Director of Operations

NOTE: This position will be onsite at our corporate office in Franklin, TN. Occasional travel is required.

​Harvest House is a new restaurant concept opening in 2025! This is an amazing opportunity to get in on the ground floor and help bring this vision to life!!

What you'll do: The DO is a key member of the HH start-up team and is responsible for orchestrating all resources needed to set in motion, and ultimately realize, the CEO’s vision for the new concept. He/she will work cross-functionally and with outside vendors at the direction of the CEO, ensuring assigned aspects of development are completed timely and within budget, including but not limited to supply chain, equipment & smallwares, HR & training, operations procedure, talent acquisition, finance, etc. The DO will provide expertise and input to ensure HH is a scalable and replicable brand with strong unit economics.

Prior to opening and thereafter, the DO will oversee all aspects of restaurant operations to ensure the concept is executed at a consistently high level and capable of meeting top and bottom-line expectations. Results will be achieved through superior execution of brand standards, marketing plans, defined SOPs, policies and procedures, and operational excellence.

How you'll do it:

• Works closely with the CEO (or designate) to understand and execute his vision for the new concept.
• Works with all support departments and outside vendors as needed during the developmental phase, pre-opening and post-opening. Makes recommendations to improve operations as needed.
• Supervises the restaurant management team, ensuring consistently high standards of quality, service, cleanliness and operations excellence are achieved and maintained.
• Attends all development meetings and communicates timely and thoroughly with all stakeholders (CEO, support staff, vendors and restaurant management) to ensure change orders and modifications are activated with minimal disruption and expense.
• Recruits, selects, trains, leads, develops and motivates a highly skilled and experienced management team capable of achieving desired business results.
• Designs and implements processes and systems that maximize operational efficiency and minimize operating expenses.
• Works collaboratively with support staff and vendors to ensure pre-opening and grand opening are planned and executed successfully.

Experience requirements and what you need to be great at:

• 10 years previous experience as a multi-unit foodservice operator or as an owner/operator of an independently owned restaurant or chain.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent required; bachelor’s degree in business or restaurant/hotel management preferred.
• Previous experience successfully operating a high volume QSR-style restaurant ($3M annual sales).
• Relies on strong business acumen, experience and sound problem-solving skills to address and overcome challenges and/or obstacles that are unique to start-up endeavors where no previous blueprint exists.
• Possesses mental agility and deals effectively with ambiguity in an environment of rapid change and frequent course corrections.
• Entrepreneurial outlook to problem-solving. Unencumbered by traditional methods and open-minded about innovative approaches.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to envision how business decisions made today will impact the growth and success of the Harvest House concept in the future.
• Collaborative team player whom others look to for leadership and guidance.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to tailor messages to impact target audience, whether 1-on-1, small groups or large audiences. Effective with verbal communication, written communications and listening.
• Ability to plan and organize time effectively and maintain a disciplined planning regimen.