range of clients such as office buildings, co-working communities, hotels, universities, and traditional retail spaces nationwide. From mobile carts to cafés, restaurants, and comprehensive amenity floors, Infuse Hospitality serves as a one-stop destination for premium specialty food and beverage experiences, encompassing branding, design, full operational services, and more. At the heart of the Infuse Hospitality portfolio is its flagship concept, Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea, a unique café offering an array of specialty coffee roasters and artisan teas all under one roof, with locations in Chicago, Dallas, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis.

Are you ready to take the lead in driving excellence and creating unforgettable hospitality experiences? We are seeking an extraordinary Director of Operations to join our team. In this pivotal role, you will ignite a culture of ownership and excellence, inspiring your team to deliver exceptional service for our guests and client partners. You'll spearhead, elevate, and expand all facets of our dynamic food and beverage operations, including overseeing new location openings. Collaborating with client partners and company leaders, you'll craft and execute innovative business plans for your accounts, inspire your teams with our mission and vision, and ensure our ongoing growth, profitability, and triumph. Join us and be the catalyst for our continued success!

Core Responsibilities:

• Serve our guests, team, and vendor partners passionately and carefully.
• Create hospitality experiences that inspire our guests to keep coming back.
• Solve problems, get results, and have fun doing it.
• Ensure the health and safety of our team, guests, and business is never compromised.
• Ensure the successful opening of new locations and subsequently manage ongoing operations to maintain high standards of excellence and profitability.
• Understand each assigned client partner's brand and core business, including the business objectives for management contracts with Infuse.
• Direct accountability for food and beverage operations at assigned account locations, including service, hospitality, prep and menu execution, sales building, guest and client partner relations, alcohol awareness, and managing team development.
• Audit assigned account locations to ensure compliance with documented operational, safety, service, hospitality, and brand standards.
• Create annual operating budgets for assigned account locations; determine sales, COGS, labor, OpEx, and EBITDA performance goals and ensure they are achieved.
• Ensure that payroll and accounts payable reporting and other administrative processes are completed correctly and on time.
• Ensure accurate sales forecasting, scheduling, purchasing, prep production, and theoretical vs. actual inventory at assigned account locations.
• Adhere to the operating budget and management contract requirements.
• Roll out new operational changes, menu items, limited-time offers, and other initiatives.
• Supervise people development, i.e., recruiting and hiring, onboarding, training, development, motivation, performance documentation and reviews, and promotions.
• Serve as an ambassador of the Infuse brand and brands of assigned clients.
• Report monthly to clients on P&L results for assigned locations.
• Lead comprehensive quarterly business review sessions with client partners for assigned locations.

Additional Responsibilities for New Accounts and New Concept Openings:

• Provide feedback on financial pro forma models for prospective new client partners and operations.
• Layout and equipment planning for assigned new concepts in development to ensure a high level of operational execution.
• Create and manage a pre-opening capital expenditures budget for assigned new concepts based on client partner guidance and the account contract.
• Participate in branding brainstorms, menu research and development, and other concept-creation exercises.
• Work collaboratively with outside partners, including architects, food service equipment consultants and suppliers, general contractors, and agencies.
• Manage pre-opening project responsibilities and deadlines and adhering to schedule and budget.
• Lead new location operations process.

Qualifications and Expectations:

• At least 5 years of experience as a district manager, area manager, or similar role is required.
• Previous experience in full-service restaurants is required and experience in contract food service management is a plus.
• Hospitality-driven mindset with a passion for restaurants, bars, coffee, and tea.
• Proficient in P&L management.
• Flexibility for travel to support local and national expansion - up to 30% out of state.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills.
• Strong learning agility, an ability to navigate ambiguity, willingness to speak up and ask for help when needed.
• Excellent communication skills, including active listening and the ability to ask great questions.
• Operating with a sense of urgency and purpose, meeting aggressive deadlines.