Vice President of Operations / COO | QSR Restaurant Group

Vice President of Operations (COO Track)

Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) / Fast Casual | ~80 Locations |Southern California-Based

A multi-unit restaurant brand to identify a Vice President of Operations with a clear path to Chief Operating Officer. This is a high-impact, executive-level opportunity for a proven operator who thrives in complex, high-volume environments and is ready to help lead the organization into its next phase of growth.

This role requires a hands-on, strategic leader who has successfully overseen large-scale restaurant operations (70+ locations) and can drive operational discipline, financial performance, and team accountability across a geographically dispersed footprint.

What You’ll Do

• Provide executive leadership across approximately 80 company-operated and/or franchised locations, ensuring consistent execution of brand standards, food safety, and guest experience
• Lead and develop a multi-layered field organization (Regional Directors, District Managers, and support teams), creating strong accountability and performance culture
• Drive improvements in labor productivity, food cost, EBITDA, and overall unit-level profitability
• Oversee and execute large-scale operational initiatives, including systems implementations (POS, labor tools, KDS), process standardization, and throughput optimization
• Champion change management across a diverse, multi-unit organization
• Partner closely with the CEO and executive team on strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, and long-term growth initiatives
• Build and scale a high-performance culture focused on leadership development, operational excellence, and continuous improvement

What We’re Looking For

• Local to Southern California
• Proven experience leading 70+ restaurants
• Prior experience as a VP of Operations, SVP of Operations, or COO within a QSR or fast casual environment (company-owned operations)
• Demonstrated full P&L ownership at a regional or enterprise level
• Deep understanding of high-volume, multi-unit restaurant operations at scale
• 15+ years of progressive restaurant leadership experience

Why This Role

• Clear runway to COO for the right leader
• Opportunity to make a meaningful operational impact at scale
• Partner directly with executive leadership on shaping the future of the brand.