We are exclusively partnering with a retail operator that has a footprint of 30+ brick and mortar locations across Illinois and a clear path to continued expansion to hire their next Head of Operations!
We’re building something scalable—not just maintaining what exists—and are looking for a hands-on operator to help lead that next phase. Our model blends operational discipline, customer experience, and local market execution to drive consistent, profitable growth.
The Role
This is not a sit-back-and-report role.
We are looking for a true operator to lead day-to-day performance across all locations—someone who can move seamlessly between strategy and execution, hold teams accountable, and drive measurable results across revenue, service, and compliance.
You will have full operational oversight, leading teams across operations, service, and field execution.
What You’ll Own
Multi-Site Operations
- Oversee performance of 30+ locations across Illinois
- Drive consistency in execution, service, and profitability across all sites
- Identify underperforming locations and implement turnaround plans
P&L & Operational Performance
- Own P&L with clear targets for revenue growth and margin improvement
- Monitor KPIs (daily revenue, labor efficiency, uptime, etc.)
- Translate data into action—not just reporting
People Leadership & Employee Relations
- Lead, develop, and hold accountable a team of 5 direct managers plus a team of approximately 200 attendants and support staff
- Act as the senior escalation point for employee relations issues, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally sound resolution and corrective actions
- Build a culture of accountability, urgency, and ownership across all locations
Payroll & Workforce Management
- Oversee payroll processes across all locations, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance
- Align staffing levels, scheduling, and labor spend with business performance
- Identify and address inefficiencies in labor utilization
Field Execution
- Regularly visit locations; this is a high-visibility, in-the-field leadership role
- Ensure operational standards are actually being followed—not just documented
- Solve problems in real time
Field Marketing & Revenue Optimization
- Partner with marketing to execute local, in-market initiatives that drive traffic and revenue
- Evaluate effectiveness of field marketing efforts (promotions, signage, local partnerships, etc.)
- Adjust strategies based on performance data to maximize ROI at the location level
Compliance & Risk
- Ensure all locations operate in full compliance with state industry regulations
- Maintain clean, audit-ready operations
- Assist with lease renewals and licensing, including business, liquor, and other requirements
Growth & Optimization
- Partner with leadership on new location launches and expansions
- Improve processes, systems, and operational playbooks
- Identify opportunities to increase revenue per location
What We’re Looking For
Core Experience
- 10+ years professional experience
- 5+ years in multi-site operations leadership or big box store retail leadership environments
- 5+ years owning a P&L
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience
- Experience managing distributed teams across multiple locations
- Strong preference for: hospitality, retail, gaming, quick service restaurant, route-based businesses, or similar
- Proficient with SaaS software applications, such as Restaurant365, Toast, Square, Rippling, ADP, Workday or Sage Intacct
Operator Mindset
- You don’t just review dashboards—you fix what’s broken
- Comfortable being in the field and holding people accountable
- High ownership mentality; low tolerance for excuses
Business Acumen
- Strong understanding of P&L management
- Ability to connect operational decisions to financial outcomes
- Data-driven, but not paralyzed by analysis
Leadership Style
- Direct, clear communicator
- Able to push performance while maintaining team engagement
- Builds leaders—not just manages them
Nice to Have
- Experience with regulated environments
- Scaling operations (opening new sites, integrating acquisitions, etc.)
