Founding Head of Operations

About the role

We are seeking a Founding Head of Operations to lead the launch, buildout, and scaling of a high-growth restaurant concept in New York City. This is a rare opportunity to join as an early leader and build the operational foundation from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operational launch of the first restaurant location from pre-opening through grand opening and stabilization.
• Partner on site selection, lease review, vendor sourcing, permitting, inspections, and regulatory approvals.
• Design and implement operational systems, SOPs, training programs, staffing models, scheduling processes, and performance metrics.
• Recruit, hire, train, and develop restaurant leadership and frontline teams.
• Own day-to-day restaurant operations and ensure exceptional guest experiences.
• Manage full P&L responsibility, including labor costs, food costs, inventory management, waste reduction, and profitability.
• Build and maintain vendor relationships while creating supply chain redundancy and operational resilience.
• Collaborate with founders and technology partners to operationalize innovative kitchen and workflow solutions.
• Document repeatable processes and operational best practices to support future multi-unit expansion.
• Lead expansion efforts as the company scales from one location to multiple locations across New York City.

Requirements

• 7+ years of restaurant operations experience within QSR, fast-casual, or similar high-volume concepts.
• Proven experience designing restaurant operations from the ground up (0-to-1 build experience).
• Experience opening and launching multiple restaurant locations.
• Strong understanding of restaurant financials, including P&L management, labor optimization, food cost control, and inventory management.
• Experience hiring, developing, and leading restaurant teams.
• Familiarity with New York City restaurant operations, permitting processes, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong systems-thinking mindset with the ability to create scalable operational frameworks.
• Able to thrive in ambiguity and operate effectively in a startup or high-growth environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-growth fast-casual or QSR brands.
• Exposure to startup environments or founder-led organizations.
• Experience building operational playbooks that support multi-unit growth.
• Background implementing technology, automation, or operational innovation within restaurant environments.
• Prior experience scaling operations across multiple locations.

What Success Looks Like

• Successfully launch and stabilize the first restaurant location.
• Create scalable operational systems that can be replicated across future locations.
• Create strong operational KPIs around labor, food cost, quality, guest experience, and profitability.
• Establish the foundation for expansion from one location to multiple locations over the next several years.

Compensation & Equity

• Competitive base salary: $150,000 - $180,000
• Meaningful founding-team equity grant with significant long-term upside
• Opportunity to help shape the future of a rapidly growing business from the earliest stages

Skills

• Management
• Foundation
• Base
• Multi-unit
• Operations
• High-growth
• Leadership