Demo

Director of Operations - Restaurant

Leap Brands
Santa Barbara, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 7/9/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 10/6/2026

We are looking for a Director of Operations who knows what great restaurant operations look like and has the leadership skills to build them at scale. This isn't a corporate desk job. We're looking for a hands-on operator who enjoys being in the restaurants, coaching leaders, improving financial performance, and creating an exceptional guest experience.

The Director of Operations will oversee multiple full-service restaurant locations and partner with General Managers to drive sales, profitability, operational excellence, and team development.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the operational performance of multiple full-service restaurant locations.
  • Coach, mentor, and develop General Managers and Area Leaders.
  • Drive sales growth while improving restaurant profitability and EBITDA.
  • Analyze P&L statements and identify opportunities to improve labor, food cost, and operating expenses.
  • Ensure every restaurant consistently delivers an exceptional guest experience.
  • Maintain high standards for food quality, cleanliness, service, and hospitality.
  • Develop action plans for underperforming restaurants and hold leadership teams accountable for results.
  • Recruit, train, and retain high-performing operational leaders.
  • Partner with HR on hiring, employee relations, and succession planning.
  • Work closely with Marketing, Culinary, Finance, and Training to execute company initiatives.
  • Monitor KPIs including sales, labor, food cost, guest satisfaction, turnover, and safety metrics.
  • Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and company operating standards.
  • Travel regularly between restaurant locations.

Qualifications

  • 7 years of multi-unit leadership experience in full-service restaurants.
  • Experience overseeing multiple restaurant locations with responsibility for financial performance.
  • Strong understanding of restaurant P&Ls and key operating metrics.
  • Proven ability to develop General Managers into high-performing leaders.
  • Experience leading high-volume restaurant operations.
  • Excellent communication and coaching skills.
  • Strong business acumen with the ability to balance hospitality and profitability.
  • Willingness to travel extensively.

Preferred Experience

  • Casual dining, polished casual, upscale casual, or family dining experience.
  • Experience with 8–20 restaurant locations.
  • Background working with private equity-backed or growth-oriented restaurant companies.
  • Experience leading new restaurant openings, remodels, or operational turnarounds.

Salary : $130,000 - $150,000

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Director of Operations - Restaurant?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Director of Operations - Restaurant career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$219,423 - $248,819
Income Estimation: 
$280,031 - $485,657
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Leap Brands

  • Leap Brands Washington, MD
  • Position Overview: The District Manager will be responsible for the overall operational performance, customer satisfaction, and profitability of multiple r... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • Leap Brands San Antonio, TX
  • Leap Brands is looking to fill a Director of Operations position. This position is ideal for someone who has a strong background in multi-unit operation ma... more
  • 2 Days Ago

  • Leap Brands Annapolis, MD
  • Job Description: We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented QSR Construction Project Manager to oversee new restaurant builds, remodels, and special... more
  • 3 Days Ago

  • Leap Brands St. Louis, MO
  • Position Summary: The Director of Operations is responsible for leading the operational success of franchise and/or company-owned units within an assigned ... more
  • 3 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Director of Operations - Restaurant jobs in the Santa Barbara, CA area that may be a better fit.

  • Urbane Cafe Operations LLC Goleta, CA
  • Job Description. Job Description. Description. Get Fired Up For Your Future. At Urbane Cafe, we're not just filling positions β€” we're building careers. Vot... more
  • 16 Days Ago

  • TX06 Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC. Santa Barbara, CA
  • Company Overview Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO) is part of Bridgestone Americas and employs over 22,000 teammates in North America. BSRO operates mor... more
  • 2 Months Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!