Director of Operations in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Potbelly - JMC Ventures LLC

Job Title: Director of Operations

Department: Operations

Location: Tulsa Market (Field-Based)

Reports to: Owner (JMC Ventures)

Classification: Full-Time, Exempt

Travel: Frequent (across all Tulsa locations)

Compensation: $60,000 – $70,000 base + performance bonus

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Director of Operations is responsible for leading all shop-level operations across the portfolio, ensuring consistent execution of the Potbelly Way while driving sales, profitability, and team development.

This role functions as the operational leader of the business, acting as a bridge between ownership and shop-level teams. The Director of Operations builds strong General Managers, develops team members at all levels, and ensures each shop delivers a high-quality customer experience while hitting financial targets.

For the first phase (1–3 shops), this role will be hands-on and may directly support or oversee a home store. As the business scales (4–5+ shops), the role transitions fully into multi-unit leadership.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

People Leadership

• Build, coach, and develop high-performing General Managers and team members across all locations
• Establish a strong leadership bench from Shift Leaders through GM level
• Lead hiring efforts for GMs, Assistant Managers, and Shift Leaders
• Coach GMs on staffing, scheduling, labor management, and performance accountability
• Spend time in shops actively coaching team members on execution, service, and the Potbelly Way
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide ongoing feedback and development
• Maintain high team engagement, low turnover, and strong culture alignment
• Serve as the primary liaison between ownership and shop-level teams
• Spend significant time in shops (target ~40%) focused on coaching and team development

Operations & Customer Experience

• Ensure all shops execute the Potbelly Way consistently
• Maintain high standards in food quality, speed of service, cleanliness, and hospitality
• Conduct regular shop audits covering operations, food safety, and brand standards
• Analyze customer feedback and implement improvements
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, labor, and operational policies

Sales & Growth

• Drive same-store sales growth and local store marketing initiatives
• Own and lead catering sales strategy across all locations, including building relationships, driving large orders, and establishing consistent catering processes
• Build and execute a district-level sales plan focused on both in-shop traffic and outside-the-four-walls revenue
• Train and coach GMs and team members on catering execution, order accuracy, and customer experience
• Ensure execution of promotions, product launches, and marketing campaigns
• Lead and support new store openings from an operations standpoint
• Develop community engagement strategies to build brand presence and drive catering opportunities

Financial Performance

• Own P&L performance across all locations
• Drive improvements in labor (target ~28%), food cost, and overall profitability
• Use data (sales reports, labor metrics, customer feedback) to identify opportunities
• Develop and execute action plans to hit revenue and profit targets
• Hold GMs accountable to financial and operational goals

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Strong, independent General Managers running each location
• Well-trained, high-performing team members in every shop
• Consistent execution across all locations
• Hitting or exceeding sales and profit targets
• Low turnover and strong team culture
• Strong and growing catering sales channel across all locations
• Smooth, efficient new store openings

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of multi-unit leadership experience (restaurant or retail preferred)
• Proven ability to coach and develop both managers and hourly team members
• Experience driving catering or outside-the-four-walls sales is strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of labor management, P&L, and operations
• Experience building and developing leaders
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple locations
• Strong communication skills and leadership presence
• Hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves mindset
• Food Safety Manager Certification (or ability to obtain)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and restaurant systems

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Ability to work 50+ hours per week as needed
• Frequent travel between locations
• Ability to stand/walk for extended periods
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Comfortable working in fast-paced restaurant environments

WHY THIS ROLE IS DIFFERENT

• Direct partnership with ownership and real influence on business decisions
• Opportunity to scale from 1 store to 5+ locations
• Clear path to higher-level leadership as the company grows
• Key role in building a long-term multi-unit franchise platform