Director of Food Service Operations

Reports To VP of Commercial Innovation

Direct Reports None - cross-functional role; partners closely with Sales, Operations,

Marketing, and Store Leadership

Location Based in Southern California (SoCal)

Travel Regular travel throughout the SoCal region required; occasional travel

outside SoCal (less than 25%)

Employment Type Full-Time

Position Summary

Director of Food Service Operations to launch and manage new business across this broad spectrum of

opportunities. This role owns full P&L responsibility for a portfolio of foodservice accounts, partnering

closely with corporate store leadership, franchisees, and the sales team to launch new accounts and

recommend reconfigurations of existing store locations, and working cross-functionally across the

organization to keep existing operations running safely, efficiently, and profitably. The role builds lean,

practical operational plans grounded in food safety best practices across our consumer, catering, and

institutional channels.

Key Responsibilities
• Own and manage full profit & loss (P&L) for assigned foodservice accounts, driving revenue growth,

cost discipline, and margin improvement.
• Create and manage operating budgets for assigned accounts, aligning spend with overall P&L targets.
• Develop equipment budgets covering heating, cold storage, and hot- and cold-food transportation

equipment to support new and existing accounts.
• Lead the launch of new foodservice accounts, from initial handoff through full operational readiness.
• Partner with the sales team to understand newly won accounts and translate deal terms and account

requirements into concrete, actionable operational plans.
• Partner directly with clients to understand their customer expectations and service requirements,

ensuring operational plans align with their standards.
• Assess existing store locations and recommend reconfigurations - layout, equipment, or workflow

changes - to improve operational efficiency, food safety, and profitability, partnering with corporate

store leadership and franchisees to implement approved changes.
• Conduct store and client site walkthroughs to assess readiness for new accounts, confirm compliance,

and identify opportunities for store reconfiguration or operational improvement.
• Partner with operations teams to train store-level staff and support successful account launches and

store reconfigurations.
• Design and implement lean operational plans that eliminate waste and inefficiency while keeping food

safety as the top priority.
• Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on safe food handling guidelines, ensuring every

account and store location remains compliant with food safety regulations and standards.
• Work cross-functionally with Sales, Operations, Marketing, and Finance to align resources, priorities,

and timelines in support of account launch and store reconfiguration goals.
• Conduct regular on-site visits across the Southern California region to support accounts, audit

operations, and reinforce standards; travel occasionally outside SoCal as needed (less than 25% of the

time).
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with franchisees and store leadership to resolve

operational issues quickly and proactively.

Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or a related field preferred;

equivalent experience will be considered.
• 5-7 years of progressive foodservice, restaurant, or multi-unit operations experience, including direct

P&L ownership.
• Demonstrated experience supporting new account launches and recommending store-level operational

improvements in partnership with corporate leadership and/or franchisees.
• ServSafe Manager certification required; strong working knowledge of safe food handling guidelines

and food safety regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and align cross-functional teams (Sales, Operations, Marketing,

Finance) without direct authority.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate sales and account

information into clear operational plans.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with comfort managing budgets, forecasts, and financial

reporting.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly throughout Southern California, with occasional travel outside

the region.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.