Overview
Chief Operating Officer- Restaurants Jobs in Orlando, FL at Leap Brands
Title: Chief Operating Officer- Restaurants
Company: Leap Brands
Location: Orlando, FL
Position Summary
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, responsible for driving the operational excellence, profitability, and scalable growth of our restaurant brand. This role requires a dynamic hospitality executive who can translate high-level brand vision into seamless, cross-functional execution across all locations.
The ideal candidate brings a mix of strict financial discipline, a deep passion for guest hospitality, and a proven track record of scaling multi-unit restaurant concepts while maintaining strict brand integrity.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Excellence & Scale
- Oversee day-to-day operations for all corporate [and franchise, if applicable] locations, ensuring peak performance across guest satisfaction, food quality, and speed of service.
- Develop, implement, and continuously refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure consistent brand execution as the footprint expands.
- Optimize the supply chain, purchasing, and vendor management systems to protect margins without compromising quality.
Strategic Growth & Expansion
- Partner with the executive team to execute the brand’s market expansion strategy, playing a lead role in site validation, design, and successful New Restaurant Openings (NROs).
- Assess, upgrade, and implement operational technology stacks (e.g., POS, inventory management, labor scheduling, and guest loyalty platforms).
Financial Performance & Accountability
- Hold ultimate P&L accountability for operations, driving top-line sales growth while aggressively managing prime costs (labor and cost of goods sold/COGS).
- Establish, monitor, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) including table turns, labor efficiency, waste metrics, and EBITDA margins.
- Lead annual operational budgeting and capital expenditure (CapEx) planning for all locations.
Leadership & People Development
- Cultivate a vibrant, hospitality-first culture that minimizes turnover and establishes the brand as an employer of choice.
- Directly manage, mentor, and build the bench strength of Regional Directors, District Managers, and the corporate operations support team.
- Refine recruitment, onboarding, and continuous training pipelines for both front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) staff.
Qualifications & Experience
- Experience: 10+ years of progressive hospitality leadership, with at least 3-5 years in an executive-level role (COO, VP of Operations, or Senior Regional Director) overseeing a multi-unit, high-growth restaurant brand.
- Scale Milestone: Proven track record of successfully scaling a brand from [Current Unit Count, e.g., 10 units] to [Target Unit Count, e.g., 50+ units].
- Financial Acumen: Advanced expertise in P&L management, financial forecasting, labor modeling, and supply chain logistics.
- Leadership Style: A "servant leader" mentality—equally comfortable presenting to investors in the boardroom and standing on the line with line cooks during a Friday night rush.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, or a related field preferred; MBA is a strong plus.
