What are the responsibilities and job description for the Regional Director of Operations position at Five Star Parks and Attractions?
Five Star Parks & Attractions is the largest privately owned operator of family entertainment centers in the United States, with 27 high-energy destinations across 13 states. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company has grown rapidly from just three locations in 2019 to a national portfolio of award-winning venues, including Scene75, The Track Family Fun Parks, Malibu Jack’s, Fun Land, Celebration Station, Craig’s Cruisers, and more. Recognized on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list at No. 299 for 1,408 percent three-year growth, Five Star Parks continues to lead the way in innovation, guest experience, and operational excellence in the amusement and hospitality sector.
Our venues fuse go-karts, arcades, bowling, VR, thrill rides, and immersive dining into vibrant, high-impact environments that inspire all generations to play, connect, and create unforgettable memories. We are rooted in a company-wide promise of being Safe, Clean, and Fun—demonstrating our uncompromising commitment to guest and team-member well-being, pride in welcoming and immaculate facilities, and a playful, edgy spirit that sets us apart. Internally, we foster a culture of integrity, accountability, inclusiveness, and performance, empowering team members to think boldly, own outcomes, and deliver Five Star moments every day. With the scale of a national platform and the heart of a local host, Five Star Parks is a dynamic workplace where operational excellence, innovation, and fun converge—every day is an opportunity to elevate play.
This position is based remote but is ideally located close to one of our parks.
Position Summary
The Regional Director of Operations (RDO) of Five Star Parks & Attractions is responsible for the day-to-day operational performance of a group of parks within an assigned region. Reporting to the Regional Vice President of Operations or CEO, the RDO directly leads and develops General Managers to deliver exceptional guest experiences, achieve financial targets, and uphold our Safe, Clean, and Fun promise at every location. This is a field-based, hands-on leadership role that requires a strong operator who leads from the floor, coaches in the moment, and drives consistent execution and accountability across multiple parks.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
Our venues fuse go-karts, arcades, bowling, VR, thrill rides, and immersive dining into vibrant, high-impact environments that inspire all generations to play, connect, and create unforgettable memories. We are rooted in a company-wide promise of being Safe, Clean, and Fun—demonstrating our uncompromising commitment to guest and team-member well-being, pride in welcoming and immaculate facilities, and a playful, edgy spirit that sets us apart. Internally, we foster a culture of integrity, accountability, inclusiveness, and performance, empowering team members to think boldly, own outcomes, and deliver Five Star moments every day. With the scale of a national platform and the heart of a local host, Five Star Parks is a dynamic workplace where operational excellence, innovation, and fun converge—every day is an opportunity to elevate play.
This position is based remote but is ideally located close to one of our parks.
Position Summary
The Regional Director of Operations (RDO) of Five Star Parks & Attractions is responsible for the day-to-day operational performance of a group of parks within an assigned region. Reporting to the Regional Vice President of Operations or CEO, the RDO directly leads and develops General Managers to deliver exceptional guest experiences, achieve financial targets, and uphold our Safe, Clean, and Fun promise at every location. This is a field-based, hands-on leadership role that requires a strong operator who leads from the floor, coaches in the moment, and drives consistent execution and accountability across multiple parks.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Directly oversee the daily operations of assigned parks to ensure consistent execution of brand standards, SOPs, and the Safe, Clean, and Fun promise.
- Spend the majority of time in parks conducting visits, walk-throughs, and operational audits, providing real-time coaching to park leaders.
- Ensure park readiness for peak seasons, holidays, and major events, including staffing, inventory, and attraction availability.
- Monitor guest feedback, online reviews, and satisfaction scores; resolve escalated guest concerns and drive service improvements.
- Partner with Facilities and Maintenance to maximize ride, attraction, and game uptime and ensure preventive maintenance is completed.
- Hold accountability for park-level P&L results, including revenue, labor, cost of goods, and controllable expenses.
- Review park scorecards weekly; for yellow and red flag parks, build and execute action plans with General Managers and report progress to the Regional Vice President.
- Drive same-store sales growth and revenue per guest (per caps) through upselling, food and beverage, arcade, party and group sales, and local marketing execution.
- Set and monitor park KPIs and conduct regular business reviews with General Managers.
- Identify and share best practices across parks to raise performance throughout the region.
- Participate in annual budgeting and forecasting for assigned parks in partnership with Finance.
- Review and approve labor schedules to ensure labor cost is managed to target based on business volume.
- Monitor cash handling, inventory controls, and purchasing to protect margins and prevent loss.
- Identify capital and repair needs and submit recommendations with supporting justification.
- Lead, coach, and develop General Managers and park management teams; conduct performance reviews and set development goals.
- Partner with Human Resources on recruiting, onboarding, training, and retention of park leaders and team members.
- Ensure required training and certification programs are completed at every park.
- Identify and develop high-potential managers to build a strong General Manager pipeline.
- Address employee relations and performance concerns in partnership with Human Resources, ensuring fair and consistent application of company policies.
- Champion core values and model effective, empathetic leadership.
- Implement and reinforce new processes, technology, and enterprise initiatives at the park level and ensure full adoption.
- Provide field feedback to the Regional Vice President and Support Center on SOP effectiveness and improvement opportunities.
- Support new park openings, acquisitions, and integrations, including training, systems setup, and launch execution.
- Ensure parks play a role in developing positive community relations and local partnerships.
- Ensure parks comply with safety standards, daily ride and attraction inspections, health department requirements, alcohol service laws, labor laws (including minor labor requirements), and company policy.
- Lead incident response and investigations and ensure accurate, timely reporting.
- Conduct periodic safety, sanitation, and cash audits and ensure corrective actions are completed.
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
- 7 years of operations management experience, including 3 years of multi-unit leadership in family entertainment, attractions, hospitality, restaurant, or retail.
- Proven P&L accountability with a track record of improving sales, labor efficiency, and profitability.
- Hands-on knowledge of guest service, food and beverage operations, labor scheduling, inventory, and cash controls.
- Strong coaching and leadership skills with the ability to hold leaders accountable while building engagement.
- Strong analytical skills and comfort working with KPIs, scorecards, and POS reporting.
- Excellent communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to travel up to 50–75% within the region, including nights, weekends, and holidays as business needs require.
- Experience in the family entertainment center (FEC) or attractions industry preferred.