Reporting to the Director of Strategic Operations, this role is responsible for providing operational insight, recommendations, and directions for the dual-brand Applebee’s & IHOP concept. This role serves as the primary operational lead for new restaurant openings, ownership transitions, and conversions. In partnership with brand teams, internal stakeholders, and external vendors, this position acts as the subject matter expert for systems, integrations, and workflows, ensuring accurate, stable, and efficient operations.
Work with all levels of internal and external leadership, leading teams and ensuring all programs and initiatives are complete and prepared for implementation, execution, operational integration, resulting in driving overall performance.
- Manages projects with varying degrees of complexity, definition and risk
- Leads cross-functional initiatives from inception through testing and implementation
- Develop implementation plans, timelines, checklists, and operational requirements
- Validate restaurant readiness, including menus, system configurations, and workflows prior to launch
- Partner with brand teams, Operations, Technology, Training, Marketing, and vendors to ensure successful deployments
- Identify opportunities to improve sales, order accuracy, execution, and guest experience
- Provide data-driven insights and recommendations to operators and field leadership
- Support system configuration, menu publishing, integrations, and readiness validation
- Participate in testing, release validation, and deployment of platform updates
- Partner with Technology, Menu Publishing, Olo, DSPs, and vendors to ensure accurate implementation with minimal disruption
- Maintain system documentation and operational standards
- Support rollout of new initiatives and enhancements
- Contribute to testing, pilots, and scaling efforts
- Document best practices, standards, and lessons learned
- Identify opportunities to streamline workflows and improve execution
- Support multiple concurrent projects and initiatives
- Leads cross functional team of subject matter experts; identifies resources required to meet the needs of the initiative; gains alignment from senior leaders on resource commitment
- Drives results through others by influencing, gaining alignment and effectively facilitating cross-functional activities
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- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- 3–6+ years of experience in operations, project management, analytics, or restaurant technology
- Experience in restaurant or multi-unit environments preferred
- Working knowledge of POS, KDS, and integrated restaurant technologies
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word (MS Project a plus)
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
- Ability to collaborate cross-functionally and influence without direct authority